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Bored in class so I thought I'd stir up the pot a little...
I've seen a few arguments that one should pick the frog first, then build the tank around the frog. There are also threads that say, 'help me pick a frog for this tank.' What's your take, and why?
I can see the "frog first" if you're talking arboreals vs. terrestrials, or thumbs vs. tincs... but otherwise, does it really matter?
My belief is that every frog should get the "luxuries" that they would come across in the wild, or the closest equivalent we can provide- a variety of microfauna, breeding sites, places to hide, leaf litter (though true arboreals wouldn't come across much leaf litter, we see it is still beneficial to their captive husbandry) etc.
I give all of my frogs, terrestrial or arboreal, the "pumilio treatment"... some sort of clay background & more clay mixed into the substrate, leaf litter, several iso & spring species, multiple broms & film pots per frog (coco's/hides instead for terrestrials), plants for security, and some type of vine/wood to increase useable space.
By this standard, I feel like the only difference between my tanks is the frog that goes in it.... with the exception of the vertical/horizontal stance of the tank itself, and minor details to increase floorspace for terrestrials or climbing space for arboreals.
The "frog first" argument says that I'm doing something wrong.... am I? I think the "pick your frog first" argument makes it seem okay to put tincs in a tank with a piece of pothos and a coco hut, without leaf litter or microfauna, because they can get by without it.
I realize I'm taking the statement at a literal level, but I'm sure some new hobbyists who hear it do also... and then think it's okay to take the easy route with the hardier terrestrials & thumbnails.
Like I said, bored in class, take it for what it's worth... just thought I'd challenge a statement I've heard more than once that doesn't really fly with me.... bottom line, I think all of our frogs deserve a king's share, whether they need it to live or not. IMO, that's the very definition of helping our frogs to "thrive" and not only "survive."
/rant
I've seen a few arguments that one should pick the frog first, then build the tank around the frog. There are also threads that say, 'help me pick a frog for this tank.' What's your take, and why?
I can see the "frog first" if you're talking arboreals vs. terrestrials, or thumbs vs. tincs... but otherwise, does it really matter?
My belief is that every frog should get the "luxuries" that they would come across in the wild, or the closest equivalent we can provide- a variety of microfauna, breeding sites, places to hide, leaf litter (though true arboreals wouldn't come across much leaf litter, we see it is still beneficial to their captive husbandry) etc.
I give all of my frogs, terrestrial or arboreal, the "pumilio treatment"... some sort of clay background & more clay mixed into the substrate, leaf litter, several iso & spring species, multiple broms & film pots per frog (coco's/hides instead for terrestrials), plants for security, and some type of vine/wood to increase useable space.
By this standard, I feel like the only difference between my tanks is the frog that goes in it.... with the exception of the vertical/horizontal stance of the tank itself, and minor details to increase floorspace for terrestrials or climbing space for arboreals.
The "frog first" argument says that I'm doing something wrong.... am I? I think the "pick your frog first" argument makes it seem okay to put tincs in a tank with a piece of pothos and a coco hut, without leaf litter or microfauna, because they can get by without it.
I realize I'm taking the statement at a literal level, but I'm sure some new hobbyists who hear it do also... and then think it's okay to take the easy route with the hardier terrestrials & thumbnails.
Like I said, bored in class, take it for what it's worth... just thought I'd challenge a statement I've heard more than once that doesn't really fly with me.... bottom line, I think all of our frogs deserve a king's share, whether they need it to live or not. IMO, that's the very definition of helping our frogs to "thrive" and not only "survive."
/rant