White’s Tree Frog
Common Names
White’s tree frog, dumpy tree frog, green tree frog
Species
Litoria caerulea
Size
Adults usually grow to between 3.0 inches to 4.5 inches (7.5 cm to 11.5 cm)
Appearance
A big heavily built frog, White’s tree frogs vary in color from muddy brown to green. White’s tree frogs that lean more towards blue or turquoise in appearance rather than green (Australian blue) are also often offered for sale, as well as frogs with white polk-a-dots (snowflake) and most recently ones with blue eyes. All of these different color morphs change colors depending on environmental conditions.
Two common varieties of White’s tree frogs: a captive-bred Australian blue (bottom) and more common wild-caught Indonesian green (top).
Distribution, Habitat and Behavior
Active mainly at night, White’s tree frogs are found throughout much of Australia as well as part of Papua New Guinea and Indonesian West Papua. They are adaptable and found in a wide variety of habitats from dry forest and grasslands near streams and swamps to more urban areas around houses and gardens. White’s tree frogs can be found in hollow logs or rock crevices and have even been known to take up residence within mail boxes in town. They breed seasonally in temporary water bodies.
Availability
One of the most popular pet amphibians, wild-caught Indonesian White’s tree frogs can be found for sale at most pet stores in North America. A better option though is to search for captive-bred individuals. Captive-bred White’s tree frogs are most often available in color forms such as blue or the white spotted snowflake morph. Herp shows and online vendors are good places to find captive-bred White’s tree frogs if none are available locally.
Housing
White’s tree frogs are large, active animals and should be provided with a spacious enclosure. A standard 29 gallon aquarium that measures 30 inches long by 12 inches wide by 18 inches high (76 cm by 30 cm by 46 cm) is large enough for two to four adult White’s tree frogs, although providing more space is recommended. Juvenile frogs can be kept in smaller enclosures. A secure screen cover is essential to prevent escapes.
The main components of the setup consist of a substrate, perches, and hiding areas. There are a number of substrate options available including coconut husk fiber or other safe soil, large river rocks, foam rubber, or moist paper towels. Simple substrates, like paper towels or foam rubber, will need to be replaced frequently. Gravel, sand, small pieces of bark and reptile cage carpeting should be avoided because they have potential to be unsafe if swallowed or can be irritating to White’s tree frogs.
An enclosure for White’s tree frogs – coconut husk fiber substrate, water dish, perches, plastic plants, black poster board background.
White’s tree frogs are arboreal and should be provided with perches and hide spots above ground. Cork bark tubes and sections of PVC pipe are especially useful. Bamboo poles can be positioned horizontally, vertically, and at angles in between. Perches can also serve as hiding areas, especially when live or fake plants are draped over them.
Water
Provide a large bowl of clean water. This should be changed daily. If tap water is used it should be treated with tap water conditioner to remove chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals so that it is safe for White’s tree frogs
Temperature and Humidity
White’s tree frogs are tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, which is one of the reasons they make hardy captives. Most days the temperature should remain between 75°F and 85°F (24°C and 29°C.) At night, the temperature can decrease by 10°F. A low wattage infra-red heat lamp can be positioned above part of the cage if heating is needed, but use a thermometer to measure the temperature first.
Humidity levels can range from 30% to 70% in different areas of the cage. A light misting every few days can help ensure that there is always a humid area for the frog to go to. White’s tree frogs, like many other tree frogs, do not tolerate soggy, stagnant conditions well, so make certain that the cage isn’t sprayed too heavily and that adequate ventilation is provided. Dry conditions are better than overly wet conditions for White’s tree frogs.
Lighting
Although not absolutely required, it is not a bad idea to provide a light that emits low levels of UV-B radiation, placing it above an area where the frogs often sleep during the day. This light should be set on a timer to go off at night and remain on for 10-12 hours each day. Replace UV-B lighting once every six months.
Diet
One of the most enjoyable qualities of White’s tree frogs is their tremendous appetite. They are rarely fussy feeders and accept the usual variety of feeder insects, including crickets, earth worms, wax worms, mealworms, silkworms, slugs, moths, and roaches. The majority of their diet can consist of crickets, with other food items being offered every few feedings. Feed adult frogs two to eight crickets every two days. Juvenile frogs should be fed on a daily basis, but in smaller quantities.
Obesity is a common problem in captive White’s tree frogs, but can generally be avoided by not feeding too often or in large quantities. Adult frogs should have their food coated with high quality reptile vitamin and mineral supplements once every two to four feedings. Juveniles should have their food supplemented more often.
I really want a White’s Tree Frog. I am okay to do everything in the article including the 29 gallon tank. The only problem is I am extremely squeamish with crickets and roaches. I am fine with the worms and moths would that be enough nutrition for them? (with the vitamin powder)
thank you so muh!
Earthworms are fairly healthy for frogs. You might be able to keep a White’s tree frog in good condition with a diet of mostly earthworms. That said, crickets are a more common staple food source.
I am considering getting 3-5 white’s tree frog tadpoles for my classroom. We culture isopods (various species) for the students to experiment with ecosystems, and I thought it might be interesting to have other creatures in with the isopods. Tank size and setup would be tailored to the needs of the frogs, assuming I acquire them. (There are other candidates, such as hermit crabs: I have a 55gal standard size, two or three 29 gal, and a 20″ cube)
My question is this: will adult white’s tree frogs eat when removed from their habitat to a separate “feeding” container? I’m wondering if feeding them individually to monitor each animal’s diet is something worth trying, or if it’s unnecessary, or if it would unduly stress the (hypothetical) frogs.
Yes, White’s tree frogs are adaptable and will learn to container feed or even accept live prey from your hands or tongs. What you might consider doing is instead of removing the frog putting a large smooth-sided container or cup in the terrarium with X amount of crickets in it, then count how many crickets (or worms, or other food items) are left after they feed (probably none, White’s tree frogs have a big appetite). But, if you wanted to remove the frogs to another container or tank just for feeding, I bet you could condition them to associate the second container with food, and in that case, you could have a different place to feed them outside of the terrarium.
