Pet Frogs: Amphibian Friends

Frogs are truly amazing creatures. Some are purely aquatic frogs and can be kept in filtered fish tanks, some are only semi-aquatic and can be housed in tanks or terrariums that are 2 parts water and 1 part land, and some frogs are arboreal (live in trees) and can be kept in enclosed terrariums with plenty of branches and vines to climb on. Frogs can have personality like any other pet, and they can form attachments to their owners in some cases. They are a delight to watch and to care for.

Choosing a Frog:

When choosing which type of frog you want to buy you must understand that there captive bred (CB) frogs and wild caught (WC) frogs. WC frogs are brought here by importers and are not the healthiest pets to have. Usually WC frogs are bought for breeding purposes because they are usually skittish, but are cheap in large number.

CB frogs have already adjusted to the food we humans give them rather than what they would normally catch out in the wild. And they are usually used to some human contact, though too much human contact can stress them out and cause them to sicken. CB are also more expensive in pet stores and on the Internet because of the care and time put in by the breeder. It can take months to a full year to raise a single frog to salable maturity, and food isn't cheap when a breeder might have 200 to 1000 frog-let mouths to feed. But I strongly urge you to support CB suppliers because it guarantees a healthier pet and a decrease into the abusive industries of importing WC frogs.

Also, when thinking about which frog to get, you must think about which type of frog you can accommodate: aquatic, semi-aquatic, or arboreal. If you're looking to add an interesting creature to your established fish tank or are okay with large water and filter changes, then an aquatic frog would be good for you. If you have a tank that is somewhat small (10 gal. or less) and is longer than it is tall, you might get a semi-aquatic frog. If you have access to a tall terrarium or aquarium of 10 gallons or larger then a tree frog might be a good choice for you. Of course, with frogs, more space is always better, but check with the species requirements on space to make sure you can accommodate a tank or terrarium of that size.

Next, you have to research the species of frogs that could be offered as pets. Here is a list of some that I have found at local pet stores.
-- White's Dumpy Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)
-- Red-eyed Tree frog
-- Tomato Frog
-- Pacman Frog
-- Pixie Frog
-- Dart Frog
-- African Clawed Frog
-- Golden Tree Frog
-- Green / Gray Tree Frog

Then, you'll have to acquire or purchase the setup for your frog depending on the needs of it's species.

White's Dumpy Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)

The White's dumpy tree frog is not white in color, they were named after a scientist whose last name was White. They actually range in color from turquoise blue to a bright green to a dark brown. They are native to the Australia and Indonesia parts of the world. The "dumpy" part of their name comes from the fact that they are one of the largest captive tree frog species, reaching up to 5" in length for females and slightly smaller for males, but they also tend to become somewhat fat in captivity and run the risk of obesity.

They are one of the most laid back and hardy species of pet frog and even seem to enjoy occasional human handling and contact. I own two, a male and a female, and I have found that they defiantly have distinctive personalities. My male is shy and loves my fiance, but my female is definitely not shy and loves my company most of all. They pick their favorite people too, just like a cat or dog.

White's dumpy tree frogs need lots of space because of their large size once full grown; 15+ gallons for one full grown adult would be ideal. They do well with both paper towel and coco fiber substrate (floor covering for the tank or cage). With paper towel as the substrate, you will have to change it once every other day along with the water changes. Frogs have to have a clean water dish and substrate in order to stay healthy. They often defecate or urinate in their water, so it's essential to clean it out. A turkey baster is a frog-keeper's best friend when it comes to mass water changes with multiple cages. White's eat about once every 3 to 4 days about 6-8 medium to large crickets per adult frog. You can either buy a cricket keeper or buy crickets as needed. Also White's, along with all frogs, need a calcium and vitamin supplement dusted onto their crickets once a month to make up for the lack of variety in a captive diet. They are considered a long-term pet because they can live up to 20 years. So if you're looking to have a pet that will be with you for quite a while, then the White's tree frog could be for you.

The average set up for a White's is a terrarium or tank that is 15+ gallons and taller than it is wide. You can use paper towel or coco fiber substrate, and make sure there are plenty of climbing features and places to hide. Also, there should be a water bowl in one corner of the tank or terrarium that is big enough for the frog to soak it's entire body in but not so big or deep that it can't touch the bottom or get out. (It is possible for frogs to drown.)

The usual price can range from 15 to 50 dollars depending on age and size. I highly recommend this species as a beginner species for new frog owners because of it's laid back nature and personality.

