10 gal critter cage + PDF = bad ?

[smilexelectric]

I was wondering, I have a 10 gallon critter cage with a screen slide off lid. Is this bad to house PDF in because the fruit flies can easily escape? I am getting 2 Dart Frogs and this is my first tank, although I will probably get a bigger tank soon.

[porkchop48]

With the screen you are going to have a hard time keeping the humidity where they need it to be and also the FF are going to be able to get out.

You may want to set up a much better tank before you even get your frogs.

[Nubster]

I agree. If you are going to set up a larger tank soon, you might as well set up just one tank and start with the larger one. A 10g tank is pretty small, the bigger the better. You can always keep the 10 gallon for a quarantine tank however.

[mentat7]

a few thoughts on critter cages (I also have one)

yes your going to get some ff escapees, I usually try & brush them back into the viv as there going in circles around the top. It helps if you spray down the insides of the tank with stale RO or declorinated water, just before feeding. The flys have a harder time climbing up wet glass. ... another tip is to NOT feed excess flys, just feed enough so that the frogs will eat most of them in a 5-10 min. time frame. then come back later with a second or third serving, when the frogs loose interest and just sit there, stop feeding. They're full. .... Also, you might consider picking up a sheet of 1/8" thick lexan from your local home center (not acrylic, it turns yellow & becomes brittle) and use a jig saw to cut a second lid to go over the screen top. This will keep the humidity up inside the viv. It will also serve a barrier to keep most of the heat from any lighting out of the tank. ... another option is to ditch the screen top and have a glass shop cut you a glass top.

Be careful when you close that screen top, froggies like to climb and you wouldn't want to pinch any froggie limbs in the track. ouch...

other thoughts: it will also will make a good quarantine tank, even after you build a larger one. you never know when a frog might get sick, start fighting, or god forbid you go hang out with a bunch of froggers at a show and come home with company in hand.

Oh well good luck.

Trey hock:

[dartboyofoly]

I just started my first tank and had the same problem. I didn't know how I was going to keep the humidity up, so I went to a local hardware store with the measurements of my tank top and got a custom Plexiglas top made. Then at home I grabbed a drill and a medium sized drill bit and cut a couple of holes (I have 8 medium holes about an inch across), but don't take the screen off, just put the Plexiglas over the sliding screen.

[Buddha]

There are some really experienced people say that you can keep some darts in a plastic Rubbermaid shoebox with a damp paper towel and a coconut hut for them to hid. But humidity needs to be kept. Saran Wrap partly over the holes, until you get a bigger tank done. There is so much information out there, you just need to read. Just saying. -Buddha

[Buddha]

Dartboy.. I used plexiglass back in the day, but Plexiglass can warp from heat also. Air holes are not really needed. I have 20 gallon Longs with glass tops, so good humidity and I open the tank once a day. So no air holes are needed. -Buddha

[Philsuma]

Do not use a plastic "Critter Carrier" - the coloured ones with the screen tops. A 10 gallon aquarium / fish tank is actually just as cheap and MUCH better, so there's no excuse for price there.

A section of glass cut at LOWES or Home Depot only coast @ $4-5.00 as well - again, no need to fool with more expensive Plexiglass or terribly inadequate Saran Wrap (heavens no).