The Mixed Species Dilemma
Zoological institutions often recreate naturally occurring communities of reptiles and amphibians in large elaborate exhibits. Can a private hobbyist mix species and accomplish the same thing at home?
Yes and no. Usually hobbyists struggle to accommodate multiple species in one terrarium, and most should avoid attempting to do so, instead sticking to species-specific setups.
But can it work? Yes, though only in particular situations. First though, let’s go through some of the most common issues when different species are kept together in the same enclosure.
Enclosure Size
Enclosure size is the most common mistake made when keeping a community of reptiles and amphibians in a terrarium. It is important that all animals in the cage have room to have their own territory, hunt for food, regulate their body temperature, and otherwise behave normally without the threat of aggressive cage mates causing problems. Standard aquarium sizes are too small to accomplish this when multiple species are kept together, and the long, low rectangular shape most are manufactured in is rarely suitable for this purpose.
Next time you visit a zoo that has an exhibit featuring multiple species together make sure to take note of the size of the enclosure. Most are large cubes that that measure several feet or more in length, width, and height, and a similar cage size should be applied if reptiles and amphibians are kept together at home.
A large terrarium at the California Academy of Sciences housing a Costa Rican community of dart frogs, small geckos, and glass frogs. Note the size of the enclosure, which reaches several feet in all directions.
It is also important to understand that a terrarium offers less room than nature. In the wild there is plenty of space for reptiles and amphibians to go about their business. It’s rare for two different species to come near each other unless one is trying to eat the other. When multiple species are placed into a small glass box there is a greater chance that something will go wrong than there is even when species coexist in nature.
Predation
Although they may be your pets, reptiles and amphibians are also usually happy to eat each other if the opportunity arises. The size of prey that can fit inside an amphibian’s or reptile’s mouth is often surprising. As a general rule, only keep different species together that are the same size or will not attempt to eat one another. Consider also that when kept in close quarters with one another, the leg of one species make look like food to another if particularly voracious or aggressive species are housed with others.
A poison dart frog (Phyllobates terribilis) attempting to eat a mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) it was housed with. They were housed together for ~1 year before the predation attempt. The frog survived after the gecko was removed from its mouth. Photo by Devin Davidson.
Conflicting Environments
Accommodating different environmental needs for multiple species in one enclosure is difficult and sometimes impossible to do. If the environments needed by different species don’t match up they should not be kept together.
Particularly important is temperature. Reptiles must be provided with a range of temperatures that may differ as much as 25°F or more from one side to the other, while most amphibians do not need such a large thermogradient. It is difficult to accommodate different temperature requirements in one enclosure and this can make mixing reptiles with amphibians challenging. The preferred humidity level and moisture in the environment is also important to take into consideration. Species from arid regions should never be kept with those from tropical climates.
In addition to temperature and humidity, the physical features of the environment are important too. Some species are aquatic and will need a large water area, while others are strictly terrestrial and can drown in deep water. Some species prefer a deep soil substrate that they can burrow in, while others are arboreal and need different perches and climbing spots.
This terrarium houses several species of Neotropical frogs together. It is planted to allow different microclimates within and the upper reaches are brighter and hotter than below.
Toxicity
An often overlooked issue is the toxicity of the animals being kept. Keeping poisonous species of amphibians with other animals is risky for obvious reasons. Some commonly encountered species of amphibians that are poisonous are fire-bellied toads (Bombina species), red-banded walking frogs (Phrynomantis bifasciatus), fire-legged running frogs (Kassina species), most toads (family Bufonidae), Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis), tomato frogs (Dyscophus species), and most newts and salamanders. These amphibians should not be housed with others, especially when the other species may be prone to attacking or feeding on them.
Dietary Differences
Some amphibians and reptiles that are close to the same size, live in similar environments, are not poisonous in captivity, and would presumably do fine if kept together sometimes do poorly because they require different types of food to eat. Diet is one of the most important aspects of reptile and amphibian captive husbandry. Unfortunately, not all species eat the same foods, and those that do often do not eat the same sizes of food, and this needs to be taken into consideration.
For example, both red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) and green and black poison dart frogs (Dendrobates auratus) inhabit similar environments, are not especially aggressive, are not poisonous in captivity and would otherwise seem like they might coexist well. However, a large difference in their captive care requirements is diet. The tree frog will only recognize larger invertebrates as food, while dart frogs have difficulty eating anything other than the tiniest of prey. Although feeding both sizes of food is one possible solution, this could end poorly because large feeder insects such as crickets that go unnoticed may attempt to eat reptiles and amphibians that do not eat them first. In the above mentioned scenario, the adult crickets for the red-eyed tree frog could potentially harm the dart frogs.
It is also important to understand that not all reptiles and amphibians are equipped equally to catch prey. Those that are stronger often bully other weaker species out of food and will out-compete the weaker species when kept together.
Disease
Finally, it is important to point out that keeping different species together—especially those from different sources, or field collected reptiles and amphibians from different areas—increases the risk of foreign pathogens being transmitted. Before keeping different species together it is necessary to keep them both separately for some time to ensure they are in good health. Two or three months isolated from one another is usually long enough to identify a health problem, however, even in a case where both species appear healthy it is still possible that one may be carrying a disease the other is particularly susceptible to. Health screening by a veterinarian can help reduce this risk.
So, the big question: What species of reptiles and amphibians can coexist together in captivity?
This may sound condescending, but I am going to go ahead and put it here anyways. If you have to ask whether or not two different species can be kept together you should not attempt mixing them because you don’t understand their care requirements enough to do so and do not have the experience needed to identify common problems that may develop in a terrarium housing multiple species.
Some examples of multi-species setups that have worked well are provided below. Note these are not recommendations.
- Some North American tree frogs can coexist well together, such as green tree frogs (Hyla cinerea) and gray tree frogs (Hyla versicolor). These species require fairly similar care and can be kept together in a roomy enclosure. Avoid keeping Cuban tree frogs (Osteopilus septentrionalis) with other frogs because they are poisonous, grow large, and love to eat other amphibians.
- Certain species of poison dart frogs (Dendrobatidae) have been kept together successfully. Stick to dart frogs from different genera, such as Dendrobates tinctorius with Phyllobates bicolor, and only do so in an especially large terrarium, separating species or individuals if aggression is noticed.
- Anoles (Anolis species) are a common lizard that is often seen kept with frogs, but I would advise against this unless the terrarium is large and a significant temperature gradient can be provided safely without risking the frog’s safety. It also can be difficult to locate healthy anoles since most are wild-caught and unhealthy animals should never be kept with others.
- Small day geckos (Phelsuma species) and the tiny parthenogenic mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) have also successfully been kept with certain species of frogs, but again the same precautions should be taken as when keeping anoles with amphibians. Ensure geckos and frogs are healthy before introducing them and only do so in an especially roomy terrarium.
- Aquatic basking turtles, such as painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta), and map turtles (Graptemys species) may live well together, although it’s important to watch for behavioral problems and to pay attention to differences in dietary requirements.
As general rule, avoid mixing snakes with other reptiles and amphibians because their care requirements are often different than those of other types of herps. Avoid mixing turtles and tortoises with other types of reptiles and amphibians for the same reason. The exception may be in large greenhouses or terrariums of a similar size where it may be possible to accommodate turtles or tortoises with another species. Larger reptiles, such as monitors or boids, are almost always best kept either alone or with others of the same species because they are too difficult to manage when kept in terrariums with other reptiles and amphibians.
None of the above combinations are foolproof or without risk. Whenever two species are kept together there is usually a greater chance that problems will occur than when they are kept separate, and it is important to understand this before mixing species.