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)

The red-eyed tree frog is a fairly common pet store resident. I've seen them sold anywhere from 20 to 40 dollars. They are a bit harder to accommodate than the White's tree frog, but they can be just as rewarding. Their large, bugged red eyes usually steal their way into people's hearts. They just look so interesting that it tends to grab people's attention. The setup for a red-eyed tree frog is about the same as for the White's tree frog, except that they need a bit more humidity usually. This just means that a daily spritz of the cage would do them good. I usually spritz all my frogs cages regardless, but give extra sprayings to the ones that need it most.

Red-eyed tree frogs seem to love sleeping while stuck on the glass of their tanks or terrariums. They are nocturnal creatures, like all frogs, so you won't see them being active until the evening, night, and very early morning hours. Red-eyes tend to be a bit more high strung than White's also. Handling is recommended at a minimum, so that the frog doesn't get startled or scared. Frogs that are high strung can hurt themselves if they get too scared or excited; they can run into the sides of their cage and cause abrasions on their noses, or jump and fall on the hard floor, which can break bones.

Despite the more spastic nature of red-eyed tree frogs, I would still recommend them as a great pet because they are a very colorful and interesting species.

Tomato Frog (Dyscophus guineti)

A tomato frog is seen commonly in pet stores, especially in pet stores that also sell Pacman frogs. Their price range is about 20 to 40 dollars for a full grown tomato frog. Younger ones can be as low as 8 dollars. They are a fairly easy captive. They don't climb much, so they don't need a vertical or tall tank, but they do need coco fiber to bury themselves in. They love to bury themselves in the substrate until they emerge to hunt the crickets you give them at night.

Their colors range from yellow to deep red like a tomato, with two black lines running down their sides. They grow to have a pointed face but a very round "tomato-like" body, thus the name. The young ones aren't as round and can be very small depending on age. I would recommend a regular fish tank with a mesh top, some coco fiber substrate about 4-5 inches deep, a shallow water dish, and many places to hide.

Tomato frogs are endangered due to deforestation in their home of Madagascar, but they are commonly bred in the U.S. and are kept widely in captivity. Perhaps some day there will be a program to get the frogs back out into the wild in large numbers.

Pacman Frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli)

Pacman frogs are another kind of frog that likes to bury itself in the coco fiber substrate. They can get rather large and round, to almost a perfect circle. They are also one of the few frog types to have teeth. They can get a bit aggressive, and they often are fed small mice once they are full grown. If you're not a big fan of live feedings, then you may want to pass on getting a Pacman.

But if you are interested in this very interesting species of frog, then here's the basic set up for a pacman frog. The set up is much like the set up for the Tomato frogs. They like at least 4 to 5 inches of coco fiber substrate to bury themselves in. Most of the time you won't even see them because they are under the substrate. It's a pacman thing. they need a shallow water bowl because they are not good at climbing out of things because of their adult size and sort arms, but it does need to be big enough that they can sit in it without feeling squished. A hollow log or little hiding place is also good for this species can be shy and needs to feel safe.

I would recommend pacman frogs to anyone who has a genuine frog interest, but not to a beginner. The aggressive tendencies and live feedings usually deter the squeamish, but it you genuinely love frogs, then this is one to definitely add to the collection. They can usually be found at local pet stores and are anywhere from 20 - 100 dollars depending on size. Small babies can even sell for 10 dollars, and there are many patterns and colors to choose from. There is even an albino pacman that is very popular in the pet industry.

Pixie Frog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)

Pixie frogs are also known as African bull frogs. They can reach a rather large and round size. They also like to bury themselves like the pacman frog and tomato frog does, so their setup will be similar, except these frogs need water to swim in. They are terrific swimmers and prefer to have half water and half land tanks. They don't need height since they don't climb, but a few branches or water rocks to climb out on are good.

This species is usually grayish or greenish in color with a yellow tint under the chin. I would recommend at least 20 gallons of room for one of these at adult size. I don't personally own a pixie frog, but I know a lot of people who do, and they thoroughly enjoy their pixies. These are recommended all kinds of frog owners, from beginner to professional breeder. But this is another frog that can eventually take small mice, so live feedings of mice might be involved once they reach a large size.

Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobatidae-genus)

Poison dart frogs are the genus of frogs with the most variety. They are more ornamental than for pets, and they aren't poisonous in captivity, only in the wild. It's what they eat in the wild that helps them make their poison. Still, I wouldn't touch them and then put my fingers in my mouth. Dart frogs tend to be more expensive, and are sold at shows and on the Internet rather than commonly at pet stores. They are also more expensive to house since dart frogs to better in vivariums (tank setups with live plants). Usually dart frogs love bromiliads and moisture rich environments. They usually crawl into the bromiliads and sit in the water that collects in them.

