Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can anyone tell me a good beginner frog, not completely aquatic. If possible one that would do well in a ten gallon tank, I've seen a lot of contradictory advice on all the sites I've checked out.

I would suggest some of the larger species of tree frog as they tend to be more robust then the tiny guys. A whites (dumpy) tree frog would probably be ideal. They are adorable, easy to care for and good eaters. One would do ok in a ten gallon although a bit more space would be better if possible.

But the regular green tree frogs or a barking tree frog would also be good choices. They are a bit smaller but may be easier to locate as they are quite common.

These guys are not aquatic and do not require a lot of water. My dumpys like to sprawl out in a shallow water dish once in a while but the other tree frogs dont ever enter the water. I just keep them on wet moss and spray them often. Give them lots of stuff to climb on and cork bark tubes are great because they can perch on top and hide inside.

Ive had one of my dumpys for 10 years, no joke. If well cared for they can live a long, long time.

Thanks for the advice. Do the dumpy tree frogs need a u.v. light, and does a heat lamp or under tank heater work best with frogs?

They are nocturnal and from what I have read they do not have specific lighting requirements.

I use a small spotlight trained on one corner of the cage to provide some heat. I like to use cork bark tubes since they can perch on top or hide inside and still get warm if they so choose. I turn the light off at night and allow the temp to drop to room temp which is around 68 degrees. I dont see them under the light that often but they do hang out inside the tube near the light from time to time. They really arent high heat lovers but I do provide the warm area just in case.

I have never used an undertank heating pad for a frog. I have heard of people who use them for horned frogs and other terrestrial species but they probably wouldnt work that great for a dumpy since they are tree dwellers and they very rarely if ever hang out on the bottom. If you want to provide additional heat I would go with heat lamp. Unless of course they are in a rather cool location and then you may want to use the heating pad as well. Keep both on the same side of the tank to give them a warm and cool side.

I just got two more today. I cant resist them. I was in a pet shop just getting a few things and they had 2 dumpys. One droopy eyed smile, a flash of a credit card and I got two more mouths to feed. Thats ok, I got lots of crickets.

>>Can anyone tell me a good beginner frog, not completely aquatic. If possible one that would do well in a ten gallon tank, I've seen a lot of contradictory advice on all the sites I've checked out.

I have 3 bullfrogs in a 20 gallon tank right now, but when they get bigger (up to 8in.) I'll have to get a bigger one. they stay in the water most of the time, but have places to get out of it too and hide. With 3 of them I go through a lot of crickets though and they're only about 2 1/2in right now.
they're easy to take care of and will even sit on my hand (so far only mine) and I can lightly "pet" their backs. I don't do it too often or for more than a minute but I think it's cool.

fire belly toads are a great starter frog, thats what i started with, so are whites treefrogs, but they need a 15 gallon. fire bellies are semi-aquatic, spending about 40% of thier time in the water. i have three in a ten gallon tank, they don't spend as much time in the water as some articles say (at least mine don't) it should be planted with a few live plants, things to hide in/under, a water area or dish (water dishes are a lot easier), and a dirt or moss substrate. sometimes it's a good idea to use an inch or two of gravel for drainage, it also adds to the humidity. heres a pic of my frog and how i made the tank and the tank. email me at otis07_@hotmail.com if you have any more questions.

i have since fixed it so there is no white showing, i used sealant instead of silicone, woops.