I came here looking for info for properly housing and keeping a frog and I found that from a cool looking person that also loves Fallout and The Big Lebowski like I do 😂 Donny, we're finally in our element
You started digging in the dirt and then I saw this orange thing and was like “is that an orange?” And I was REALLY confused and then it was this cute frog and I just lost it!!!! 😂 do you even see the frog at all or does it just stay there as long as it can?
The substrate for these fossorial frogs is extremely important and they will die fro m toxic shock or resort if you are using coco fiber or most potting soul , you need an abg mix or the dudes substrates or just paper towel is better than coco fiber. coco fiber can be used but you have to change it almost every week. I lost two I tomatoe frogs overnight due to a red leg infection two weeks after I purchased them from anaerobic bacteria buildup in the substrate. Listen to the dude
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter its hard too find people who genuinely care for their animals like you do so it gives me hope that hopefully other people watch your videos and learn this! Keep it up man ,im planning on being a frequent buyer from you so keep up the good production :)
Can we see one for specifically for a pacman frog to go into a bioactive enclosure I've only seen the tomato frogs go into one I haven't seen any with a pacman frog
@@slowpoke4557 I personally have both an albino pacman and a tomato, both have the exact same enclosure and seem super happy and are growing really fast! small drainage layer, about 3-4 inches of soil with handfuls of moss, a couple live plants. Pacman has a big wide hide that she buries herself under, and the tomato is super active and loves climbing so I got her branches and platforms to perch on. Just added about 10-20 isopods and a colony of springtails to each enclosure and mixed them up in the soil :) Very easy to set up!
Hi, I just brought home my first tomato frog today! I have fish so could I use Seachem Prime to dechlorinate the frog's water too? Also, I have some Indian almond leaves from my bettas, can I use that in the substrate?
Does anyone know of anyone like the BioDude in the UK? This channel has seriously inspired me to dramatically ramp up my Pacman frog care but I can't find any resources like the Bio Dude uses where I live.
Hi josh! I just ordered your tomato frog kit, and I'm just trying to understand, with this bio set up will I still need to occassionally change some of the substrate? Thanks!
You don’t. You continue adding biodegradables as the clean up crew breaks them down. You can top off the substrate with a little more every couple months if you really want to, but you don’t change out the substrate. All your beneficial bacteria, fungi, and clean up crew live in the soil. If you keep switching it out, they won’t be able to thrive. It’ll also be terrible for your plants. You can’t just keep changing the soil if you want them to stay happy and alive. You do obviously need to spot clean though. He was talking about issues with keeping them on straight coco fiber and not changing it often enough, not talking about needing to change the bioactive substrate out that often. 🙂
Very random, but do you/will you have a kit for things like snails and millipedes? Edit: I have some snails and I’m thinking of getting some moss and stuff like that from you. tho the substrate I’m not really sure what to use.
The Bio Dude Josh Halter well heck yeah Edit: and I just realized that my original comment had literally nothing at all to do with this video, so I apologize for that
I've been contemplating getting one of these cuties but I'm in the UK sadly, do you know where I can find a list of everything I'd need to start a terrarium and does a set up like this one require regular cleaning, do I need to chuck out half the soil every couple of weeks? seems everywhere I look the advice is conflicting and it make it really confusing lol
Hey there! I do apologize but no, i would recommend joining the Dudes Bioactive group on facebook and posting there to see if there are any members in your area for recommendations on places they use, There are quite a few members and its a great group for advice. I will link it here for you - facebook.com/groups/BRASUS/
Hi I just got one this person want to give it a way tomato frog I want to make sure I take care of it right can u give me the run down on all the things I need for it please a what is the name of the little white bugs that they put in it
Hey there Mary! Those little bugs are isopods and springtails! commonly referred to as the "clean up crew". This is the Kit you will want for the little one here, I will link everything below. Please reach out to the care team through customercare@thebiodude.com to see options for ordering the clean up crew or if you need any assistance getting an order or quote together! :D - Kit- www.thebiodude.com/collections/terra-firma-bioactive-substrate-kits/products/terra-firma-bioactive-kit-20-gallon-long
So I am very interested in the science behind all of this. That being said, I have a rescued tadpole (it’s a long story) which I believe is a northern leopard frog. It has just started to grow legs and I’ve been doing a lot of research but if anyone with more experience could give me tips on how to house this species it would be greatly appreciated. This is my first frog and I’m very excited about it!
Do you have any information of a beginning frog owner and the best beginner frog? I’m trying to educate myself on several types of frogs and their care because my friend has a gecko and she always looks forward in me getting frogs. I know she’ll help me on the way as well because she knows many things of reptiles and amphibians but I just want some help who actually owns frogs! :] Edit: Also I need to be educated of PH and best habitats and diets!