We just bought a White’s tree frog and I’m having trouble maintaining the humidity level. Sometimes it drops to 30% and that worries me because I’ve read the 50% with spikes between 70-90%. My little guy turned brown yesterday and today, and I’m afraid it was because I misted too much to keep the humidity levels at the levels mentioned above. I’ve read that turning color is normal but I’m so brand new to tree frogs, I’m not sure if I’m doing this right or not.
I have a wire mesh at the top of the enclosure. Would I need to cover half of it or some of it to prevent the moisture escaping?
Thank you!!
Good question. During the winter it can be hard to keep humidity up, especially if you live in a colder area and have to run a furnace all the time. Fortunately, White’s tree frogs are pretty hardy when it comes to humidity. As long as you have a dish of water available for soaking the frog should do fine with low humidity for a couple of months. To increase the humidity, you can mist the enclosure twice a day (but make sure the substrate doesn’t become waterlogged or soggy). You can also restrict ventilation using plastic wrap or glass over half of the screen cover, but be careful not to close up the tank too much because a stagnant environment is worse than a dry one.
Hi, my friend just recently got a white tree frog (about a week ago) and is worried because it hasn’t eaten yet. Is it normal for a frog to take a bit to eat when they just got to their new home? Is there anything my friend can do to help the frog?
What is your friend feeding the frog? Do live crickets if anything else. Probably what is happening is the frog is actually eating but is still a little unsure of its new surroundings and will not eat while you are watching.
Try feeding 15 minutes after the lights go out and count how many crickets go into the tank that night (try 6-10 to start with). Then, in the morning, count how many crickets are left (if any). If the same number of crickets are in the tank in the morning, then the frog is not eating. In that case, check the temperature and make sure it is warm enough. If it is not warm enough, that could also be part of the problem. But, most likely it is just that the frog does not want to eat while people are watching until it adjusts to the new surroundings.
Good luck,
Devin
Greetings!
I am interested in acquiring a White’s Tree Frog. I live in Wyoming (very low humidity here).
Would it be better to use a standard 20 gallon “high” aquarium with a screen and or glass top or I can readily purchase a Zoo Med 25 gallon (13.5 L x 31.5 W x 17.5 H).
I like the idea of the front door access, but am wondering if it will be tall enough, even though the 25 gallon has a nice horizontal “footprint”.
Kindest regards,
John
Good question. Both options sound good, but if it were me, I would go with the front-opening terrarium. It is easier to maintain tanks that open from the front. Enjoy the new frog,
Devin
I’m interested in putting live plants in my enclosure, any tips on the best plants to use for this type of frog? Or, plastic plants are just fine?
Plastic plants are just fine. White’s Tree Frogs are large and heavy-bodied so they tend to destroy small delicate plants that people often grow in naturalistic terrariums. That said, larger-leaved sturdy tropicals will work fine. Pothos, Philodendron, Croton, Calathea, or Dracaena would be good choices, but you probably want to keep them in a pot so that you can take them out when cleaning. Remember to either buy the plants from a terrarium supply company that does not use pesticides or other potentially harmful chemicals, or replant the plants after purchase in an amphibian-safe soil and grow them outside of the terrarium for a few weeks before putting them in the enclosure with the frog.
Devin
Hi,
Its been over a couple of weeks sense I have found poop in my enclosure . I have two whites tree frogs and am really concerned that neither have them have gone to the bath room for weeks. Is there anything I can do to help them go to the bathroom?
My guess is your frogs are pooping but it is blending in with the substrate so you might not see it. You could try moving the frogs to an empty aquarium with nothing but a water dish for 12-24 hours after a heavy feeding and seeing if you notice any poo. That will probably do it, though if there isn’t anything after a day in the empty tank with just a water dish that would be strange. Tree frogs will poop every day if they eat every day, less often if they eat less, so as long as you see them eating they also should be going to the bathroom. Sometimes though tough foods or ingesting substrate can cause impactions, and in that case, the frog doesn’t pass anything at all, sometimes resulting in a rectal prolapse, bloating, or other medical condition. In that case, it might be time to talk to a vet, for example: https://logansanurans.com/
Hi! I’m getting a Whites Tree frog and am setting up a vivarium for it. I was wondering which isopods/springtails I should use for it. I know Whites love to eat so I’m aware something that breeds a little fast is optimal, I just don’t know which ones to choose seeing as I’ve seen a lot of mixed answers.
Often the easiest way to keep White’s tree frogs is in a simple setup rather than a complex naturalistic/bioactive vivarium. They are pretty big, messy frogs, and kind of destroy/dirty up vivariums that are too complex, and there is no need for springtails or isopods like you might include in a setup for dart frogs or something. Springtails and most isopods will also be too small for adult White’s tree frogs to notice as food (though small juveniles probably would eat isopods), so really their role would be to maintain the health of the soil/substrate.
That said, if you set things up right, you might able to create some compromise between a simple setup and the type of vivarium you want, and in that case if you like the idea of adding springtails and isopods, go for it. I’ve only cultured a few kinds of isopods, but the dwarf purple ones have always been pretty prolific for me and they would probably do a fine job. I guess that the same for springtails because I have only cultured two kinds, the ones commonly referred to as “tropical springtails” and the slower kind that have been around for ages now sometimes called “temperate springtails” and both would work fine. In fact, you might not need to buy any. Sometimes springtails show up on their own or hitchhike in with isopod cultures. Enjoy the new frogs.
Hi!
I am a college student that recently purchased two juvenile Whites tree frogs from Petco. I don’t know their exact age but was told that they are very young. I keep them in a 12x12x18 enclosure that uses coconut fiber substrate and sphagnum moss. I also have enough decorations where they can easily be hidden as well as places for them to perch on. I keep a fairly simple water dish in the enclosure as well. My enclosure also has a temperature and humidity gage. I keep the humidity at around 60-70 with spikes after misting, and the temperature is usually in the mid 70s. My first question is if there is anything about my enclosure I need to change(such as lighting) to adequately provide for these two frogs and secondly when should I upgrade to a larger enclosure and how big should I go.