Before keeping different species together
Quarantine. Prior to keeping different species together it iscrucial that all animals are isolated in separate enclosures to ensure they are healthy. During this period of time, observe all animals careful. In isolate, the enclosures should be kept as clean as possible, and it is advised that the keeper washes their hands and any shared equipment between cages to prevent possible pathogens from spreading between them. Even better, use dedicated equipment and gloves. I also always recommend a veterinarian examine new acquisitions when possible, and this is especially important if the animals are intended to coexist with another species in the same enclosure.
CB vs. WC. As always, go for captive-bred stock from a trusted breeder rather than mixing wild-caught individuals. Amphibians and reptiles born in captivity are less likely to have health problems than those that were recently collected from the field, and may be less likely to harbor harmful diseases. There are also ethical and moral dilemmas involved in using wild-caught reptiles or amphibians for display together. By only mixing captive-bred animals, the risks involved in keeping a community reptile or amphibian terrarium will be reduced.
What not to do. This combination is bound for failure.
To conclude, keeping different species together successfully takes experience, research, time, money, and space to provide and the community tank is something that most hobbyists and private breeders are unable to do safely and with long-term success. Although it is common to see mixed community tanks at zoological institutions, these facilities are better able to provide the care needed to maintain them. They have fulltime veterinarians on staff so that when problems do occur a vet can be called in immediately. Zoos also have other resources that the average hobbyist does not, such as a team of keepers who specialize in maintaining animals. The community amphibian and reptile tank is something that may be fine to attempt for veteran hobbyists who have the resources and experience needed to maintain one, but for those who are relatively new to keeping reptiles and amphibians or maintain large exhibits I would always recommend housing different species separately.
I have a 75 gallon tank 24″ x 18″x 48″
can I cohabitate a pai of keeled lizards with dart frogs
I assume the lizards would think the frogs are food. I guess it depends how hungry they are and what kind/size of dart frogs. I don’t know. I wouldn’t try it.
Could a red-eared slider share an outdoor pond enclosure with wild or captive American bullfrogs?
If so, should the frogs be enclosed, or allowed to escape the enclosure if they desire?
I’m aware that red-eared sliders can be aggressive.
I’m also aware that neither red-eared sliders nor captive American bullfrogs should be released into wild or unconfined outdoor ponds.
I need advice on the topic of cohabiting bullfrogs and red-eared slider turtles in outdoor enclosures or ponds. We want to move our red-eared slider outside for at least a few weeks or months of the year. I think our turtle would do best in a natural setting that, more or less, resembles a warm, vegetated pond where wild pond sliders and painted turtles might be seen.
I’ve heard other people have tried this method of keeping turtles outside during the warmer months and taking them in when it is cool.
I heard of one person who’s pond was taken over by two bullfrogs before the turtles could be kept outside. When the turtles were ready to go, they were released into the pond, and the owner hoped for the best. But the frogs disappeared in a short time.
I would think that red-eared sliders would leave large bullfrogs alone, but I’ve seen videos on YouTube of them tearing bullfrogs to shreds in captivity. I’ve also seen them sharing basking areas with them in the wild without any issues. Most books say that red-eared sliders eat tadpoles, but not adult frogs.
I really like bullfrogs, and I would hate for our RES’s presence in the pond to keep them from coming. Or even worse, for her to mercilessly attack one that decides to colonize.
I noticed that in most videos of turtles attacking frogs, the turtles are either in captivity or in ornamental Chinese ponds with no vegetation. Perhaps red-eared sliders only attack bullfrogs when vegetation isn’t available?
Anyway, I would much appreciate input from someone with experience regarding these two animals. Having bullfrogs in an outdoor pond would be a rewarding experience if our turtle would be willing to accept their presence.
I think it depends on a lot of things, like what other food the turtle has to eat, how large the outdoor enclosure/pond is (will they come into contact with one another and how often?), etc. In a really big outdoor pond, probably the frogs could evade the turtle, but if it is a smaller tub, probably not. Importantly, both red-eared sliders and bullfrogs can cause big problems if they are not native to where you live and escape, so if you live some place where they don’t naturally occur you might want to stick to keeping them indoors.
Hello Devin,
I have a red eared turtle and a green anole and I was wondering if they could both live in the same tank? Thanks
I don’t think that is a good idea. Perhaps in some large zoo-sized enclosure this would work out.
Can I combine 2 arboreal
Salamanders in the same
Terrarium? One is a tiny baby and the other is larger but not adult. Maybe 4 times as big?
If there is a big size difference, it is probably better to keep them separate until the little one gets larger.
Could an American toad cohabit with a red-backed salamander or red-spotted newt, or would that be a disaster?
Could red-spotted newts cohabit with green frogs? You know, the aquatic kind?
Although you might find those species together in nature, I bet in captivity an American toad might eventually try to eat the salamander or newt, so I would not do it. I guess if the tank was giant and the two did not encounter each other it might be okay for some time, but even though they need similar environmental conditions I think there is still a decent risk of predation, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
Any recommendations for a very simple and efficient cohabitation of two beginner species? Maybe CB green anoles and CB green tree frogs? Any tips for maximum disease-minimizing safety?
Good article.
But have to say the following paragraph is condescending, but it is also wrong. You were not born out fo the womb with the knowledge you had and had someone had that viewpoint with you, then you would have never learned. We learn by sharing information and knowledge. Someone can have a good understanding of frogs, but not an understanding of every single type of frog. To say if you don’t fully understand, that you shouldn’t be asking questions, is contrary to being a smart person. Only a fool believes they have nothing else to learn. Classic sophistry is the belief that knowledge is owned by individuals and not shared or universal to all.
“This may sound condescending, but I am going to go ahead and put it here anyways. If you have to ask whether or not two different species can be kept together you should not attempt mixing them because you don’t understand their care requirements enough to do so and do not have the experience needed to identify common problems that may develop in a terrarium housing multiple species.”
Having said that, I appreciate the information you are sharing, and the fact that you are sharing it, and this is on the web actually is contrary your statement above statement. We all have contradictions, so water under the bridge. But just mentioning all this to promote and advocate for people who are curious and have the intelligence to seek knowledge. That should be appreciated and celebrated.
Absolutely. I don’t mean we shouldn’t ask if we don’t know. What I mean is we shouldn’t put the well-being of the animals we keep at risk if we don’t know. So, if I am not sure if I can successfully keep two different species together, I shouldn’t do it. But, I should ask questions, learn, and keep each species on its own to gain a better understanding of their care.
I agree with RK. I was quite offended by that paragraph too. I am highly educated and know A LOT about animals, but I do not know everything and I am not familiar with every species on the planet. I am simply researching and like to read about other people’s experiences and to make sure I understand what I am doing before I do it. If I have to ask, it doesn’t mean I don’t understand the care requirements and it doesn’t mean I don’t have the experience to recognize problems. It means I want to see if other people had success and what else do I need to know besides the care requirements. I am not a person who would just throw two species together and hope for the best. Great article though, so far I think I’ll just get another white’s tree frog instead of another species.
What cohabs best with emerald swift lizards?
Can I host an emerald swift lizard and a crested gecko? We have a class pet which is the emerald swift for about a month. I take it home for the weekends. It is about 18 months old. It is in a 10 gallon tank soon to be upgraded. How big would it need to be to host them in the same tank? The emerald swift is about 7 inches.
Thank you
I would stick just with the emerald swift alone. Same with a crested gecko. Both species aren’t well-suited for cohabitation with other types of reptiles and amphibians. That said, they are both good classroom lizards on their own to get kids interested in reptiles.
What about a 18x18x36in tall tank? Emerald Swift active during day upper area, red eyed for the night and lower side? Have one UVB and little basking point at top for day time, heat pad works from bottom during night. Misted System works one time for morning and night, and Fog maker produce extra humidify. In addition the tank is Bioactive setup. Could that work?