Yo, Josh, love your set ups! I'm from San Antonio and I just bought an exoterra Xl X-Tall terrarrium. In a small crrature tank by ZooMed I have dairy cow isopodes, lesser mealworms, small earthworms and springtails plus Halloween hissers and Dubias in bioactive invert soil mixed in with sphagnum moss and cocoa fiber. My plan next year (cuz I dont like to rush) was to mix a 1.2 of Giant day geckos and a pair of tomato frogs thus making it a mixed Madagascar species terrarium. I chose those 2 species as a good match since they won't compete over many resources and have their own ecological niches to fill. What would you recommend for a proper set up to accommodate both species as far as lighting and heating and anything else (like if a bottom drainage is needed, etc.) I may have missed? I'd like to hear your opinion as you have more experience than I. Thanks!
Day Geckos are incredibly territorial , so I would be careful. Perhaps the thought that they will be chilling around the top of your enclosure and the frogs will probably try to bury themselves in the soil will just make them tolerate eachother but I would anticipate hostility, in most cases species should really never be mixed but I’ve seen it work
@@Cardy55 Oh no, not yet. Havent done anything yet as at this moment I'm still doin' my homework and whatnot. Plus, still need the right plants and lighting, and a long piece of glass to silicone it to the bottom and eventually transform it into a paludarium. I already have my bioactive soil plus microfauna. But I'm in no rush. That's a huge mistake many beginners take.
Hey there! i would recommend this kit here! - www.thebiodude.com/collections/terra-firma-bioactive-substrate-kits/products/terra-firma-bioactive-kit-20-gallon-long
Hey hey! the wattage depends on the size of your enclosure, and your homes environment. The use of a thermostat is recommended to help regulate the heating element. hope this helps!
Okay question; I have two tomato frogs and I thought my larger one was a male but he looks exactly like your tubby so is he actually a male? He croaks at night sometime.
Hey hey! If he is croaking at night i would *assume* that he is a male, however i would take some good lighted photos of them and post them in a frog/species related facebook group, I do believe tomato frogs are sexed by color in most cases! Some females DO croak so i would not be able to give you an answer i do apologize. good luck!!! The Dude Abides
That is the beauty of going bioactive. All of your beneficial microbes and insects clean up the waste for you. All you have to do is mist and water the enclosure appropriately and add biodegradables on the top layer when needed.
Male Tomato Frogs are typically smaller than females. Adult male Madagascar Tomato Frogs generally reach a size of about 3-4 inches (7.6-10.2 centimeters) in length, while females can grow larger, reaching sizes of around 4-5 inches (10.2-12.7 centimeters) or occasionally even larger.
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter Thank you so much for your helpful information. I have a sub adult male that I named Nacho. I'll love to have a female because of their beautiful red color and larger size.
I got my tomato frog for $15, $10-40 I'd say for the frog itself. If you set up a bioactive enclosure like this, you almost never have to change the soil. You set it up with a clean up crew such as isopods (roly polys and similar species) springtails, and other beneficial creatures that consume the plant and animal waste. You should still remove poop if you see it though. Isopod and springtail cultures are a little pricy to buy at first but can be kept going and multiplied infinitely with just small cups or tubs of dirt and leaves, and can then be used to start more habitats. They are also a great source of calcium for frogs and reptiles. You could get them from outside, but you run the risk of introducing parasites to your animal. You can use dirt and leaves from outside if you sterilize them first by baking at a low temp or boiling them. It's $8 for a bag of spaghnum moss to mix into the soil and you don't need the whole bag or even half of it. You also need calcium and vitamin powder but it will last a really long time, it's like $5-10 a bottle. Essentially almost everything besides the initial habitat, animal, enclosure, and cleanup crew are free and self sustaining. That's the whole point. It mostly sustains itself. I'd say this probably costs around $100-$150 depending on what isopods and springtails you buy, if you are paying shipping or buying locally, making your own substrate or buying it, etc. With any animal the cost for the set up is gonna be more than the animal. I happened to already have a 10 gallon tank and the materials needed to make my own soil, so for me the cost is just the frog plus $2-5 worth of crickets a week.
Hey there! Unfortunately, we are unable to ship live plants to California at this time. I would recommend searching for Bromeliads, Ferns, Air plants, pothos, arrow head vines, beauty stars, dracaneas, Ficus etc. Hope this helps!