My second question is on feeding. After purchasing the frog I was told by Petco employees to buy and release 2o crickets into the enclosure and some meal worms each week. I did that as soon as I got home and had set up my enclosure, however, I am wondering if that is the best way to feed them. I am afraid that they could not be eating sense I am usually asleep when they are most active. I was wondering is it best to keep releasing crickets into the enclosure or should I tong feed them, and if I do tong feed them how should I go about it. I also want to know what type of dusting vitamins I should purchase. I have had these two frogs for a little under a week and I just want to make sure I am doing my best to care for both of them.
Your setup sounds good for the moment. Ideally, there should be a warm area near the top of the enclosure where the temperature reaches the low-mid 80’s and a cooler area down low around 70. Probably the easiest way to do this is with a small light. You could use a low-wattage incandescent light bulb (probably 25 or maybe 40-watt maximum depending on the room temperature) or it’s possible a fluorescent light strip or spiral compact fluorescent bulb might add enough heat too. Keep the light on during the day, for about 10-12 hours, and off at night. White’s tree frogs are hardy, so even without the heat source for a couple of weeks, as long as the temperature is in the 70’s they will do fine.
The other important thing to keep in mind is that the frogs will grow and need more room as adults. By the summer, you will probably want to upgrade to a terrarium that is 18 x 18 x 24 inches or alternatively a similarly sized aquarium (maybe a 29-gallon tank or larger with screen cover).
For feeding, if they will accept food from tongs, tong feeding is a great way to ensure your frogs get the right amount of food. If they don’t accept food from tongs, you can feed right before the lights go out, releasing the crickets into the tank and putting food like mealworms in a small dish so they don’t burrow into the substrate. Make sure to coat the food items in a quality nutritional supplement like Repashy Calcium Plus before feeding. You can feed as much as they will eat while they are young and growing. Once they are adults, dial it back to a few feedings each week so they don’t become obese. For mealworms, feed them to the frogs only a few times a month, not too often. You can also use earthworms, wax worms, and phoenix worms (black soldier fly larvae) to vary the diet. Enjoy your new frogs.
Hey everyone, I have a 20 gallon tank with 1 white in it. The cage is more vertically oriented and has a waterbath, waterfall, and some plants. I keep the base of the tank filled with moist-wet coconut fiber. Recently I have been researching if I can place a green anole lizard in the same tank or if this would cause my frog stress. I have read mix reviews on multiple sites saying they get along great to the frog ate the lizard within the first two days. Any information on this would be helped- Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend it. The White’s tree frog will probably try to eat the anole, maybe not right away if the frog is well-fed, but at some point, the anole might become dinner. A 20-gallon tank is also too small to try to keep different kinds of amphibians or reptiles together. See:
https://boredomtherapy.com/s/frog-eats-snakes?as=799&asv=1&bdk=0 (White’s tree frogs eating snakes and bats)
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/6c2cd34546b89ed50647237bb4e16cf7 (White’s tree frog eating another frog)
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/sfbats/white-s-tree-frog-noms-a-mouse-t1087.html (White’s tree frog eating a mouse)
https://www.anoleannals.org/2013/05/03/frog-eats-anole/ (not a White’s tree frog but a Cuban tree frog, still about what I imagine would eventually happen)
Hi there. I am thinking that I don’t give my frogs enough D3 because the crickets don’t always climb into the tubes in the keeper. I used to also put them in a ziploc bag and shake it but then the calcium would be exposed to air and I wasn’t sure if reusing the bag would be healthy. However, I do gutload the crickets every time I keep them in the keepers. I gut load then with Fluker’s Orange Cubes cricket diet. However, I’m seeing mixed reviews over whether the cubes are really “gut loading” and more for “keeping the crickets from dying” (and many die anyway).
Any recommendations? So far, neither of them seem sick. I check them every once in a while and they seem fine.
Hello, I’m raising tadpoles (green tree frogs) Should I being treating them like the white frog frogs?
Yes, I think you can probably raise them in a similar way. If you have raised white’s tree frog tadpoles you can do more or less the same for green tree frog tadpoles.
I had a question.
So we have a spare 40 breeder and a spare 50 tall and wanted to do a planted tank with some amphibians possibly.
Would whites tree frogs be okay in tanks like these or do I need to turn them vertical? And how many could I do in each?
White’s tree frogs do great in enclosures that size, even if they aren’t vertically-oriented, however, White’s tree frogs will eat almost any other amphibian (even other smaller White’s tree frogs) so stick with a group of White’s that are all the same size/age and don’t keep them with other species. In a 40 breeder or 50-gallon aquarium, you could probably have a group of 5-10 adult frogs. They will generate a lot of waste though so make sure to keep things clean. White’s tree frogs are not well-suited for the average tropical terrarium / naturalistic setup (see https://amphibiancare.com/2008/04/26/tropical-terrariums/) because they are kind of big and destructive and messy, but you can definitely add live plants. Big-leafed tropicals kept in their pots (but replanted in amphibian-safe soil) would work fine, and you can just pull them out every month or so when you clean things.
Thank you so Much this is extremely helpful also out of curiosity I also have a a 20 Gallon Standard Tank it’s not
a 20 Gallon Long is that a suitable sized enclosure for 1-2 Whites Tree Frogs also what Repashy Calcium Plus Supplement would you recommend sense I don’t plan on breeding they Have so many different Calcium Plus formulas 1 has Lo D one has High D one is the original Calcium Plus then one with Folic acid or something I can’t remember but Sense I’m not planning on having live plants I was thinking of skipping the UVB for now maybe use led lights and ik I’ll need a heat bulb it gets kinda chilly in my house especially in the Winter it’s an older house and it is a bit drafty especially in my attic bedroom I have a window AC in my room and a Space Heater for the winter I was planning on having the enclosure near the window so the light could get in to kinda help with the photo period but it won’t be in direct sunlight or directly in front of the Window either it always has the blinds down but the sunlight seeps in if that will help any I usually have the ac between 69° -72 F during the summer as for the Heater it’s around the mid 70’s F is the zoomed digital Thermometer and hydrometer a good Digital Thermometer/ hydrometer also how many Thermometers/hygrometers should I use in the 40 Gallon Breeder should I have 2 ?1 on each side of the tank And for the other enclosures sizes would 1 be enough thank you again
Sounds good to me. A 20 gallon is fine for 1-2 frogs. If you can go bigger or taller, go for it, but if that is what you have now it should be fine. Remember to use a screen cover so there is plenty of ventilation rather than glass.