What are your thoughts on combining an Eastern gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) with a Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) in the same habitat? I raised the frog from a tadpole and she’s a little over a year old now. The gecko, as it turns out, has already been living with me for an indeterminate amount of time but didn’t make its presence known until today. Ha.
The frog’s in a 20-gallon tall paludarium (24″ x 12″ x 17″ tall) with ample rocks, tree branches and lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) plants for climbing. While not a very big tank, I’ve managed to provide at least 14 different vertical structures for climbing, most of which don’t touch one another (so both the frog and house gecko could easily have isolated vertical elements of their own, and the frog already has some preferences).
The house gecko is about two inches long at the moment. I’m guessing it probably hatched around July or August, based mainly on the fact I see a bunch of them outside every year in July and August. I’m not sure how fast they grow to their max size and how much of that potential five inches would be Not Tail, but I don’t think the gecko is big enough to pose any danger to the frog right now. I’m also not sure if it would ever even be interested in a frog since they seem to be pure insectivores based on my research thus far.
The frog is big enough that it could potentially at least try to eat the gecko, but I’m also not sure if she’d be very interested since she won’t even eat small earthworms and only just recently decided to finally consider mealworms edible (her main diet is crickets).
My current plan is to keep the gecko quarantined for at least 90 days so I can study it and see how much bigger it gets. It wouldn’t particularly bother me if the frog ended up eating the gecko, but I’d be devastated if the gecko hurt or killed the frog.
But H. turcicus is a fascinating and long-lived species (not to mention invasive and already well-established where I live), so I’d love to eventually try pairing one with my H. versicolor if an appropriately-sized specimen can be obtained and there’s low potential for either one harming the other.
Thanks for putting together such a great site and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
That might work out, at least for a while. In a larger enclosure it would have a better chance of success. If you do try it, keep them both well-fed.
Hi! I love this article so much. I have been researching mixed species for a while and everyone says just don’t do it, so it’s great to see other people interested in this and in the possibility that it can work. I currently have a bearded dragon (male, I think) in a 120 gallon tank and 3 dart frogs in a 20 gallon tank. I’m also thinking of getting a Pacman frog but obviously in a separate tank, well unless you can house something with them but I’m pretty sure you can’t. I was wondering if there is anything I can add to either of these tanks that could work. I’ve heard that mourning geckos work well with darts but I was hoping I can find a Herp that is more handleable. I’ve haven’t really seen anything with bearded dragons–especially males but I was thinking there might and if so, you would probably know. If I can house anything with these would I need a bigger tank? I would rather not get anything bigger for my beardie (as big terrariums cost a lot) but I’m willing to upgrade for the darts.
I’ve also always wanted a snake, maybe not a rodent eating one as I have three pet rats, but maybe a smaller snake like a milksnake or ribbon snake. Basically, I’m pretty open to any new herps in the tanks, as long as they’re happy.
Your idea of mourning geckos with the dart frogs could work. Make sure the dart frogs are adults and that they larger species like Dendrobates auratus or D. tinctorius. Also, it would have a better chance of working long-term in a larger enclosure because in a 20-gallon tank the gecko and frogs will encounter each other often which increases the risk of a problem. I don’t think there are any kinds of reptiles or amphibians that you can easily handle and also keep with dart frogs or a bearded dragon. For the dragon, I would recommend keeping it on its own.
Please don’t attempt a milk snake if you’re squeamish around feeding snakes thawed rodents. A ribbon snake might work, but please don’t feed it primarily rosy-red minnows. They are not healthy. Guppies and mosquitofish are better feeders. Ribbon snakes can also be fed nightcrawlers.
An even better choice might be a rough or smooth green snake, which can be ordered online. They will readily take crickets, roaches, and mealworms without ever eating rodents.
Egg-eating snakes are even better, but they can rarely swallow chicken eggs. Some online dealers sell quail and finch eggs for them. They are toothless and generally docile as well. They may also have to be ordered online.
Hi there, I enjoyed the article and it is very informative.
My current project is a 650L ecosystem Paludarium (120cm x 60 cm x 90cm LxDxH). The water will cover the bottom 20-30cm, and the front 30cm or so, but this is subject to change, leaving an effective land area of 120cm x 30 cm x 60-70cm.
I have had my heart set on housing just 2 or 3 red eyed tree frogs in the land section, but am concerned with pet stores I have visited and things I’ve read about their “boring” behaviour. In the past I have had dart frogs, and would consider them again despite inconveniences around feeding and hiding.
Looking around, some form of gecko seemed incredibly appealing, particularly crested gecko, but it seems that they should not be mixed with similar nocturnal and arboreal animals. I have also loved the look of red eyed skinks.
Do you think the size of the enclosure would allow Crested Geckos and RETFs? If not, would a Red Eyed Skink and RETFs work? Otherwise is there any Frog and Gecko combo that could work in this enclosure?
I am not set on mixing species and ultimately will only house what will work in the Paludarium once it is built and perameters are established for a while, plants are grown in etc etc.
Many thanks in advance
That sounds like a great project. No, I would not attempt keeping crested geckos with red-eyed tree frogs, I think it would end in a disaster down the line. You could try morning geckos or another smaller gecko with the red-eyed tree frogs, but it is kind of risky. Some people have good luck keeping dart frogs with smaller “micro geckos” and since you have kept dart frogs before, that might be an option. That said, you are planning on having a lot of deep water in there which isn’t ideal. My recommendation would be to choose one species to keep and then design the enclosure for that particular species rather than create an enclosure and see what might live inside it. If you do decide to keep more than one species together, keep each separate first for several months to ensure 1) they are in good health and 2) gain some experience with their care and normal behavior first so you know what to look for if problems arise. Enjoy building the setup.
This was a VERY helpful article and I’m thrilled to have found it. I’m thinking about raising and keeping a Red Eyed Tree Frog and a Super Tiger Legged Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa tomopterna specifically) in a vivarium together. Aside from the similar shapes/sizes and behaviors of these frogs, everything I can find about care recommends largely the same diet and tropical climate for both. I have also found a person who claims to have obtained a pair of these frogs that grew up in captivity together, and that they actually became lethargic and unhappy when separated. Sounds amazing if true! For my setup, both frogs would ideally be captive bred from the same breeder, and raised from roughly the same young age. For tank size, I’m currently thinking of going with a 18x18x24 Exo-Terra at the smallest, unless that’s not big enough. Lots of research going into the tank design, and I’m not afraid to drop a chunk of change on this thing to make it absolutely fantastic for the frogs.
I should note I have owned frogs and tree frogs in the past: As a kid I had your Tree Frog care book and it was a favorite of mine! It helped me keep happy green tree frogs and raise a red eye from youth (separate enclosures), which I was very proud of. When all my frogs had passed away, I just took a break from the hobby to focus on career pursuits, but I’m starting to have more time again and I miss my old frogs. The red eye and the super tiger leg are my long standing favorite amphibians, and having one of each in a shared mini rainforest just sounds so, so cool… IF it’s a realistic idea. I have not yet had the pleasure of owning a tiger leg, either. I would love to hear your thoughts on the idea, and recommendations if it’s not a total write-off.
Glad to the article was helpful. Yes, you could give it a shot. Their care in captivity is similar if not the same. Keep an eye on feeding though. It’s possible one of the two might outcompete the other for food and/or have some advantage we aren’t thinking of, but your terrarium sounds large enough to try it out. If either starts to look thin or there are signs of problems, separate them. Good luck.
Thank you! I’ll keep a close eye on feeding and the frogs’ health. I’m not opposed to splitting them up if it’s not working out right in front of my eyes, though I might then see about getting each frog a companion of the same species. It will be nice if having just the two frogs in one spacious enclosure works out, though.