Dart frogs usually don't get very large at all. They usually only grow to about 1 inch to 1.5 inches, so they eat mostly a cricket diet with calcium and vitamin supplements. I only recommend dart frogs to experienced frog owners and enthusiasts because of their specific needs and expensive costs.

African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis)

An African clawed frog is actually considered an invasive pest species in many locations, but has found favor in the pet world. They are totally aquatic frogs, needing a well-planted aquarium with water filled to half tank, and a good filter. They eat freeze-dried food pellets or frozen blood-worms like most fish do. They aren't hard to take care of, but they do contract fungal infections sometimes that can be fatal if not treated as soon as possible.

I would recommend this frog for beginners, because of it's easy care, and because of it's activeness during day and night.

Golden Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax)

Golden tree frogs are a very interesting species. They are originally from Asia, and are also called Asian flying frogs because of their incredible jumping power. This species is not very holdable or tame due to most available frogs being imported and WC. I have three that were WC (I could not find any that were CB) and I plan to use them for breeding. They are fun to watch but do not enjoy human contact other than sounds it seems.

They have pointed noses and sleek bodies that range in color from a mottled brown to a peachy pink. They are one of the most agile frogs and the smaller males (2-3 inches max) are sometimes acrobatic when chasing crickets. They are tree frogs so they do need an enclosure with height, but because of their jumping power, they also need width and depth if at all possible so that they don't hit the glass when they jump from one end of the cage to another. It's also good to put up black poster board or aquarium background on three sides of the tank or terrarium so that they feel safe and don't hurt themselves trying to jump through the glass at things on the other side. Their cage will be very similar to the white's tree frog except for the extra jumping room and a higher humidity.

I've found that the males tend to be more active and the females (4 inches) tend to hide more during the day. At night is when they really show off, and it is very interesting to watch them eat and crawl around at night. I recommend this species of frog for all but the very newest beginners, and I also promote this frog to breeders to help get rid of the flood of WC and to provide affordable CB golden tree frogs.

Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

Green tree frogs are native to North America, and are often in pet stores in the US. They are rather undemanding captives and are a hardy species. They do well with temperatures from 60-90 and humidity anywhere from 50 and above. They only reach a max size of about 2 inches, so I would recommend at least a 10 gallon tank or terrarium for their enclosure. They are climbers so they need height as well. Their setup is just like the setup for the White's tree frog though on a somewhat smaller scale.

They are partially tolerant of human contact, but usually holding is kept to a minimum since it does stress them out and they can pick up chemicals, salts, and toxins from contact with our skin and clothes.

I recommend this frog species as great for beginners in learning how to take care of a frog because of their availability, cheap price, and hardiness. Do try to find CB frogs of this species rather than WC.

Gray Tree Frog (Hyla veriscolor / Hyla chrysoscelis)

The gray tree frog is one of the smaller species of pet frog, reaching maturity at only 1.5" to 2". They are also native to North America, especially in the south-east regions. They tolerate the same conditions at the green tree frog and can have the exact same setup. They are mostly gray in color but can change their coloring to brown, green, or nearly white.

I recommend this species from experience as hardy captives and cheap pets for beginners and frog enthusiasts alike. Do try to find CB frogs of this kind rather than WC.

Bringing Home Your Pet:

Most frogs are sent home from shows, Internet sites, and pet stores in deli cups. This is perfectly normal and will suffice to get them home safely. For moisture, sometimes a moist paper towel is put in the cup with them, but no substrate should be present as it could bury the frog.

Try to have the frog's home ready before you go to pick up your pet so that the stress of moving is less that it would be. But if you buy a frog first, you might want to give it a temporary home until you have it's tank set up with substrate and plants and water bowl. A critter carrier made of clear plastic with a snap-on lid will do well for this. Line the bottom with paper towel and keep it moist but not overly wet. Also be sure to provide a place to hide and maybe a cricket or two to reduce stress. If you spray the cage well three or four times a day you shouldn't need a water bowl in the temporary home, but it may be good to have one in there just in case. Also, if this is not your first frog, be sure to quarantine it from all other frogs for at least a month to make sure it doesn't have any health issues that it could give to your other pets.

The only thing left to do after your new frog is in it's new setup is to make sure it's eating. Crickets should go missing and there should be frog feces in the cage. And after that, just enjoy!