You seem a really nice preson with good values and attitudes but your videos are just and only a chaotic bombing of things into a terrario....you have a lot of theories but...the majority of your decorating is wrongly fixed....not secure but it's ok...small terrarios...the majority of the people continue to keep their animals in small enclosures.....
That was the healthiest and best looking Bella palm that I have ever seen.
dude that’s so simple but looks amazing
Okay wow, you really know your stuff! I'm thinking of getting a tomato frog and I'm glad I saw this video
That is the funniest looking frog I have ever seen
I came here looking for info for properly housing and keeping a frog and I found that from a cool looking person that also loves Fallout and The Big Lebowski like I do 😂 Donny, we're finally in our element
Awesome!!! thank you for watching !! The Dude Abides!!!
love the little green dude in the background
You started digging in the dirt and then I saw this orange thing and was like “is that an orange?” And I was REALLY confused and then it was this cute frog and I just lost it!!!! 😂 do you even see the frog at all or does it just stay there as long as it can?
They like to burrow and hide, but they do come up for water and sometimes to climb around lol
Hey Josh, great video 🐊🦎🐍🐸🐢👊🏼
Appreciate that, thank you!
Your terrariums are incredibly beautiful in the background 🤩🤩🤩
Wow very nice habitat 🤩.that frog 🐸 is so cute 🥰👍🏿
Great vid assays 👍
Going to try and do this for my future desert rain frog
Awesome, I dig it!
Nice frog, nice set up
I love how you fix the aquarium for him
Thank you!
You are awesome. Great descriptions of everything.
You are very informative thank you very much I have purchased your products and. Am going to set it up today 😌
You are so welcome! I’d love to see pics of your finished set up!
Would love to see a blue tongue skink enclosure!!!
Awesome!
Wish you were in Canada
The substrate for these fossorial frogs is extremely important and they will die fro m toxic shock or resort if you are using coco fiber or most potting soul , you need an abg mix or the dudes substrates or just paper towel is better than coco fiber. coco fiber can be used but you have to change it almost every week. I lost two I tomatoe frogs overnight due to a red leg infection two weeks after I purchased them from anaerobic bacteria buildup in the substrate. Listen to the dude
So cocofiber is ok as long as you mix it correctly with sand and sphagnum moss such that it doesn't compact and cause anaerobic bacteria to build up?
Woah my guy you clearly did your book work, may I ask if this would be beneficial for my cane toad too?? :)
Absolutely! and thank you!
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter its hard too find people who genuinely care for their animals like you do so it gives me hope that hopefully other people watch your videos and learn this! Keep it up man ,im planning on being a frequent buyer from you so keep up the good production :)
Can we see one for specifically for a pacman frog to go into a bioactive enclosure I've only seen the tomato frogs go into one I haven't seen any with a pacman frog
A second that! Recently acquired an albino pacman and want to keep her happy and healthy
@@slowpoke4557 I personally have both an albino pacman and a tomato, both have the exact same enclosure and seem super happy and are growing really fast! small drainage layer, about 3-4 inches of soil with handfuls of moss, a couple live plants. Pacman has a big wide hide that she buries herself under, and the tomato is super active and loves climbing so I got her branches and platforms to perch on. Just added about 10-20 isopods and a colony of springtails to each enclosure and mixed them up in the soil :) Very easy to set up!
Hi, I just brought home my first tomato frog today! I have fish so could I use Seachem Prime to dechlorinate the frog's water too? Also, I have some Indian almond leaves from my bettas, can I use that in the substrate?
Does anyone know of anyone like the BioDude in the UK? This channel has seriously inspired me to dramatically ramp up my Pacman frog care but I can't find any resources like the Bio Dude uses where I live.
Thank you. You should look into Arcadias line of products. They have somethings available in the EU that will be helpful with going Bio.
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter Thanks for your response. I will have a look and see what I can find. :)
Hi josh! I just ordered your tomato frog kit, and I'm just trying to understand, with this bio set up will I still need to occassionally change some of the substrate?
Thanks!
Yes, you must change substrate, probably once every one to two months.
@thecasualtrollingpuma Sorry for the mistake, just remember the full cage isnt self cleaning, you still must spot clean, wipe walls and trim plants.
Hey Josh big fan of your channel with the BioActive enclosure how often do you have to change the substrate
You don’t. You continue adding biodegradables as the clean up crew breaks them down. You can top off the substrate with a little more every couple months if you really want to, but you don’t change out the substrate. All your beneficial bacteria, fungi, and clean up crew live in the soil. If you keep switching it out, they won’t be able to thrive. It’ll also be terrible for your plants. You can’t just keep changing the soil if you want them to stay happy and alive. You do obviously need to spot clean though. He was talking about issues with keeping them on straight coco fiber and not changing it often enough, not talking about needing to change the bioactive substrate out that often. 🙂
Very random, but do you/will you have a kit for things like snails and millipedes?