It’s okay to skip the UVB as long as you use Repashy Calcium Plus. You can just use the normal kind like this: https://www.store.repashy.com/calcium-plus-4-oz-bag.html The other formulas have different levels of vitamin D3 and so are best for other kinds of animals or situations where you’re keeping a reptile outside and it has access to unfiltered sunlight. In the future, adding low levels of UVB is not a bad idea but also not required.
For the thermometers, one thermometer should be enough, just move it around the enclosure from up near the light where it is hottest to down near the substrate where it is cooler. As long as there is some area reaching the low to mid 80’s during the day, it should be warm enough.
Thank you so much and Yes I definitely plan on getting a Screen cover for the 20 Gallon tank it was orginally used for tropical Fish I need to clean it out and sanitize it do you know of a sage way to sanitize it besides a 5% bleach solution will a Distilled White Vinegar and water solution be safe or some other type of solution? That might be ready to buy I just want to have everything in order before I go to get my Frogs also will a 25 watt heat bulb be to much for a 20 gallon tank or will a Nano type heat bulb be ok?
Will a 40 Gallon Breeder tank be ok for 2-4 White’s Tree Frogs?
Yes, that should be great for them. Enjoy keeping the frogs.
Thank you so much I’ve also been looking at getting an 18 “×18″24” terrarium I plan on housing at the very least one but at the most 4 in the enclosure what is the minimum size for 1 Whites Tree Frog just curious and if I do decide to use my 40 gallon Breeder tank what sized watt heat bulb and UVB do you receive for that sized enclosure?
Recommend *not Recieved
The 18″ x 18″ x 24″ enclosure would work well too. For either tank, lighting provides 1) a photoperiod 2) heat and 3) UVB radiation (optional but recommended). You might be able to do all of this with just a compact fluorescent spiral bulb that produces UVB, like this http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb100.php so long as the room is not too cold. On the other hand, you might instead do UVB with a fluorescent tube and then use an incandescent bulb for heat (if needed). The main thing is not really the wattage of the bulb but the environment inside the tank, so after you get it set up move the thermometer around inside and make sure near the top close to the light source it reaches 85F or so and then down low close to the substrate it is closer to 70F. At night the temperature can drop. For a 40 breeder, you could try just running a UVB producing fluorescent tube across the length of the tank and seeing if it gets warm enough. If not, add a 25-50 watt incandescent basking light and see if that helps. If you go with the taller enclosure you will probably need a more powerful bulb. Remember also to check the temperature throughout the year because if the room where the frog tank is is 65F in winter and 80F in summer then you might need to turn lights on and off during different times of the year.
Thank you so Much this is extremely helpful also out of curiosity I also have a a 20 Gallon Standard Tank it’s not
a 20 Gallon Long is that a suitable sized enclosure for 1-2 Whites Tree Frogs also what Repashy Calcium Plus Supplement would you recommend sense I don’t plan on breeding they Have so many different Calcium Plus formulas 1 has Lo D one has High D one is the original Calcium Plus then one with Folic acid or something I can’t remember but Sense I’m not planning on having live plants I was thinking of skipping the UVB for now maybe use led lights and ik I’ll need a heat bulb it gets kinda chilly in my house especially in the Winter it’s an older house and it is a bit drafty especially in my attic bedroom I have a window AC in my room and a Space Heater for the winter I was planning on having the enclosure near the window so the light could get in to kinda help with the photo period but it won’t be in direct sunlight or directly in front of the Window either it always has the blinds down but the sunlight seeps in if that will help any I usually have the ac between 69° -72 F during the summer as for the Heater it’s around the mid 70’s F is the zoomed digital Thermometer and hydrometer a good Digital Thermometer/ hydrometer also how many Thermometers/hygrometers should I use in the 40 Gallon Breeder should I have 2 ?1 on each side of the tank And for the other enclosures sizes would 1 be enough thank you again
Hi,
I just received my White Tree Frog yesterday and he’s starting to get a discolouration on his head. He’s a beautiful team colour but his head is turning a brown colour. It sometimes looks slimy.
I can’t seem to find any pictures of tree frogs that look like him(with the discolouration).
He’s also just sitting in the same spot and doesn’t seem to want to move.
Sigh! Any help or suggestions would be awesome.
There are many reasons White’s tree frogs change color. Often it is related to the environment, for example, temperature or light intensity. Other times blotchy coloration is caused by stress or is related to health issues. I would guess that moving from the store to the new enclosure might have caused some stress and it will take a little time for the frog to settle in. While you are waiting for it to adjust, double-check the temperature throughout the enclosure and make sure it isn’t too hot (or too cold). Sitting in the same spot is pretty typical tree frog behavior during the day, but try shining a flashlight in the enclosure at night an hour or so after the lights have gone off. White’s tree frogs are nocturnal and usually only active at night. Enjoy your new frog.
Hi, I am really interested in White’s Tree Frogs I was wondering if they do better alone or in groups? I haven’t been able to find too much info on this. Also, is a 12x12x18 exo terra glass enclosure enough space for one White’s tree frog?
Any insight is appreciated!
Thanks,
Stephanie
Good questions. They do just fine alone. A 12 x 12 x 18 exo terra would be perfect for raising a juvenile in, but it is too small for an adult. Once the frog grows up, move it to a larger 18 x 18 x 24 tank or something similar.
