Not Sure if My Gray Tree Frog is Still Alive

Edit: I checked my frog again this morning and she is actually alive.

A few weeks ago, I was on vacation in Missouri, and found and caught a frog. I stopped by a pet store to buy it a small container and some terrarium moss, as well as a water dish and some crickets. I later did some research on the Internet and concluded that I had caught a gray tree frog.

Once I got home about three days later, I went to a pet store again and bought some terrarium soil, a fake plant, a hollow half-log, a thermometer, and a heat lamp and light bulbs for the new terrarium I was making for the frog. I thoroughly washed out the 10-gallon tank I had owned and covered the bottom of it with about an inch to an inch and a half of the soil. I then covered some of the soil with the moss I had purchased earlier, and put all of the items in the terrarium.

Once I put the frog in, it immediately went inside the hollow log, but soon thereafter came out and buried itself in the soil in about five or ten minutes.

I have had the frog for about three weeks now; as far as I can tell, it hasn't emerged itself from the soil to eat, receive sunlight, or drink any water. I have had a daytime and nighttime lamp over the top of the cage, but have just had the nighttime light on since the frog doesn't seem to be coming out at all.

Throughout the two weeks after getting the frog, there was moisture around it and I could see that it had moved around while I wasn't looking at it from time to time. I just checked it again tonight, though, and there isn't really any moisture around it like there had been a few days ago. I can't see the frog breathing, but there is some soil blocking my view of it. I misted the tank again after not having had done it for about a couple of days, and it didn't seem that the water was getting to it right away.

So, I poured a bit of water right in to the tank on the soil around where the frog was; the water did seep down to the bottom of the tank, but pretty much completely missed the frog (I'm not sure if that's because I didn't pour water in the right place, or some sort of substance secreted by the frog is repelling the water or something). I poured more water in the tank, and finally saw that the water was getting to the frog. However, the frog still hasn't moved.

I really want to dig in to the soil to where the frog is, just to make sure whether it's still alive or not, but if it's hibernating or something, I don't want to disturb it like that.

I'm very worried about my frog. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you,
stickynote427

EDIT: I checked the frog again this morning, and I can completely see the underside of her (there is no soil underneath her to block my view), and it looks like she is breathing. Still, could she be hibernating? Why might she be keeping herself buried?

Grey tree frogs do hibernate this time of year. What are your daytime temps? Humidity? Are you treating the water with declorinator?

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad to hear that my frog is probably hibernating and that is probably why I'm not seeing her.

It's a bit difficult to see the thermometer (it's a cheap stick-on one that goes on the inside of the terrarium) due to the red light of the nighttime light, but I believe that the daytime temperature is somewhere around 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit.

I do not have a hygrometer, but I try to mist the tank once a day, especially now since I saw that the area around the frog was very dry. I misted it this afternoon, and all the water evaporated and/or soaked in to the terrarium bed in less than an hour.

I am treating the water with a dechlorinator, which, according to the bottle:

- instantly removes chlorine and chloramines
- removes ammonia and helps prevent its accumulation
- adds essential electrolytes (including calcium)
- aids in rehydrating new arrivals
- stimulates slime coat development providing a natural protective barrier for all types of amphibians
- reduces pH

Also, if the frog is hibernating, do I still need to feed, mist, and heat the frog?

Thanks again!
stickynote427

Don't worry it's in Hibernation. I'm assuming the temps are in the lower 60s too. If not what are they?

And If you really are concerned try bring your temps up slowly to like a 70-80* during the day and see if she comes out. As far as the heat lamp you really don't need it. Just keep the room 75 degrees and your good.

All so they can actually hurt your tree frog especially with a cheap sticky. Use a stick on heating pad and attach it to the side of the cage if your using moss. As for Humidity, it isn't as important with Greys but you still want to get a meter to keep an eye on it. If you keep using the heat lamp and dont want the tank drying out so fast, keep the heat lamp off till summer.

Your water treatment is fine I use a similar one. I'm sure as long as you let your little Grey sleep and don't dump water on her barrow she will be good.

Originally Posted by stickynote427

It's a bit difficult to see the thermometer (it's a cheap stick-on one that goes on the inside of the terrarium) due to the red light of the nighttime light, but I believe that the daytime temperature is somewhere around 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit.

WHOA. Way too warm!! That's why your frog is buried. Gray tree frogs need only temps around the 70 - 75 range. Lower those temps, you will probably see a frog.

And depending on what type of stick on thermometer you have it can be considerably inaccuarate!

How might I be able to reduce the tank temperature if it is too hot? I think the lowest wattage I could find in bulbs was 75, which is what I am using.

I should be going out within the next few days to by a new thermometer and a hygrometer.

You can raise the actual physical distance of the bulb or reduce the wattage. You can get lower wattage bulbs that 75.

How might I be able to raise the lamp? It's just sitting on top of the wire mesh lid of the cage.

Some type of blocks or something to put under the dome reflector to lift the whole thing up.