It is essential for the red eyed tree frog lighting setting to be set properly. They are nocturnal and do not require light at night. They do require a regular daytime light cycle, preferably twelve hours. There are several ways to employ lighting for your tank setup, using a variety of light sources that will ensure your red eyed tree frog’s acclimation to his captive habitat.
During the day, normal sunlight from a window may be sufficient. However, never place the tank directly in front of or near a window for it may overheat. Place the tank to the side of or across the room from the window to take advantage of the indirect light coming through.
An ultraviolet (UV) light source is fine, as is fluorescent or full spectrum. Fluorescent tends not to get as hot as traditional incandescent bulbs. Never place a light source where it comes in direct contact with the red eyed tree frog. They can very easily burn themselves on the bulb. Keep the wattage on any bulb low, as the red eyed tree frog does not like bright light.
If you wish to observe them at night, the optimal red eyed tree frog light setting is a low wattage red bulb. Amphibians cannot see the red spectrum of light, so this will not interfere with their usual nocturnal activities.
To ensure that you have the correct lighting setting for your red eyed tree frog, you may want to place the lights on a timer. This way, if you are unable to be home in time to turn off the light at night, the timer will automatically turn off the light. This allows your frog to stay on schedule with his normal activity cycle.
Be careful when choosing lighting for your red eyed tree frog’s habitat. Light other than a low wattage red bulb at night will disturb their normal activity. Beware of direct sunlight and choose either UV, fluorescent or full-spectrum lighting. And remember to not place any light source inside the tank, as it can burn your frog.
