Have you been wanting to bring home a tree frog for some time now? Are you thinking of introducing a new frog to your growing amphibian family and are wondering which tree frog makes the best pet? Have you just found a tree frog in your yard and are thinking of keeping it as a pet?
Here is a list of the 9 best pet tree frogs, along with some information to help you decide which tree frog will be your new amphibian pet.
Further reading:
9. Squirrel Tree Frog
The squirrel tree frog (Hyla Squirella) is a small frog that grows between 0.9 inches and 1.6 inches (2.2cm to 4.1cm).
They have a medium life span of between five to nine years, which can be extended slightly with the right housing and care.
These tree frogs come in a number of colors, similar to a chameleon. Their main color is green, green yellow to brown. Some are spotted, some are plain.
These frogs can be found in the wild along the coastal plain of the southeast United States. They enjoy moisture rich areas such as marshes, swamps, lakes, and streams. They are commonly found in household yards.
These frogs are nocturnal, but it’s not uncommon to find them hunting during the day if it is raining or has just rained. They croak from March to October during mating season with their call similar to that of a duck.
8. Waxy Monkey Tree Frog
The Waxy Monkey Tree Frog (Hylo Sauvagei) comes from Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia. These frogs grow up to three inches with a good lifespan of more than eight years.
This particular tree frog species prefers the drier forests, they enjoy climbing and if you do decide to keep one you will want to make ample climbing spaces for your new pet.
They sleep most of the day and spend their night hunting insects.
A 20 gallon tall glass enclosure is more than big enough for one adult Waxy Monkey Tree Frog. They do need plenty of ventilation, so ensure to include a screen mesh top.
These frogs do tend to live in small groups and you will need to add an additional 10 to 15 gallons for any extra frogs you introduce.
They have specific heating and humidity requirements, which you will want to measure closely using a hygrometer and thermometer.
Ambient temperatures should be between 80ºF and 82ºF with nighttime temperatures dropping to 75ºF.
Humidity should be around 50% and can be achieved with the right moisture absorbing substrate and regular tank misting.
Feed your Waxy Monkey Tree Frog crickets two to three times per week. Remember to dust with a good quality Calcium supplement.
7. Pacific Tree Frog
The Pacific tree frog (Pseudacris regilla) is a small frog that grows up to 2 inches at full size and has a life span of two years in the wild but can live slightly longer with the right care in captivity.
They can live quite comfortably in a small 10 gallon glass tank with a mesh lid, to ensure optimum ventilation.
The mesh lid helps to reduce humidity while providing a permanent freshwater source, which is essential to the long-term health and happiness of your tree frog pet.
If you want to keep more than one Pacific Tree Frog you will need to increase the enclosure size up to at least a 20 gallon or more.
Ensure the lid is tightly secured, as these tree frogs are excellent escape artists.
Provide a log to hide and plenty of climbing and hiding places to explore.
Your tree frog will be active at night.
Their diet consists of small insects, such as wingless fruit flies and crickets. Ensure you dust your live food in a calcium supplement to promote healthy bones and reduce the risk of metabolic bone disease.
You must provide a freshwater source and this must be changed daily. Remember frogs absorb their water through their skin, so ensure you use good quality filtered water to reduce the risk of the frog absorbing any toxins or chemicals.
6. Barking Tree Frog
The Barking Tree Frog (Hyla Gratiosa) can be found throughout the eastern regions of North America. They grow up to 2.75 inches in length and can live up to ten years in captivity with the right habitat and care. They are a good tree frog choice for beginners.
These frogs croak during mating season, a noise that is similar to that of a dog barking.
They are green in color and often have spots that change color to brown, gray, or dark green if they are disturbed. The more time he spends green, the happier the barking tree frog is. Their underbelly is white with a yellow stripe down the side of the body.
The Barking Tree Frog loves to climb, so you need a small glass enclosure that is tall so you can provide ample vines and branches to climb and explore.
A 15 to 20 gallon glass enclosure is the best choice. You will want a mesh screen top to allow for ventilation and maintain humidity levels while providing fresh water where your frog can swim and relax.
These frogs prefer live food, so place some potatoes in the corner of the enclosure and then let the crickets go free. They will be attracted to the potato, making it easier for your frog to hunt and feed.
Always dust crickets in a supplement to ensure your frog remains fit, happy and healthy.
Your barking tree frog can eat up to four to six crickets every second day.
5. Gray Tree Frog
The gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) is a small tree frog that grows up to two inches in length at adult size. They are native to the US and Canada and spend most of their time on the ground.
These small frogs can live up to fifteen years in captivity and up to eight years in the wild and are suitable for the beginner tree frog pet owner.
Taking into consideration you could have your Gray Tree Frog for up to fifteen years, it’s best to choose a comfortable enclosure from the start, the minimum size being 20 gallons and tall in height.
Freshwater must always be made readily available and changed regularly.
They love to hide in plants, so try a bioactive habitat to provide live plants.