Hi. So I’ve got a couple Green Tree Frogs and would like to add a Clown Tree Frog to the mix. Do you think this could work? Are there any other tree frogs that I could house w/ Green Tree Frogs? Thanks
There is a chance it might work in a large setup, but personally, I wouldn’t do it because (1) Green tree frogs (I assume American green tree frogs Hyla cinerea) are always wild-caught and most often clown tree frogs are too. So, they might not be in good shape when purchased. If you do try it, make sure your green tree frogs are healthy and established first (not new wild-caught ones from a pet store) and that the clown tree frogs are captive-bred (but also grown to adult size so they can reasonably compete with the green tree frogs), and reason (2) They are from different part of the world, green tree frogs the SE United States and clown tree frogs South America, most often imported from Surinam. So, there is a decent chance one might introduce something to the other that it is not able to cope with well. The best bet would be to establish both on their own separately for around 3 months first, run fecals, test for Bd, and otherwise ensure they are in good shape before putting them together. Finally, if you do try it, make sure to do it in a larger enclosure, something several feet in length, width, and height. Your typical glass aquarium probably won’t work, but some of the larger size Exo-terra and Zoo Med front opening terrariums might be large enough to give it a shot.
Hope this helps,
Devin
Hello, I am thinking of getting a gecko and a frog but I’m not sure which breeds would work well together. I don’t want to get anything too big or poisonous and I’m willing to buy whatever it takes to take care of them. Any reccomendations?
Some people have success keeping very tiny geckos with larger dart frogs, for example, mourning geckos (Lepidodactylus lugubris) with dart frogs, see http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/blog/2018/07/keeping-mourning-geckos-and-dart-frogs-together/. But, it is not really about being able to “buy whatever it takes to care for them” because you can have all of the right things and still mess it all up if you aren’t experienced caring for each species separately first. So, what I would recommend is keeping each on its own for a good half a year or more until you get comfortable with their care. You want to understand what their normal behavior is like on their own before keeping them together. You also want to gain some experience with basic husbandry like setting up fruit cultures and maintaining the correct temperatures. After you get the hang of things, and if all goes well, then you could consider how to accommodate the two species in one enclosure.
A tree frog and Long tail anole.is fine just make sure there is space
Hi Devin-
My daughter has 2 green anoles, and 2 common American toads. We are about to upgrade their enclosures. Would they be suitable for a shared enclosure? Thanks!
It is probably best to keep them separate unless the enclosure is very large (several feet in length, width, and height or more).
Absolutely not
A large toad might swallow one of the lizards. Toads will attempt to eat surprisingly large animals.
Howdy! I found your article very informative! My husband works in the tech industry and one of the downsides is if he’s looking for a promotion we’ll have to move to , most likely, a large city. I’m a country girl. It just now occurred to me that perhaps we could just build a giant terrarium (we’re talking a full wall, floor to near ceiling and house frogs and toads that might chirp at night to give the feel of still being in the woods.
Let’s just say we’re talking about 7 ft long by 6 feet high. I’d probably want to house North American tree frogs with North American toads. I’m just curious of the space would be big enough for critters in those groups. I’d be looking to try and re-create the North America night sounds. I’m a total n00b to this, literally just had this idea right now and ran it by my husband for the O.K.
Yes, an enclosure that size could house more than one kind of frog or toad safely. One thing to do first is to try keeping the species you are interested in separately in a small enclosure ahead of time. That way, you get a sense of what their normal behavior is and can observe them a little more closely. Once you feel comfortable with their care and are sure they are healthy, then you can introduce them together into the large enclosure. Usually, a period of 60-90 days is enough to ensure new frogs or toads are healthy and in good shape. Enjoy designing the new giant setup, it sounds like a really fun project.
Devin,
I loved your article and have a question. We live in the Sierra Nevada foot hills in California. My 7 year old grandson caught a tree frog, and a 1.5 inch blue belly lizard on our porch and want’s to keep them at Grandma’s. We have the tree frog in a terrarium that I kept chameleons in years ago. The terrarium is 16” X 16” X 30”, and is planted. The tree frog sleeps by day and sings and hunts at night. The lizard basks and hunts by day. My question is, can the lizard be kept in the terrarium with the frog, or will he get to big and might harm the frog? The frog is the size of a quarter now, and the blue belly is about 2” long. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
The frog is probably a Sierra Tree Frog and the lizard sounds like it might be a Fence Lizard. Keeping the two together might work temporarily but I would guess long-term there would be an issue, maybe even predation if the lizard got hungry and the frog was active. For example, sometimes tree frogs learn to wake up during the day if you feed when the light is on, and if the frog was active and hopping around trying to catch crickets at the same time the lizard was it would not surprise if the lizard tried to also eat the frog. The other issue is lighting and temperature. If it is a fence lizard, it should have a hot basking area with UVB lighting. In a really big tank, you might be able to accommodate the hot basking site with conditions that are also okay for the tree frog, but in the terrarium size you have now, I don’t think it will be possible. So, my suggestion is to release the lizard where you found it and keep the tree frog (or get a larger tank for the lizard and move it to a new enclosure). Also, you and your grandson could try and identify exactly what species you have here: http://www.californiaherps.com/index.html
i was wondering if a regular green tree frog and a fire belly toad are ok in a 20 gallon tank…there is water on one side, land, rocks, and plants on the other. the toad usually stay in the water and the frog likes being on the glass or in the plants. he sings most of the night, and am worried that may be annoying the toad. they have been together for probably 6 months and haven’t had any issues…just want to be sure. thank you for all of your knowledge and responses.
It is not a mix that I would recommend but you could keep monitoring them and see how they do. Both are pretty hardy species but they come from different parts of the world and inhabit different kinds of environments. Fire-bellied toads are also poisonous (which is why they have their bright orange/red belly). If it were me, I would keep them separate in two different 20-gallon tanks. My guess is long-term you will run into some issue you might not have otherwise if they had been kept each in their own enclosure.
Hi Devin
I really enjoyed reading your article. I have query about keeping a rainbow boa with Dendrobates auratus the enclosure is 5 feet high by 4 feet long by 3ft wide. I was also considering adding in headlight cockroaches but I think the roaches may pray on the frogs.
That’s an interesting idea Jeff. I saw an exhibit once at a zoo where they were maintaining Sanzinia with mantellas and the keeper who I spoke with said it worked fine. This was in a very large enclosure (similar in size to what you describe) and at a zoo, so they had access to a vet and were being maintained by experienced animal keepers. One consideration is that in the wild, rainbow boas are known to eat frogs. However, would a well-fed captive adult try and eat a small brightly colored dart frog in captivity? It seems unlikely. I would not try it with a juvenile boa though. If you have experience keeping both species on their own already and you have the ability os separate them if there are problems, it could be an interesting display. Make sure to set up the enclosure so that there is a lot of structural complexity, ensuring moist and shaded areas down low for the auratus to retreat to and hot basking sites up near the top for the boa. And keep the snake very well fed. As for the roaches, I have no idea if they would be a problem for the frogs. They might. The best situation for the animals would be to keep all of them separately, but I think there is potential for this to work well too because of the size of the enclosure and the species you are considering. Post back in a year if you do try and it share how it is going.
Sorry, I forgot to write that I was thinking about mixing my red-eyed tree frog with an American green tree frog. Thanks again. Best, Andrea
The best thing to do would be to get more red-eyed tree frogs. They do very well together in groups and a group of say 4-6 red-eyes (so long as you have the room for them) would let you observe some other interesting behavior you might not otherwise if the frog was just kept alone. I don’t recommend keeping it with other frogs like American green tree frogs because the conditions they prefer are not exactly the same, they are from different parts of the world (and often wild-caught so could potentially introduce foreign pathogens to one another), and long-term there might be issues where one kind of frog is better at catching food than the other and could outcompete it. The best bet would be to stick with the red-eyed tree frog.