Devin
Hello I was trying to find out from an online source but to no avail. I want to ask is it possible that my two whites tree frogs are from different “litters” for lack of a better word. I got them from the same pet store though on different days. One is female (my first one) and is blue to pale green morph and the other one is male and the standard brown to pale green. I would like to mate them but I’m concerned about inbreeding. Is it possible they wont breed anyways? Thanks for your time.
Inbreeding in amphibians is not as much of a problem is it is for other kinds of pet animals. Many people who breed frogs commercially or as a hobby breed siblings together. That said, if you have two frogs from different sources, that is even better and definitely preferred. The problem is it can be hard to know where frogs originate if you buy them at a store rather than directly from a breeder.
In your case, I don’t think there is an easy way to know if your two White’s tree frogs were produced from different breeders. It would probably be frowned upon to breed blue White’s tree frogs with more commonly available green White’s tree frogs from Indonesian sources, but sometimes frogs originating from different lines can look the same and vice versa (offspring from Indonesian imports kind of turquoise and offspring from blue Australian frogs more greenish…) Your best would be to talk to the manager at the store who ordered the frogs and ask if they came in on one order or on different orders, and if they came in on the same order if they were labeled the same way, for example maybe the store ordered 4 cb blue White’s tree frogs and 4 Indonesian green White’s tree frogs but put them in the same tank for sale. In this case, you might not want to breed them to preserve each bloodline. On the other hand, if the frogs came from the same source and were both labeled the same way on the order, then maybe this isn’t an issue even though they look a little different.
If you want to breed them, expose them to a cool dry winter, fatten them up, and then put them in a rain chamber. White’s tree frogs lay large clutches of eggs and when the tadpoles complete metamorphosis you will have a lot of baby frogs to feed, probably hundreds. It’s expensive to order crickets for them, so before working to breed them make sure you have the resources to raise up the tadpoles and baby frogs to a large enough size to sell.
Good luck,
Devin
Hi, I just got two white’s tree frogs yesterday and they seem to be doing well. I have a question about lighting. I have their tank in my room but I often stay up pretty late into the night with my light on doing homework. Is that bad for them? I haven’t been able to find anything about that and I would like to know if I should move them somewhere else. I also am wondering what time of day is best to feed them, because I would like to feed them in a separate container.
Hi, I just got 2 white’s tree frogs yesterday and they seem to be doing okay, they’ve been around their cage and today they slept all day. My question is about lighting- I haven’t been able to find anywhere that says if it’s okay to keep them in my bedroom? I have them in my room right next to a window. I am often up late into the night working on homework with my lights on and I feel like that might not be good for them, but I really can’t find anything that says if it’s bad for them. I would really appreciate some advice so that I can move them if needed. I am also wondering what a good time of day is to feed them. I would like to feed them in a separate container so that they don’t accidentally ingest substrate but I’m not sure what time of day would be best to do that.
Good question. If there is no difference between night and day for the full 24-hours that might be a problem, but probably with a little indirect light while you study for a few hours at night the frog will be fine. If you think the photoperiod is a little wacky and the frog is behaving in strange ways as a result, you could put its light on a timer to correspond to when the room is brightest and going off when it is darkest, that way the frog still gets a change between night and day and it is not bright all the time.
Devin
I’ve recently bought one frog after studying them a lot. I found our most sites say that you should turn on your frogs lamp (that has a 50-60 W blue bulb) at 6:00am and turn it off at 6:00pm every day. No other lights should be on in the room
Devin,
I recently bought two Blue white’s tree frogs from an online company. At first, the company site stated that the frogs were in stock, the next day, I had to phone them to find out that the frogs were not in stock but it took over three weeks to get some in. when the frogs finally arrived, They looked as if they had not eaten in days. They also had no trace of blue, teal or turquoise in them. They turn from brown to green only. I texted the vendor. He stated that they were from the “blue bloodline” and they will change colors. Is this true or is he just trying to cover up his mistake?
Are they adults? If they are adult my guess is they are Indonesian imports, but if they are juveniles maybe they were captive-bred and produced from old blue Australian stock. These days most of the captive-bred White’s tree frogs you see offered for sale are selectively bred color morphs like snowflakes, honey, blue-eyed, etc. rather than so-called blue Australian (which aren’t always very blue, more of a blueish turquoise and can be greenish too, this is a good example of what they usually look like: https://www.shop.jl-exotics.com/images/whites-1-3%20-%20resize.png ). If the frogs you received are adult sized, green to brown, and looked thin they probably were wild-caught adults and the dealer was either misinformed or misled you. If they are juveniles they probably are cb blue Australian but just don’t look very blue. I’m just speculating, there really is no way to know.
They are Juveniles (about the size of a quarter). Thanks for the quick response.
Hi Devin. I live in Jakarta, Indonesia and recently I’ve been interested in keeping more exotic pets and my attention is now firmly fixated to the White’s Tree Frog. I used to live in Western Australia for a number of years so I know about them previously but only now I’m seriously thinking about keeping them as pets. I keep land hermit crabs (Coenobita sp.) in a large crabitat currently and I also keep isopods with the crabs as a cleaning crew inside the crabitat.
So my questions are :
– Do you think isopods would be a safe addition to the terrarium where I would keep the tree frogs?
– Are there any materials that is a big no-no in a tree frog terrarium?
– Do the water need filtering? Does have to be dechlorinated?
Thanks for the help.
Yes, isopods are a great addition to tree frog terrariums. The tree frogs might notice them moving at night and eat some, but if you have an isopod culture you can always add more.
The only common material I can think of to avoid would be live plants that have recently been treated with pesticides. I guess on a similar note you might want to give other cage items a good rinse under water before using them (rocks, wood, etc.)
Yes, make sure the water you use is dechlorinated. It doesn’t need to be filtered if it is in a bowl or dish. Instead, you can just replace it every morning with new water. If the terrarium has a larger water area then you might want to add a filter, especially if you want be able to do water changes a few times a week.
