Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am a herper From canada and have recently purchased 3 captive bred Green Bellfrogs. I also have two exsisting Green tree frogs ( we call them Whites tree frogs). As these two species seem to co-exsist in your country, has anyone tried keeping them together in captivity.

I keep good care of my amphibians but want to cut down on the costs of large separate tanks.

I am hoping that the five animals can live together in a 75- 100 gallon vertical tank.

My e-mail address is amphibia@sympatico.ca

Cheers,

Steve

Steve,

The skin sections of the "Bell Frog" (Litoria aurea, raniformis, moorei, castenea, dahli) group are mildly toxic. This being the case you would probably best housing these particular species separatly.
Litoria caerulea can be kept with L. peroni and L. infrafrenata and burrowing species such as Mixophyes fasciolatus without ill effects however the sizing of all species should be similar as L. caerulea will eat both each other and other species of frogs.

Regards,

Scott Eipper

Well, as for keeping these species together, it can be done but there are a few qualifications. Firstly, as Scott said they both apparently exude toxic compounds, although I do not know if they actually affect other frogs - but I suspect not as far as the adults are concerned (larvae may be an entirely different but I again I suspect not). Thus by keeping them together, I assume you mean as adults, and of the same size class rather than as larvae or immature specimens, or say and adult of one species with an immature of the other. This is important because, again as Scott mentioned cannibalism can be a problem - but not only with Gree Tree Frogs (Pelodryas caerulea). Bellfrogs (Ranoidea aurea) are MAJOR frog-eaters, so if only for this reason they often end up dominating a pond. Another point that should be considered is that these species are quite different from one another ecologically and behaviourally, and so really should have set-ups that cater for their particular requirements. I kept both together in an outdoor enclosure measuring 4 metres by 5 metres for many years without any significant problems at all. Indoors, within the confines of such an enclosure is of course possible as many keepers would readily attest, but in my opinion this would be less desirable than a larger naturally exposed outdoor set-up (particularly for aurea which are also diurnal and actually like to bask in the sun!)...In other words, if you have the space it would be alright to keep a mixed group, but care should be taken if one is forced into utilizing captive conditions that may not support the needs of two such large, active species...just a few thoughts,

Regards

Richard Wells

Thanks for the info.I have decided to keep them in separate tanks. Do you have any imformation on how to hibernate Bellfrogs?

Many thanks,

Steve

Hi Steve,
In the days when Bellfrogs (or "Swamp Frogs" as they were then known) were common, on a number of occasions I found them over-wintering beneath dense damp mats of dead Typha that lay on the muddy bottoms of dried-up ponds or non-perrenial streams. I also found them in earth-cracks along the banks of creeks, where they appeared to be dormant, and they could often be found amongst rocks around the foundations of bridges over creeks. Most of the time I uncovered them while searching for snakes, so really my observations were just opportunistic, rather than the result of any serious research project on the species. I think they seemed to shelter in pretty much the same places during winter as in the warmer months, because although they could move a considerable distance in search of breeding sites (ie a suitable water body), they seemed to occupy a site for long periods (years) as well - until of course they just disappeared almost everywhere virtually overnight. During the milder winters you could on occasion find them active, so I don't think they are hibernators in the true sense...they just become dormant when the conditions become unfavourable - temperature and humidity of course being major considerations in their behaviour. During the hot, dry summers in eastern Australia, when much of their habitat dries up, they would also just disappear presumably aestivating - until the usual summer thunderstorms kicked in and replenished the creeks and ponds, when they would emerge in vast numbers to breed. I have my own particular theory on why they crashed, and although the dreaded chytrid has undoubtedly had an impact on this and other frogs, I believe this came onto the scene AFTER the species had already begun to drastically decline...and more or less mopped them up the survivors. Anyway, if you want more on this...let me know...

Regards

Richard Wlls