Can I put my green tree frog and Grey tree frog with anything else? I’m just afraid to get something such as a anole and they don’t work well together. Or will it be okay to put them with a red-eyed tree frog?
What size enclosure are they in? Keeping them on their own is best. A red-eyed tree frog is not a good choice because they come from a different part of the world and have different care requirements. At zoological institutions, sometimes green tree frogs or gray tree frogs are displayed in large enclosures together with true toads, leopard frogs, or other native species highlighting the amphibians from a particular local habitat. Green anoles and green tree frogs, for example, might work out in some sort of large custom-made paludarium meant to reflect the swamps of SE North America. That said, at zoos you have keepers with many decades experience on hand and vets on staff. Really, your frogs are probably best on their own. Sometimes keeping larger groups of a single species can be just as enjoyable as working with different species, so you might consider keeping one of the tree frogs in a large group of 5-10 frogs instead of a single animal, so long as you have the room.
Dear Devin, thanks so much for this information. I am a new frog lover and just bought a red-eyed tree frog. He is alone and 2 months old. I want him to be with another green tree frog type. Which one would you recommend? Best, Andrea
I took my bosses tree frogs, because he retired and moved to a small apartment. He said that if no one took them, he was just going to release them in his backyard. He has a red-eyed tree frog, white’s tree frog and 2 big eyed tree frogs in a 12″ x 12″ x 24″ terrarium. I want to make sure I do my best to keep them healthy and happy, so I have been doing a little research. Do you see any problems with these being together? Or do I need to buy another terrarium to separate them?
Out of curiosity, do you know how long they have all been kept together? The combination seems risky for several reasons. 1) White’s tree frogs will eat other frogs, though if they are kept well fed and the other ones are big they probably won’t attempt it, 2) the three species come from different parts of the world and have somewhat different care requirements, 3) the big-eyed tree frogs, and possibly White’s and red-eye, are wild-caught since big-eyed tree frogs aren’t bred in captivity, meaning there is a higher risk of exposure to foreign pathogens versus if they were all bred in captivity from the same private breeder who kept all three species already (though at this point they are all together already so this is less of an issue), and 4) the enclosure is pretty small. Clearly, they have been together for some time but I would be skeptical if they all live well in the same enclosure together long-term. I’d understand if you didn’t want to end up with three different terrariums since you acquired the frogs without knowing any of this and maybe don’t want to spend too much time or resources on them, but the best way to ensure they all live a good long life would be to give each species its own enclosure, set up specifically for that species. Enjoy the new tree frogs,
Devin
Hello, I have two questions:
Would firebelly toads and red eyed crocodile skinks be okay together?
What types of fish would recommend in a tank with a red eyed crocodile skink?
Thank you.
I would just stick with the skink on its own, or at least not with the fire-bellied toads. Hope this helps,
Devin
I have a terrarium measuring 18″ x 18″ x 36″. It has several live plants, mosses, ferns, and driftwood pieces. Daytime temperature is 75 at the bottom and 85 near the top on the right side and 75 at the bottom and 80 near the top on the left (cool) side. Basking spot on right side is 90-95. Humidity is 64-68% with daily spikes. Misting is automated, 3 times a day for 45 seconds each time. My plan was to add 1 male Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) and 1 female Green Tree Frod (Hyla cinera). Do you they would co-exist happily ?
Yes, that seems like it probably will work. Both green tree frogs and green anoles can be found together in the same habitat in the wild, they are active at different times of the day/night, there is little risk of predation as long as they are both kept well fed, and the enclosure you have is tall so you can provide a warm area up top of the anole without cooking the tree frog. I would add a light that produces UVB over the basking area for the anole if you don’t have one already. Also, keep them separate in two different enclosures for a few months before putting them together to ensure they are healthy beforehand and if you notice any problems (for example, if the anole is eating all the crickets before the frog has a chance to get some) you can pull one out and put it back in quarantine. Good luck,
Devin
Thanks Devin,
My lighting is a 16″ “glow and grow” plant light, a 18″ Exo Terra UVB100 fluorescent and an Exo Terra 50 watt Basking Spot Lamp. Plants have been growing like crazy, doing a lot of pruning. Large piece of grapevine reaches about 2″ from the top temperature is 95. Large driftwood piece about 4″ from top is 90. I will be sending them both to quarantine for a couple months before depositing them in the terrarium. Thank you for the help and the well wishes.
Mike
I have a 36x18x36 exo Terra terrarium and I was wondering if I could house two crested geckos and captive bred dart frogs. Let me know if you think this type of setup would work or another species that could coexist with adult crested geckos.
I would go with a different kind of gecko. My guess is that at some point one of the geckos might try to eat one of the frogs. Instead, some people have good luck keeping smaller geckos with dart frogs in large enclosures, for example mourning geckos (Lepidodactylus lugubris) or even Phelsuma klemmeri. Other less common geckos like Gonatodes and Sphaerodactylus spp. can also work with dart frogs in a large enclosure. The other half is what dart frogs you choose. Go for larger hardy species like Dendrobates spp. or Phyllobates terribilis or P. bicolor rather than smaller frogs that might (though probably not) become food for a gecko. Also, don’t start with juvenile frogs but instead full-grown or subadult animals. That’s not to say that a gecko/frog combination is sure to work but I think going with a smaller species of gecko and a larger dart frog would have a good chance living together in your large enclosure. Also, if you go this route, make sure you are comfortable keeping both species on their own before putting them together. You want to be able to identify common problems as they arise so having some experience with each species kept on their own first is important. For example, you might buy the dart frogs first as juveniles and raise them in a different enclosure to grow them to a larger size, then introduce them to the exo-terra terrarium with the geckos, or something like that.
Alright thank you so much for the suggestions! Do you know if anything could work with crested geckos?
Maybe some kind of invert like isopods or millipedes that will help clean the terrarium would work. I think any other kind of reptile or amphibian will be risky. Crested geckos are pretty good predators and have kind of big mouths relative to the size of most other animals you might try to keep with them.
We have a 18x18x24 tropical Terrarium Setup with a neon tree dragon female in it.
Would it work to add a giant day gecko to the same habitat? What are your thoughts?
I am not familiar with neon tree dragons but my inclination is to avoid the mix. They are not from Madagascar, where giant day geckos are from, and I would guess after a quick Google are mostly wild-caught. In this case, it is almost certainly best to keep them on their own and not mix with other species.
Devin
Can I mix mud skippers with firebelly frogs.
No, mudskippers need brackish water and fire-bellied toads need freshwater.
Devin
the best combo I’ve seen is an american toad and gray tree frog in an 18x18x18 enclosure, the toad stays to the bottom, and cork platforms allow places the toad can’t get to. Skin toxins on the toad are mostly eliminated because the tree frog rests in branches and cork, rarely on the ground.
I have a green anole and two long tailed anoles in the xl naturalistic terrarium which is 18″x18″x24″. I have made it completely naturalistic with a waterfall and around an inch thick amount of shaped foam with dirt and moss around three sides of the tank. It has lots of hiding spaces and logs and places to climb but we were thinking about adding 1 or 2 frogs. Do you think this would be possible with how big the tank is? If so then would I need to change the humidity or temperature at all? The temperature is typically around 70 degree and humidity is around 60-70 percent. Thank you for an advise you can give me!
Some people do have success keeping anoles with frogs, but there is a lot more that can go wrong than go right if you decide to add another species. The issue is not usually that the environments are not similar but instead, there can be problems with predation and disease. Keep in mind 70F is just fine for an ambient air temperature towards the bottom of your enclosure, but anoles also need a hot basking spot near the top which reaches 90F or more. If it were me, I would stick to the anoles and set up another different enclosure for the particular kind of frog I was most interested in.