Enjoy the new frogs,
Devin
Hi there,
So I did a lot of research but I’m still not certain on the guidelines in regards to handling them. I have one White’s Tree frog named Frankie. He likes to sit up high. And a part of me really wants to chill out with him on my shoulder. However some articles stress that you should handle them as little as possible. I don’t want to stress the little guy out. I’ve tried a few times and he urinated on me, a sure sign he was alarmed. I also understand their skin is sensitive and wash my hands with hand soap.
Is it okay to handle them and let them on your shoulder? Or should I leave him be?
It is better for amphibians if you don’t handle them. That said, White’s tree frogs tolerate handling well compared to most other species. It is probably fine to pick the frog up and have a look at it every now and then, say once a week. I would not recommend walking around with it on your shoulder. Like you mentioned, amphibians have sensitive skin and so if you have anything on your hand that might irritate it (lotion, soap, salt from food, etc.) this could cause problems. Also, make sure your hands are not completely dry when you pick the frog up, mist them with a little water first.
Devin
Hey Devin,
I bought a red bulb so I could heat and view my frogs at night, however the frogs pupils are not dialated when the light is on suggesting they can see it and they won’t move become active until the light is switched off. Have you ever had this issue?
Thanks, Jason
Hi Jason. I haven’t noticed nocturnal frogs disturbed by red light bulbs before but it is a good observation. If it has only been a few nights since adding the light it might take a few days for the frogs to adjust. If the light really is causing problems with photoperiod and the frogs are never comfortable enough to wake up and be active, you might look at ceramic heat emitters instead of a bulb made from black or red glass.
Devin
Hi again, I brought home my frog a few days ago and he immediately started walking on the floor of his enclosure which is covered in eco-earth. He sat in one of the corners all night and I was very worried because he seemed to be trying to climb but unable to stick to the glass? I am pretty sure it is because the eco-earth got stuck to his feet so this morning when I found him in the same spot I put on a glove, sprayed it with water, and lifted up up to one of the wooden “logs” in the tank. He was able to jump to the wall of the tank from the log and climb to the top but he can only stay on the wall without sliding down if he rests on one of the plant suction sups. Is there anything I can do to help him in this case or do you think he just needs to get used to his new enclosure? I also put about 5 crickets in his enclosure because I called the store where I got him from and they told me he may just be weak and need some food but he hasn’t shown any interest in them at all. I am very worried about him so any advice will be great, thank you!
Sometimes coconut husk fiber can stick to frogs, especially in newly set up enclosures. After a week or two of use it should become more compact and stay in place.
I like to place leaf litter over coconut husk fiber, and this also prevents it from sticking to frogs. Southern magnolia leaves are a good choice. Just make sure they were collected from an area free of pesticides or other harmful chemicals.
You could also add some other cage items to the enclosure–cork bark or cork bark tubes, artificial plants, etc. and this will provide some other surfaces for the frog to spend time on. For now though I wouldn’t worry, it all sounds pretty normal.
Enjoy the new frog,
Devin
Hello! I recently purchased an adorable white’s tree frog but I have not picked him up from the store yet so that I could buy/assemble his setup. I just had a few questions and the first one is what kind of light do you recommend I buy? The woman at the store said to purchase a heat lamp( the one with the red bulb, I’m not sure the proper name:) and I am not planning on using live plants yet so would this give off enough heat for the frog? I don’t know if I should just place a heat mat on the side of the enclosure instead to give him some heat rather than buy a light. My second question is should the calcium supplement have D3 in it? I currently also have a leopard gecko and when I dust his crickets I use pure calcium the majority of the time and a mixture of calcium with D3 and vitamins+minerals(I think they’re called herptitives)on certain days and less frequently so should I just use these same supplements and schedule or is it specific to a leopard gecko? Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Sophia,
The type of light to use depends on the temperature of the room where the frog is kept. White’s tree frogs are hardy and will live well in a range of temperatures, but ideally part of the terrarium near the light should approach the mid 80’s while the rest stays in the low to mid 70’s during the day. At night the temperature can drop into the 60’s without problems as long as it warms up again during the day. It is important to use a quality thermometer to measure the temperature, and to move the thermometer around the terrarium where the frog spends time. Down on the substrate it shouldn’t drop below ~65F at night, and up near the light during the day it shouldn’t get too far above 85F. Ambient air temperature in the middle of the terrarium should stay in the mid to high 70’s during the day, cooling off at night.
Heat lamps made from red or black glass can be left on overnight without disturbing animals, so they are a great way to heat terrariums day and night, but if the temperature in the room where the frog is kept doesn’t drop below ~65F at night anyways a better option might be a daytime heat bulb that heats up an area to the mid 80’s during the day and goes off at night. Think of this bulb like the sun, it comes on during the day, warms up the enclosure, then goes off at night. Alternatively, if the room where you will keep the frog is especially cold then a red bulb could be used instead of or in addition to the daytime heat bulb to keep the terrarium above the mid 60’s at night. If the enclosure is a normal size, say 18-24 inches high, and the room temperature is 65-75F, a daytime heat bulb that is 25-60 watts is probably powerful enough.
Avoid using a heat mat for your new tree frog. Lighting is a better way to heat the enclosure.
Nutritional supplements – yes, use a supplement that contains calcium and vitamin D3. Repashy Calcium Plus is what I recommend, and can also be used for your gecko. If you use a light that offers UVB radiation then your reptiles and amphibians may be able to synthesize some of the vitamin D3 themselves (this vitamin allows them to process calcium from their diet), and if there is ample UVB this is when you might not need a supplement that includes vitamin D3, for example if you have a turtle that is kept outside and allowed to bask in the sun or chameleons in screen cages that go from indoors with UVB to out. Geckos and frogs are best kept inside and often aren’t provided with UVB lighting (although you can provide some if you like, use a low amount positioned over screen or inside the enclosure, and in an area where animal spends time making sure there are plenty of hiding areas to get away from the UV as well) so for these pets it is best to use a nutritional supplement that contains calcium and vitamin D3.