Edit: I have some snails and I’m thinking of getting some moss and stuff like that from you. tho the substrate I’m not really sure what to use.
Hey Dalton. I recommend the Terra Aranea. It's designed for a wide variety of invertebrates.
The Bio Dude Josh Halter well heck yeah
Edit: and I just realized that my original comment had literally nothing at all to do with this video, so I apologize for that
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter even hermit crabs.
I've been contemplating getting one of these cuties but I'm in the UK sadly, do you know where I can find a list of everything I'd need to start a terrarium and does a set up like this one require regular cleaning, do I need to chuck out half the soil every couple of weeks? seems everywhere I look the advice is conflicting and it make it really confusing lol
Hey there! I do apologize but no, i would recommend joining the Dudes Bioactive group on facebook and posting there to see if there are any members in your area for recommendations on places they use, There are quite a few members and its a great group for advice. I will link it here for you - facebook.com/groups/BRASUS/
Hi, you mentioned you do worm your animals. May i ask what you use?
It depends on the parasite. I recommend getting a fecal done by your veterinarian and using the medicine they prescribe.
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter how do you find a vet to do that?
Nice
Hi I just got one this person want to give it a way tomato frog I want to make sure I take care of it right can u give me the run down on all the things I need for it please a what is the name of the little white bugs that they put in it
Hey there Mary! Those little bugs are isopods and springtails! commonly referred to as the "clean up crew". This is the Kit you will want for the little one here, I will link everything below. Please reach out to the care team through customercare@thebiodude.com to see options for ordering the clean up crew or if you need any assistance getting an order or quote together! :D - Kit- www.thebiodude.com/collections/terra-firma-bioactive-substrate-kits/products/terra-firma-bioactive-kit-20-gallon-long
So I am very interested in the science behind all of this. That being said, I have a rescued tadpole (it’s a long story) which I believe is a northern leopard frog. It has just started to grow legs and I’ve been doing a lot of research but if anyone with more experience could give me tips on how to house this species it would be greatly appreciated. This is my first frog and I’m very excited about it!
Hey there, go ahead and email us at customercare@thebiodude.com or give us a buzz at 717 305 0684 M-F 8-4 CST and we can get you squared away : )
Could I put a tomato frog or false tomato frog in an 18x18x18 exo terra
Do you have any information of a beginning frog owner and the best beginner frog? I’m trying to educate myself on several types of frogs and their care because my friend has a gecko and she always looks forward in me getting frogs. I know she’ll help me on the way as well because she knows many things of reptiles and amphibians but I just want some help who actually owns frogs! :]
Edit: Also I need to be educated of PH and best habitats and diets!
Do you ship to Australia?? 🇦🇺
Yo, Josh, love your set ups! I'm from San Antonio and I just bought an exoterra Xl X-Tall terrarrium. In a small crrature tank by ZooMed I have dairy cow isopodes, lesser mealworms, small earthworms and springtails plus Halloween hissers and Dubias in bioactive invert soil mixed in with sphagnum moss and cocoa fiber. My plan next year (cuz I dont like to rush) was to mix a 1.2 of Giant day geckos and a pair of tomato frogs thus making it a mixed Madagascar species terrarium. I chose those 2 species as a good match since they won't compete over many resources and have their own ecological niches to fill. What would you recommend for a proper set up to accommodate both species as far as lighting and heating and anything else (like if a bottom drainage is needed, etc.) I may have missed? I'd like to hear your opinion as you have more experience than I. Thanks!
Day Geckos are incredibly territorial , so I would be careful. Perhaps the thought that they will be chilling around the top of your enclosure and the frogs will probably try to bury themselves in the soil will just make them tolerate eachother but I would anticipate hostility, in most cases species should really never be mixed but I’ve seen it work
Infact tomato frogs get hella fat, I could imagine your geckos becoming quite a costly snack
@@Cardy55 Fair enough. Thanks!
Did you try it ? And if not how are you getting on with the geckos
@@Cardy55 Oh no, not yet. Havent done anything yet as at this moment I'm still doin' my homework and whatnot. Plus, still need the right plants and lighting, and a long piece of glass to silicone it to the bottom and eventually transform it into a paludarium. I already have my bioactive soil plus microfauna. But I'm in no rush. That's a huge mistake many beginners take.