Devin
Say I have a well-sized enclosure and apply the other necessities. How well do you think a setup of two American toads and one blue-tailed skink would work.
I think the skink would try to eat the toads at some point, and if it succeeded the poison in the toads might harm the skink. Here is a video of a skink eating a frog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okERHiP7cYg
Devin
She said Blue-tailed skink, not Blue-tongued skink. The toads would end up eating the skink since these toads are well known for eating anything they can fit in their mouths.
The roads would most likely eat the skink. Toads will eat anything that they can fit in their mouths.
PS
I think I could provide enough of a temperature and humidity gradient/compromise (daytime 75-82°, nighttime 70°, 70-80%), and feed the red-eyed tree frogs a mix of big enough insects who aren’t dangerous to the larger species of dart poison frogs–wax worms, meal worms, silkworms, Indian meal moths, wild caught insects, house fly larvae, etc. with vitamins.
I’m thinking of keeping red-eyed tree frogs and wonder if it would work to keep dart poison frogs with them.
They’d be in a container 3’x3’x5’H, the bottom part of what used to be a 3’x5’x5’H vivarium where I kept a pair of Emerald tree boas with several D. tinctorius and a small school of neon tetras –and an anole intended as experimental snake food one time when I couldn’t get mice. The snakes declined to eat it and it developed an endearing habit of hanging out on the sleeping snakes. They didn’t seem to mind so I left them all together.
I’m also concerned about the state of amphibians in the current ecological collapse–;pollution, climate change, and chytridiomycosis. I understand RETFs aren’t susceptible to it, I don’t take the extra energy use etc. lightly, and wonder if there’s something more useful I could be doing or other species that could benefit more from amateur care, keeping and possibly breeding.
Yes, because the enclosure is so large it could work. I have two recommendations if you are going to try it. First, because the two different species eat different sized foods and have different activity patterns (nocturnal/diurnal) you might try setting up some feeding stations for the tree frogs where you put crickets at night. Smooth sided cups that crickets cannot easily crawl out of would work, and this way you won’t risk large crickets running around the terrarium and disturbing (or harming) the dart frogs, which are going to eat smaller food during the day. You could also rely more on house flies which won’t disturb terrestrial frogs. You can order maggots online, let them pupate at room temperature, and then once they turn into flies store them in the fridge for a few weeks so you can feed the flies to the tree frogs while the insects are immobile. Second, make sure to start with healthy, adult, captive-bred stock. My suggestion would be to raise up juveniles yourself in two separate terrariums for half a year or a year until they approach adult size and then move them to the larger enclosure. This way, you will know all of the frogs are healthy at the start because you were the one who raised them. The other advantage of doing it this way is that if one of the two species or an individual starts to look thin or like it is not doing well, you can pull it out and move it back to the original terrarium.
Regarding your second thought, I think it is really important for people who keep amphibians to be aware of amphibian conservation issues. Some of the popular species we keep are threatened with extinction in the wild. The greatest threat facing amphibians is habitat loss, but like you mention diseases, pollution, climate change, and even over-harvesting for the pet trade are causing problems. Privately keeping frogs in captivity does not help, so the best you can do is try to do as little harm as possible.
Buy captive-bred frogs, don’t release pet amphibians to the wild, don’t dump waste from terrariums outside where you could introduce foreign pathogens to your native amphibian populations, etc. Life choices about what you eat yourself, what you buy (and don’t buy), and how you get around (transportation) are going to have a greater affect on wild amphibian populations than keeping and breeding frogs as a hobby. One thing you can do, though, is support conservation breeding programs at established zoological institutions or field programs for the species you care about most. For example, if you breed some species you could give the proceeds to a conservation project working in the area the species you keep naturally occurs.
Devin
I just bought a 36x18x36 101 gallon tank and would love to do RETF with dendrobates auratus. If I make the vivarium lush with plenty of canopy do you think this would work? I could start with juvenile RETF and grown Darts
Yes, that could work because your enclosure is large and both species have similar environmental (temp, humidity, light, etc.) requirements. The main difference in care is food size. Dart frogs can only eat tiny live foods like fruit flies or pinhead or 1 week old crickets whereas red-eyed tree frogs need larger foods like medium-sized crickets and house flies. Another difference is that dart frogs are diurnal and red-eyed tree frogs are nocturnal. Also, red-eyed tree frogs need a good-sized water dish or water area to soak in whereas dart frogs are prone to drowning in deep water.
All that said, in such a large enclosure you could probably accommodate both species by using a feeding cup for the big crickets so that there is less of a risk of large crickets running around and at some point causing problems with the dart frogs. Once the red-eyed tree frogs associate the cup with food, you can just put the crickets into the cup before the lights turn out and as long as they don’t climb out it should work. Also, make sure the water area is easily accessible so that if the dart frogs enter it or are having some territorial dispute with each other and push each other into it they can easily get out (D. auratus can be pretty aggressive with others and sometimes fight). Most importantly, I suggest growing both species up to adult size first in other enclosures and then putting them together once they are adult-sized. Don’t try it with juvenile frogs. This will also give you time to setup the big tank the way you like it and let it grow in. Obviously also start with captive-bred stock, not wild-caught. Good luck,
Devin
Thanks for the help! That sounds like my dream set up with some agile trees and active brilliant darts. How many of each (RETF and D. auratus) do you think could be in a 36x18x36?
Maybe try six D. auratus and 4 red-eyed tree frogs? You probably could do more because it is a large enclosure. The main thing is to pay attention and make sure they all are getting food. It’s not a foolproof combination, there are a lot of things that can go wrong, but if you can work the food out and start with cb adults you raised up yourself I think it has a good chance of working out. Good luck.
Silly question but can lined and gold dust day geckos occupy the same tank? Right now I have the gold dust ones in a 55 gallon with an anole, red eye frogs and green tree frogs. my lined day gecko caught a fungus being in there so I want to separate out the geckos and leave the frogs and anole to this larger tank. can I place 2 gold dust and one lined day gecko in a 29 gallon tank together? It has 3 “perching” areas of fake bamboo and cork beneath the lamps. I cannot seem to find much else on mixing these like species.
I suggest keeping all of those species separately. You will probably have better luck. The main reason to keep the day geckos separate is because they are so territorial. If you don’t have a spare tank and it is an emergency you could put them together and see what happens, but even if you don’t observe aggression the less dominant species might be stressed by the other and this stress could weaken its immune system allowing other health issues to come about.
That said, if the lined day gecko is not healthy then you don’t want to keep it with any other individuals, even of the same species. Animals that are not in good health are best kept separately. Have a vet take a look, medicate if needed, and then consider moving the gecko to a more permanent setup once it is better.
Devin
Hi, what can my daughter keep with her crested geckos?
She has a golden tree frog she was hoping to put in same enclosure.
Crested geckos are best kept on their own. Temporarily you might get away with it, but long-term I think it is likely that there would be issues with predation. Looking around online it looks like some people have attempted to keep giant and Standing’s day geckos with crested geckos in very large enclosures, but it also sounds like this didn’t always work out well. I think the best bet is to keep the crested gecko on its own.
Hi, I have a large tank with 3 grey tree frogs and a green tree frog, I was wondering if a tiger legged tree frog could be kept in the same tank with the green and grey tree frogs?
I think it is better to just stick with green tree frogs and gray tree frogs for two reasons. First, tiger legged tree frogs are not from the same part of the world as green and gray tree frogs and if frogs are wild-caught the different species might be exposed to foreign pathogens causing disease. Second, tiger legged tree frogs need slightly different care (tropical conditions as opposed to temperate North American environment).
Devin
Thank you for writing this article. It is very helpful and you obviously are very knowledgeable about what you do. I have to design a zoo enclosure for a college project. I decided to design a reptile house with each room housing the animals from a different continent. After reading this article I’ve decided to put the two types of dart frog you mentioned together in South America and grey and green tree frogs together in North America. I don’t actually have to build any of it so it doesn’t matter if it would work really, but I want everything I do to be correct in theory. Thanks for your help.
