Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok, I accidently became the owner of a green tree frog. There was a fair and at it you can get green anoles and we thought that after awhile they were all gone. It turns out there was one left, and so since I have kept them before (and other kinds of lizards), it was given to me. Then lo and behold, a tree frog was in there with the anole that no one knew about, so now I have a tree frog and I have never had one before. I am pretty sure it's a green tree frog after looking at pictures and comparing them to my frog. I just have some questions now, and if you could answer them, it would be very greatly appreciated.

Is it okay to touch it?
Can I feed it mealworms? (at least only temporarily)
Are they skittish?
How big of a tank should I have it in? (Right now it is in a Critter Keeper thing)
What sort of bedding should I put in the tank?
Do they need a basking lamp?
What sort of furniture should be in the tank?

I have other lizards so I can easily get any kind of food item that they need to eat, and I have multiples of different sizes of tanks (10, 20, and 50).

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

oh, and the scientific name of it is Hyla Cinerea. Not sure if that makes a difference, but ya never know.

Generally speaking, the less you handle a tree frog, the better off it will be. You can handle occasionally to medicate, inspect, etc. Remember they are very fragile and stress quite readily.

You can try mealworms, it may not eat them. Disregard the rumors about mealworms boring through the stomach of tree frogs, for this is not as common as suggested. You should try crickets as soon as feasible, they are the most common tree frog food. Dust lightly with a vitamin powder once or twice per week.

Skittish? not sure what this means. They are nocturnal and are quite aware of you if you are "observing" them. They will most likely view you as a predator, and will therefore not be very active if they are aware you are there. I have had greens that really couldn't care less about being observed and were very active. This is really dependent upon the individual frog.

The bigger the tank the better. Remember these are tree frogs, so the taller the better. You will hear 10 gallons per frog, etc. That is the guideline for survival. Provide the largest enclosure you can, again, taller is better for arboreal species.

bedding can vary. Forest floor mix is good for frogs and plants. In a small enclosure you will have to clean often, so a paper towel substrate is common. Again, provide a close resemblence to the native habitat if possible. If this is not possible, provide an environment conducive to cleanliness.

Basking lamps are not necessary. Provide the standard light dark cycle and if you can, gradiate the temperature and allow the frog to choose a temperature zone. You may use standard aquarium bulbs. Light is more for the plants, than the tree frog. Ambient light can suffice, just steer clear of windows, for they will raise the heat quite easily.

Furniture should be of the arboreal nature. Branches, golden pothos, philodendron are quite common. A water feature so the frog can soak if necessary. Humidity between 50-70% is adequate, too high or too low for prolonged periods will promote stress, illness, etc. Be aware of fertilizer in plants, for frogs absorb moisture through their skin, and fertilizer can be lethal. If you buy a plant from the store, ask. If they don't know, soak the plant in the sink for a while and rinse thoroughly to help the fertilizer leech out.

temperature around 72-80 fahrenheit. 70's during the night, slighltly warmer during the day.

good luck to you and your new friend!

-brian