How much does all the soils and thing you need for it
Hey there! i would recommend this kit here! - www.thebiodude.com/collections/terra-firma-bioactive-substrate-kits/products/terra-firma-bioactive-kit-20-gallon-long
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter thank you if I need to find out any thing and get a answer back from u is this the site to go to
Hey Josh I just got a tomato from and my question is my bedroom stay over 80 during the day do I still need heat ?????? Plz help
80 seems to be a good tap out temp for them.
What's the wattage of the ceramic heat lamp
Hey hey! the wattage depends on the size of your enclosure, and your homes environment. The use of a thermostat is recommended to help regulate the heating element. hope this helps!
Okay question; I have two tomato frogs and I thought my larger one was a male but he looks exactly like your tubby so is he actually a male? He croaks at night sometime.
Hey hey! If he is croaking at night i would *assume* that he is a male, however i would take some good lighted photos of them and post them in a frog/species related facebook group, I do believe tomato frogs are sexed by color in most cases! Some females DO croak so i would not be able to give you an answer i do apologize. good luck!!! The Dude Abides
Harvesting a tomato
Wait so like do you not have to clean out anything in that tank at all? I know it’s a bio tank but I’m still confused on how it fully works
That is the beauty of going bioactive. All of your beneficial microbes and insects clean up the waste for you. All you have to do is mist and water the enclosure appropriately and add biodegradables on the top layer when needed.
The Bio Dude Josh Halter oh ok cool, well then how long would you suggest to let a tank take full action before adding in any wildlife?
@@kristinasnyder8443 few weeks to a month. Less time if seeded properly 🤙
How many tomato frogs can you put in a 20 breeder together?
id put one.
What's the difference as far as size between a male and female Tomato Frog ?
Male Tomato Frogs are typically smaller than females. Adult male Madagascar Tomato Frogs generally reach a size of about 3-4 inches (7.6-10.2 centimeters) in length, while females can grow larger, reaching sizes of around 4-5 inches (10.2-12.7 centimeters) or occasionally even larger.
@@TheBioDudeJoshHalter Thank you so much for your helpful information. I have a sub adult male that I named Nacho. I'll love to have a female because of their beautiful red color and larger size.
So what’s the price tag? How often will I have to drop 200 dollars on bags of dirt a leaves?
I got my tomato frog for $15, $10-40 I'd say for the frog itself. If you set up a bioactive enclosure like this, you almost never have to change the soil.
You set it up with a clean up crew such as isopods (roly polys and similar species) springtails, and other beneficial creatures that consume the plant and animal waste. You should still remove poop if you see it though.
Isopod and springtail cultures are a little pricy to buy at first but can be kept going and multiplied infinitely with just small cups or tubs of dirt and leaves, and can then be used to start more habitats. They are also a great source of calcium for frogs and reptiles. You could get them from outside, but you run the risk of introducing parasites to your animal. You can use dirt and leaves from outside if you sterilize them first by baking at a low temp or boiling them. It's $8 for a bag of spaghnum moss to mix into the soil and you don't need the whole bag or even half of it. You also need calcium and vitamin powder but it will last a really long time, it's like $5-10 a bottle.
Essentially almost everything besides the initial habitat, animal, enclosure, and cleanup crew are free and self sustaining. That's the whole point. It mostly sustains itself. I'd say this probably costs around $100-$150 depending on what isopods and springtails you buy, if you are paying shipping or buying locally, making your own substrate or buying it, etc. With any animal the cost for the set up is gonna be more than the animal. I happened to already have a 10 gallon tank and the materials needed to make my own soil, so for me the cost is just the frog plus $2-5 worth of crickets a week.
Do you have American toad information
Why don't you have worms in the soil? Just wondering
I add worm castings to the soil. Puts a little bit of extra food for the plants and adds worm seeds
@Mr Penguin yeah and defecate out a better soil
@Mr Penguin true, they love leaves, spagnum moss and all the biodegradables that are in the mix :)
Also the frog would probs eat them
I live in California
Can u please send me the names of plants they can have in their tank please
Hey there! Unfortunately, we are unable to ship live plants to California at this time. I would recommend searching for Bromeliads, Ferns, Air plants, pothos, arrow head vines, beauty stars, dracaneas, Ficus etc. Hope this helps!
Do you have a pacman frog?
my tomato frog goes underground and i never see him💀
Why do you keep poking the frog?
max chonk
You seem a really nice preson with good values and attitudes but your videos are just and only a chaotic bombing of things into a terrario....you have a lot of theories but...the majority of your decorating is wrongly fixed....not secure but it's ok...small terrarios...the majority of the people continue to keep their animals in small enclosures.....
Thank you. Something to keep in mind: Nature is never organized or placed perfectly. Chaos is nature.