What if anything can I put in with a green basilisk
Green basilisks are probably best kept on their own – Devin
Hey Devin,
I’m thoroughly intrigued with the idea of a partial aquatic tank and even with my most recent internet searches I’m still not finding the info I’m truly wanting, hoping you have the time for recommendations. I’m wanting to have a large aquarium with fish at the bottom while having many live plants (i’ve successfully achieved this in the past), but I’d like to add some amphibians or reptiles (possibly both) to this aquarium with places to bask above the water and plants to climb. I seem to keep reading about amphibians/reptiles that could drown. I’m hoping to find some that love deep water as well as climbing. Any advice will be seriously taken into consideration and is greatly appreciated.
Creating a paludarium with a focus on plants and fish (and maybe shrimp or crabs) is what I would recommend. Whether not you could design an enclosure that would also work for a reptile or amphibian depends most on size. Something several meters in length, width, and height might be able to accommodate an arboreal species of lizard or tree frog, but commercially available enclosures–even those marketed as being suitable for creating a paludarium–are really too small for permanent housing. Like you mentioned, the risk of drowning is one consideration. You can reduce this risk by adding driftwood or other items that protrude from the water’s surface so that if an animal falls in, it will be able to get out. Corners are an area where you definitely want some piece of drift wood or plants growing out of the water that will help prevent drowning. Of course if it is a species that cannot swim at all then it is not really a good idea to keep it in a setup with a large water area. Some other considerations are predation (will the reptile/amphibian try to eat the fish, shrimp, crabs, etc.?) and lighting/temperature (cold water vs. tropical fish, ability to provide UV light with an area for the reptile/amphibian to access it, offering a basking area that does not overheat water, etc.) In a large enclosure that is the centerpiece of a room or within a small greenhouse this type of setup can work out but it takes a lot of planning. If it were me, I would stick to focusing on plants and fish. Creating a paludarium where there is a planted tank below that extends into a living wall above might be as enjoyable to watch and maintain as a larger and more challenging setup that includes an arboreal reptile or amphibian species as well.
Devin
Hi Devlin,
This is such a great article, I’ve been after something like this for ages.cI have been tasked to design a living ecosystem for amphip/reptile for a reptile house based on a children’s farm.
The setup is 3ft wide – 3ft deep and 8ft tall.
I am looking to design a level structure of species that could all live happy together. I was thinking something along the lives of a amazon/jungle feel with ground toads/geko, tree climbing frogs and maybe even tree climbing lizard/ green anoles?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
That sounds like a fun project Scott. With so much room you should be able to find a combination that works. My advice would be to stick to species you have already cared for or that are closely related to species that you have already kept, this way you are already familiar with each species biology and behavior before attempting to meet their care requirements in a single enclosure. Consider the points outlined in the above article (environmental conditions, risk of predation, similar diets, etc.) and you should be able to make an informed decision.
Devin
Hi, Devin. Great post! I currently have an established 18×24 vivarium with 2 very happy red eye tree frogs (male/female, not mated). They are very active at night but disappear in the day when my young son wants to see them most. I fell in love with a mated pair of emerald swifts at my local pet store and wonder if you think it’s okay to add them to the vivarium since they’re about the same size as the tree frogs and diurnal? Even though I don’t need it, I have a UVB light toward the back of my tank (with bright LED in the front for plants). Humidity is around 75-80% average and temps fluctuate between 75-85. Lots of high/low gradients. What do you think? Okay to add the swifts for daytime fun in the vivarium?
Hi Jennifer,
Good question. It sounds like you have created a nice environment for your two red-eyed tree frogs. Although both emerald swifts and red-eyed tree frogs are native to Central America, they are found in different habitat types. Emerald swifts like dry sun-exposed locations and red-eyed tree frogs are forest dwelling. In a terrarium I think it would be difficult to create the hot sunny basking spot for the swifts while still maintaining appropriate temperature and humidity levels for the frogs. It might work temporarily, but long-term (over the lifespan of each animal) I don’t think it would end well. Predation might also be a problem. I could see an emerald swift attempting to eat a tree frog if it had not been fed in a while and the movement of the frog attracted its attention, although this is probably a low risk since they are active at different times of the day.
Devin
I forgot to add, if you want your red-eyed tree frogs to be active during the day so your son can enjoy them try putting the terrarium on a reverse light cycle. Use a timer and set the lights to go on at night and off during the day. So long as the frogs are not kept in a particularly bright room, they will switch over and be active during your day (their night).
Great article, I have a 100 gallon36x18x36 tropical terrarium for a western bearded anole. I was wondering if i can house it with other types of anoles and possible a tree frog? Do you think this could work?
I’m not sure. Some kinds of anoles can be kept together in large enclosures, but barbatus is a pretty big one and it seems like there could be issues with predation or territoriality. I would probably try to keep things simple and just stick to the single species.
Devin
Can white tree frogs (dumpies) be kept with green trees and crested geckos? I know someone that has them together.
I would not recommend it. Long-term it will probably not work out. My first thought is predation–White’s tree frogs will eat other frogs and a small American green tree frog could become food. I could also see a hungry White’s tree frog attempting to eat a young crested gecko or maybe harming an adult if it got hold of a gecko tail. This might not happen right away or at all if the White’s tree frog was always well-fed, but this brings me to my second thought–competition. All three species will be feeding on live inverts and there could be issues where one species is getting more crickets or roaches than the others. A third concern is space. If this were to work it would have the best chance of success in a large zoo-sized enclosure. Standard terrariums and aquariums available at pet stores are really too small for the mix to succeed for the lifespan of a gecko or tree frog. One last concern would be exposure to foreign pathogens, for example if a WC White’s tree frog is carrying something that the green tree frog has never been exposed to. This last threat could be addressed by keeping each species separately first for several months and consulting a veterinarian ahead of time to screen each one for disease before keeping them together, but because of the other potential problems I would not recommend the mix.
Thanks for the reply. That is what I was thinking as well. It’s good to see that you are still replying to folks years after writing this article. Do you have a youtube channel?
I don’t have a Youtube channel but I am always happy to answer questions here. Some day I hope to update a lot of these articles, I’m glad they are still helpful.
All the best,
Devin
Can I house frogs or toads with my African fire skink? In a 40gal aquarium.
No, I think a fire skink would eat a frog or toad. They are fairly large skinks and in captivity they will eat pinkie mice, so I would guess that most frogs and toads would end up as food.
Could I place a mountain horned lizard and a pacman frog in the same 40 gallon breeder tank?
No, that is not a good choice. Pacman frogs are best housed alone because they are excellent ambush predators and do not often pay attention to what they are lunging at to eat before taking a bite. Mountain horned lizards are most often available wild-caught and do not always arrive in the greatest condition. They can be touchy and may require input from a veterinary while acclimating to captivity. Both species are also from different parts of the world. For these reasons I believe it is not a good mix.
Devin
do you think a rough green snake, a small green tree frog and a green anole could share a large tank. I have the snake, but am considering the frog and lizard.
also, can a small uromastyx and a juvenile beardie share a large enclosure?
Good questions Wendy.
I would recommend keeping your rough green snake solo. They are easily stressed. I imagine that keeping a frog with a snake, even a species that mainly feeds on insects, would also be stressful for the frog. Perhaps in a room or zoo-sized enclosure it might work but in a large aquarium/terrarium I would advise against it.
Bearded dragons and uromastyx should not be kept together. Uromastyx like it hotter than bearded dragons, and competition for food could also be an issue.