Devin
Ok thank you so much, I’ll purchase the day time lamp that heats the enclosure during the day and turns off at night and I’ll use the calcium with D3 in it. Thank you again, that was so helpful!
Hi, I have an amazing White Tree Frog named Sweetie. I have gotten her a week ago as a birthday present, and I absolutely adore her. However, I feel a bit overwhelmed with the responsibilities of taking care of a pet…
I mist it usually several times a day. The humidity is around 30 during the day, but it rises extremely high during the night – around 60-80. My mother told me that the humidity is supposed to be around 30-50 (closer to thirty in the winter-time), but I feel like that may not be right after reading several online articles (which had suggested the humidity to be much higher).
My mother also told me that the temperature should always be around 82 during the day, and with my light I can usually manage it around 80. However, during the night I turn off the light and it drops to 70-73. I do not have a heating pad, and my sister told me that it was way too cold and I should have the light on 24/7 – which I still don’t feel is right… Should I buy a heating pad, leave it as it is, or leave the light on during the night as well?
One other thing… Sweetie has a medium-sized mouth, so Petco suggested medium-sized crickets. She eats around 5-7 a day, and I feel like I am over-feeding her. I want her to live a happy and healthy life, but I also want to make sure that I am not getting her ill.
I guess those are my main concerns… I am not really sure if I am taking proper care of my frog, and I would love to hear some advice for proper care – or even some suggestions! Thank you for reading. 🙂
Hi Alyssa,
It sounds like you are providing very good care to your new White’s tree frog. Temperature is more important than humidity, and what you want is a range of temperatures inside so the frog can choose where to be. Try moving the thermometer up near the light during the day. It should get to 80-85F near the light, a little warmer than this is okay too. Down near the bottom of the enclosure the temperature can stay closer to 70-75F during the day. Turn the light off at night. It’s okay if the temperature stays near 70F at night, or even cooler, so long as it warms up during the day.
For humidity, misting once a day should be good enough. You don’t want the enclosure to get too wet, so pay attention to the moisture of the substrate. If lots of water squeezes out of the substrate when you take some in your hand then it is too wet.
Yes, 5-7 crickets a day might be too many for an adult White’s tree frog. They are prone to obesity and have a very good appetite. Pay attention to the body shape of the frog. The frog should look slightly round on the sides, but if there are roles around the eyes or under the chin then the frog is overweight. A healthy adult tree frog can go for a week or two without food, even longer at cool temperatures, so cutting back to 5-7 crickets every other day or every two days probably won’t hurt. If the frog looks thin though, feed more. And remember to use a quality powder nutritional supplement on the crickets before feeding them to the frog.
Enjoy the new pet,
Devin
Recently my frog has white spots on him…not like his regular spots… they r bigger and they just came on him over night…..i was using moss and it was very saturated…any idea what it could be?
Can you upload a photo of the frog somewhere like Google Drive or Dropbox and link to it? A change in coloration can be completely normal, especially if there is a change in temperature, lighting or humidity, or may be a sign of stress or disease.
My first thought is that it could be a sign of a bacterial infection, so if there are other signs of a health problem (lethargy, unusual behavior, lack of appetite, etc.) I recommend taking the frog to a veterinarian that has experience with amphibians. They will be able to examine the frog, diagnose any illness, and provide medication.
In the meantime, it won’t hurt to clean the enclosure (remove all items, wash with warm water, fully air dry) and keep the frog in a setup with just a moist paper towel substrate, water dish, and a few perches/hide spots. Change the paper towels and water daily to keep things particularly clean. It is also important to make sure the temperature is appropriate for the frog, and it may help to keep things towards the warm side of the preferred range (air temperature around 80F towards 85F near a heat source) if possible. Use a thermometer to check the temperature, don’t guess.
Best of luck,
Devin
Hello!
About 2 weeks ago, I got a Male Whites Tree Frog from my friend, who was too busy to properly take care of him. She felt that I would be a good candidate as I love frogs, and have wanted one ever since my old one died. So far Yoda has been an amazing pet! I have already taught him to be handfed and he eats 6 crickets a week (2 on Mon, Weds and Fri each night). He has also taken very well to being handled once every other day, for no more than 5 minutes. He is being housed in a 12x12x18 Exo Terra, that has a water dish large enough for him to soak in, a nice branch that he can sit on and lots of plants. In his tank there is: 1 spider plant, 1 pothos plant, 3 different airplants, 3 separate devils ivy plants and lots of carpet moss (not the ingestable sphagnum moss). There is also lots of leaf litter on the ground and a nice foam background, that looks like very realistic rocks. I think that Yoda is very happy. He sleeps all day, and at night soaks in his dish and explores his tank. I make sure to spot clean every day to ensure there are no feces in his tank. I also change his water 1-2 times each day and mist his tank 2 a times a day. Humidity is at 65% consistently and his temperatures are probably around 75-80 during the day and no lower than 60-65 at night. Do you think I am taking good enough care of him? Is his setup adequate? I know a 20 gallon tall would be better, but I cannot afford that at the moment. I have tried to make his 11 gallon tank a good, natural home. I only want him to be happy. I do have a couple questions. I know he is a male but is there any way to know his age? He is 3 inches long, snout to vent. Finally, he is not the usual green-blue tinge of of most dumpy frogs. Instead he is a muddy brown and sometimes a greenish-brown colour all the time. Is this normal or a sign of bad health? Any advice or comments is appreciated! Thanks for all of your wonderful info!
Hi Avery,
Yes, it sounds like you are taking good care of your new White’s tree frog. Keep an eye on his body condition and if the frog starts to to look thin you might increase how much you feed. Another thought– it might be worth adding a small red/night heat lamp to provide a warm spot that reaches the low-mid 80’s up high over part of the enclosure and also help keep it warmer at night. But, what you describe now sounds fine too and if the frog is healthy in the current temperature range you could also just stick with what you are doing..
Age – no, it is not possible to know how old the frog is. If it is adult sized it is at least one year old.