These frogs love their crickets, which can be used as their staple food, though you can supplement them with silk moth larvae and mealworms.
They have a very voracious appetite and it’s not uncommon for them to become overweight in captivity.
Ensure you dust insects with calcium and vitamin supplements.
4. Cuban Tree Frog
The Cuban tree frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is one of the largest tree frogs that originates from Cuba, but can now be found in Florida and Georgia in the United States.
They are very loud during mating season, barking similar to that of a dog.
These frogs grow up to five inches in length and can live up to five years with the right habitat and care.
The Cuban Tree Frog is green to gray in color, blending into their surroundings. They do change color based on the surrounding foliage and their level of stress.
They do not appreciate handling and will try and escape if handled.
These frogs eat crickets and have large appetites, so you can feed them as much as your frog can eat in twenty minutes and this should be gone three times a week, once they are adults.
As juveniles, you will need to feed daily while they are still growing.
Adults can be fed a pinkie mouse once every second week, which can help in filling them up.
The Cuban Tree Frog can live in a 20 gallon tall enclosure with ample foliage and branches, along with a space to swim.
Use a log or coconut half to create a hiding place on the ground, where your frog can hide and feel comfortable.
Remember that these frogs enjoy a higher humidity of up to 60% which can be achieved with a large water bowl / pond and daily misting.
3. American Green Tree Frog
American Green Tree Frog (Hyla Cinerea) are small tree frogs native to the southeast United States. These bright green frogs grow up to two and a half inches in length and can live up to five years with the right care and housing.
While they are easy to care for for the beginner tree frog pet owner, they shouldn’t be handled too much as their porous skin can absorb toxins and chemicals, which can be hazardous to the frog’s health.
They are very timid frogs, but males can be very vocal at night, especially during mating season so ensure you keep the enclosure outside the bedroom.
You will need an enclosure of at least ten gallons, but ensure it has enough height to put branches and vines for your frog to climb and enjoy. The lid should be mesh to allow ample ventilation and well secured to reduce the risk of escape.
These frogs don’t need any special heating, as they are comfortable at room temperature unless the temperatures drop to below 70ºF.
The American Green Tree Frog is usually a good eater and will eat only insects, with insects being the main part of their diet.
Crickets should be gut loaded, which means they are fed a nutritious meal before being offered to your frog, they should also be dusted with a multivitamin and/or calcium supplement at least twice weekly. They will eat up to four insets per feeding.
Ensure you provide a shallow water dish with fresh clean water where your frog can climb in and absorb the water.
Note these frogs are not good swimmers, so focus on shallow when choosing a dish to reduce the risk of accidental drowning.
2. Red Eyed Tree Frog
The Red Eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas) grows up to two inches and can live up to five years. They are native to tropical rainforests in Southern and Central America.
These are the most colorful tree frog species, they have the most amazing markings, which include brightly colored orange feed, aqua blue sides, lime green body and legs, and bright red eyes.
Please note these are delicate frogs and are not suitable for beginner amphibian owners, but rather suited for the more experienced tree frog owners.
These frogs can be kept in a 20 gallon enclosure with damp paper towel substrate, which makes it quick and easy to clean. Coconut fiber is also popular, helping to maintain humidity levels.
They are communal frogs, so you are going to want to have more than one with ample branches and vines for climbing.
Being nocturnal they will be active in the day and hide at night. They spend the majority of their time in the trees and off the ground.
Their diet consists of insects which are dusted with a calcium powder twice weekly.
1. White Tree Frog
The White Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) is one of the larger tree frogs growing up to five inches in length and living for up to twenty years in captivity. They are a green or blue green frog that is native to Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia.
These are nocturnal frogs, making them active in the evening and at night and quiet during the day.
They are very docile frogs that can become tame with time and even tolerate handling from time to time.
Remember that they have absorbent skin, which means they can absorb any toxins or chemicals on your hands.
Ensure your hands are thoroughly washed with warm water and rinse well with non-chlorinated water to remove any oils and salts that would naturally be found on your skin.
These frogs can be kept in a 20 gallon glass enclosure for one adult. Ensure you provide a tight fitting lid as they can escape easily by climbing the walls of the tank.
If you intend keeping two, ensure they are of similar size, as a smaller frog stands the risk of being eaten by the larger.
Add plenty of vine and branches to the enclosure along with foliage, enabling your frog to climb.
The White Tree Frog can eat mainly crickets, along with beetles, grasshoppers, earthworms, and more. When adult size they can take pinkie mice now and then on a rare occasion. Add live insects to encourage the natural hunting behavior in these frogs.
Larger frogs of three inches or longer should have a few large crickets every two to three days, while smaller frogs should be fed small crickets every two to three days with juvenile frogs being fed daily.
Conclusion
Tree frogs can make very interesting pets to sit and watch as they climb around the enclosure in the evenings. With nine tree frogs suitable for captivity, you have a great selection available if you feel it’s time to welcome a tree frog into your home.
this is a very insightful article on frogs ,thanks for putting it together.