Color – It is okay if the frog stays a muddy brown. This is not a sign of bad health. You could try boosting the temperature a little and see if his color changes. Environmental conditions like temperature and lighting often affect tree frog coloration.
Enjoy the new tree frog,
Devin
Thanks so much for your quick response!
I will up the food if he is looking thin, although at the moment, he is a plump little boy, with chubby sides! The crickets he is eating are large and gut loaded so they are more filling than small ones. So far I have not dusted them with anything. Do you think it would be worth getting calcium dust? Anything else? Also, could I feed him 2 mealworms a week, along with his crickets?
I will think about the heat lamp. Could a heat mat also suffice? Our house temperature is at 71-72 and his tank is definitely 5-8 degrees warmer. I have a compact fluorescent for the live plants and I know it puts off a bit of heat. If I switched to the SunGlow bulb, would that be able to provide heat for Yoda and light for the plants without using additional heating methods (heat mat, heat bulb, etc.)?
No problem about his age. I’m guessing he is about 2-3 years (6 months old when sold and 1.5-2.5 years with previous owners) but was just curious if there is a definite way to tell.
Glad to know I don’t have to worry about his color. This morning he had turned a bit more greenish than usual. I am fine with his color, just wanted to know if it was normal. It is also possible he is just trying to blend in to his tank. The sone wall is a brownish-greenish-grey color.
Thanks again for your help. I love my Whites and hope to have him for a long time.
Yes, it is important to coat the food in a nutritional supplement before feeding. Repashy Calcium Plus is a good all around supplement to use. That’s what I use with my frogs. Lightly coat crickets in it at every feeding. If you don’t use a supplement the frog will develop health problems down the line.
Heating – A low wattage lamp is better than a heating bad, with heat coming from above rather than from below. What you ideally want is a thermogradient within the enclosure, so a cooler spot down low to one side that is 5-10F cooler than a warm area up above near the light. The compact fluorescent you already have might do a good enough job. Try checking the temperature with a thermometer in different parts of the cage. If up near the light is 80-80F and down lower is in the 70’s during the day then you are good to go.
Enjoy the new frog,
Devin
Thanks for all of your awesome help!
I will go to Petsmart and get the Repashy Calcium plus along with a new thermometer and hygrometer (my current ones aren’t the best). If the temperatures are not ideal I will then buy a lamp and heat bulb. Any recommendations on the type? Red heat bulb? Wattage? Anything else to look for in a bulb? What type of lamp fixture?
Thanks again for everything!
For a 20-30 gallon sized aquarium or terrarium a 25-40 watt red or black colored bulb will be enough, but you might buy the thermometer first and check the temperature before spending money on a heat lamp to see if you need one.
Move the thermometer around the White’s tree frog enclosure. If it is in the low-mid 70’s down at the bottom and reaches 80-85F up near the compact fluorescent light, and at night isn’t getting below 60-65F, then you are good to go and do not need another lamp.
If it is cooler then it is probably a good idea to buy the heat lamp. Bulbs from red or black colored glass can stay on 24/7 if you find you need heating at night too.
Devin
Hi
Mine have these colors also. When I let them sit on my shoulder or above my chest ( under my top) or if they are warm they start turning shades of green to the light vibrant green. I have had both of my babies for almost 8 years so far. They love being held and never want to go back in their tank.
I love my white’s, she is female and loves to watch tv. Approximately 5 years old and eats huge nightcrawlers like a champ. Not a single issue in all the years I’ve had her. She actually loves deeper water just as long as her hind legs can touch bottom. With the exception of my Chinese water dragons, these guys are one of the best small pets you can get. Just don’t handle and change water source daily to prevent red leg(not that they’re the only cause) just do your best to keep the little guy happy and you’ll have an awesome pet for nearly 2 decades.
I have two white tree frogs and one gets up earlier and eats most of the crickets first and the other only gets a few also, I can’t tell either if they are girl or boy in the picture they look like the darker one
Enjoy the two frogs. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if a White’s tree frog is male or female. If the frog vocalizes and makes a lot of noise you can be sure it is male, but otherwise it can be tricky. Keep an eye on the one that eats last. If one frog is getting all the food you might see if you can offer food by hand or tongs to the one that does not eat as much, although if both seem to be maintaining good condition then it is probably okay if one eats first before the other.
Hi, we have 2 white tree frogs that are about 1 year old. We don’t know yet wether they are male or female as they don’t sing. Usually, they eat with appetite, every night or every second night, they like crickets, earthworms… They can eat up to 6 crickets between the two of them.
But since they ate some calcium coated crickets 3 days ago, they have lost their appetite. They are still full of energy and move around a lot, climbing the glass walls of their habitat and sliding down every night, but they do not eat wether the preys are live in the terrarium or presented to their mouth.
Here it is spring, but still a bit cold, so we stopped heating the house in the last days, and the temperature in their habitat dropped a little. When we noticed this, we placed a heater for them, in front of their terrarium and now it is not colder than usual.
What do you think is happening ? They do not look sick, or injured, their thighs are not red, they are very active by night and sleep during day as usual.
I hope you will be able to give some advice… Thanks.
I’m not sure what has caused the change in behavior or why your White’s tree frogs have lost their appetite. Monitoring temperature is important and I would recommend using a thermometer inside their enclosure to keep an eye on it. Sometimes what feels hot or cold to us is still fine for a tree frog, and unless you use a thermometer it is not possible to know exactly how hot or cold it is inside the terrarium. Temperature affects the metabolism of a frog and may change its feeding response, and especially if it is not getting warm enough during the day they may not feed as often as normal, or at all.
But, overall it sounds like you are doing everything right and I would just keep an eye on things, especially the conditions like temperature, lighting, humidity, etc. inside the enclosure. If the frogs still are not feeding after 7-10 days then it might be time to think of other options. You could also try offering some other foods, like earthworms from feeding tongs or house flies which may excite the frogs and could help encourage them to eat. The good news is that White’s tree frogs do not need to eat everyday and it is okay to have gaps between when they feed and when they don’t.
Best of luck,
Devin