Hope this helps,
Devin
I HAVE A CRESTED GECKO IN A 40 GAL TANK WHAT CAN I PUT WITH HIM THAKNS FOR YOUR HELP
Thank you for this article, very informative! Can you please offer an opinion on housing a red footed tortoise and red eared slider together? My main concerns are their different germs and what they may carry/catch from each other and their size differences right now (our tortoise tries to eat everything). If it is OK, I may wait until the red eared slider is a little larger. My red footed tortoise has about a 10 ft by 4 or 5 ft outdoor enclosure and I’ve considered adding a pond for our new red eared slider once it gets a little bigger. Thank you for your time.
Good thoughts about disease transmission. Yes, I would not try to keep the two together. They require such different conditions (tortoise is terrestrial, slider is aquatic) that it makes more sense to house them separately.
Devin
I am looking into getting a red eyed crocodile skink. I would like to house him and dart frogs in the same show enclosure. 40 gallon breeder tank. The croc skinks stay at the bottom of their environments and require high humidity. What would you suggest?
Hi Arial,
This is a mix I would not recommend. Although the environmental conditions like temperature and humidity required to keep both dart frogs and crocodile skinks are similar, I see a couple possible issues.
– Predation. Crocodile skinks feed on larger food than dart frogs, including worms, roaches, and other larger invertebrates. I imagine that a hungry skink could mistake a smaller frog for food, and even if this did not happen right away, over some months of keeping the two together it seems likely that a frog would end up looking like something to try eating eventually. Additionally, feeder insects that go uneaten, even small-medium sized crickets, can harm amphibians and because these would be larger than the food dart frogs eat the food itself might end up causing problems.
– Disease. I’m not sure if this is still the case, but I remember crocodile skinks being mainly available as wild-caught animals rather than captive-bred, and often these WC individuals were sold in poor condition. They needed to be acclimated carefully to captivity, quarantined away from other animals, and even then there was quite a bit of mortality. High parasite loads in a lizard imported from Indonesia would be a risk for other species, especially those from other parts of the world.
Hope this helps,
Devin
What are your thoughts on a red footed tortoise with some sort of arboreal gecko or lizard in an 8′ x 4′ x 4′ enclosure? Something with similar temp and humidity requirements, like a gecko or chameleon, that’s just going to hang out in the upper half.
Hi Liz,
It might work depending on the type of lizard, but there are some things to consider first. Most important is to make sure temperature, humidity, lighting, and food requirements for both the tortoise and lizard can be provided in the same enclosure. Make sure these care requirements match. I think some sort of hardy arboreal gecko is a much better option than a chameleon, which in general are kind of sensitive lizards.
My next thought is about the risk of foreign pathogens and disease. If you have a tortoise and buy some geckos and just put them together there is a good risk that the geckos will introduce parasites or something that might cause health problems in the tortoise. This is especially important if the lizards originated from an area or breeder where the tortoise did not.
Quarantine both species first for several months and have them examined by a veterinarian if possible. Even better, spend a year or two keeping both species separately. This will provide you with a good sense of their normal behavior and care requirements. This is important so that if one of the two species is behaving abnormally or showing symptoms of a health problem you are better able to identify it and know when something is off.
Personally, I would say it isn’t worth the trouble. But if you want to, I think it is possible so long as you are sure both species care requirements can be met in the large enclosure and are certain both species are in good health before keeping them together.
Best of luck,
Devin
In my new 3’x3’25 paludarium what would you suggest i put into it?
Hi Mike,
That’s a nice sized enclosure. The easy answer for what to put in it is that it depends. It depends on your personal interests and your experience. I would suggest thinking about the reptiles and amphibians you have kept before. Are there particular species you have maintained successfully in individual enclosures that might be compatible with others you keep? I wouldn’t recommend mixing different species together that you have not kept first separately because it will be difficult to know their normal behavior and catch problems that arise.
A paludarium with a large water area would restrict you to animals that are aquatic or semi-aquatic. If the water is filtered and heated, and large enough in volume (5-10+ gallons), you might even think about just going with one kind of amphibian and some fish. It is hard to go wrong with a big group of fire-bellied toads. Fancy guppies in a large planted water area always look nice. There are ways to accommodate more arboreal species that might make use of the upper parts of the enclosure if you do not do toads, but you need to be careful when there is a large area of water because for some reptiles and amphibians drowning is a risk.
Hope this helps,
Devin
Thanks Devin
I have experience with Green/Brown Anoles, Day Geckos, Electric Blue day geckos, Crested Geckos, Paddle Tail Newts, Fire-belly Newts, and tree frogs, beardies . I will have about 9-11 inches of water in this tank. I have pretty experienced having all of these animals. Of these put here any suggestions, I was hoping to have a couple anoles, 2 green tree frog, one paddle tail newt and maybe one electric blue day gecko. Would love to hear your thoughts thanks.
A few anoles with a small group of tree frogs has potential to work. Choose one kind of tree frog from the southeast US (green tree frogs or squirrel tree frogs are my first thought, not Cuban tree frogs). There are things that could go wrong, but I bet this has an okay chance of being successful. Make sure there is easy access in and out of water to help prevent drowning and keep a close eye on each individual animal. If a frog or lizard starts looking thin or behaves in a way they did not when you kept them in their own species-specific environment, then remove them to a new separate tank.
Newts and salamanders prefer cool temperatures and often have poisonous skin secretions so they are best kept alone.
Day geckos or Lygodactylus also probably are not a good idea, especially with so much water and few amphibians from similar habitats. Many experienced hobbyists have luck keeping dart frogs with smaller geckos like mourning geckos, but this is only advisable for people experienced keeping and breeding both separately. Also, deep water could be a problem.
Enjoy the paludarium, it sounds like a fun project.
Devin
In my new 3’x3’x25 paludarium can I have fire belly newts and green tree frogs and green anoles? Or what would you suggest?
Can I keep Russian tortoise and American toad together in a tank indoors?
I don’t think that is a good idea. Maybe in a large greenhouse or modified room it might work, but keeping both together in your normal-sized turtle tub or tank probably won’t be successful long-term. Think about diet, required microclimates in enclosures, activity patterns, etc. for each species and they don’t match well.
The other problem that comes to mind relates to the origin of Russian tortoises and American toads. Both are most often collected from the wild and they come from different parts of the world, so it seems like there could be a risk of introducing something from one to the other that could cause health problems.
Devin
I have a community tank in the making. For a 50 Gallon Tank, how does this sound:
Green Anole, Brown Anole, Long Tailed Lizard, and American Toad. Any concerns, replacements, etc?
That sounds like it has potential to work well. It is a large enclosure and the lizards and toad have habitat needs that can be accommodated in one space. The lizards will need access to UVB lighting and a warm basking area near the top of the tank, so check the temperatures to make sure there is a cooler area below for the toad to occupy. Also, pay attention to make sure the toad gets enough to eat. You might need to supplement day feedings with some at night for the toad in case the lizards eat all the prey before the toad gets a chance to feed – for example feeding crickets a few times a week during the day and putting some earthworms in a dish near the toad once the lights are out at night. Lastly, make sure to treat water used with a water conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramines. While chlorine/chloramines aren’t a concern for the lizards, the water for the toad will need to be safe for amphibians.
If there is one change I would suggest it is not including the grass lizard and just doing the anoles and toad. Long-tailed grass lizards are from the southeast Asia and there might be some issue we haven’t thought of that could come up, or even a foreign pathogen that the long-tailed grass lizard carries that the anoles might be susceptible to (or vice versa).
Good luck,
Devin
Would I be able to put 2 green anoles in with 3 hermit crabs? It is about an 55 gallon tank.
I could see that working. It would be safer to keep them separately and I would not try it in a smaller aquarium, but a 55 gallon tank could probably be set up so that the two won’t bother each other. Differences in care would mainly be lighting (anoles will need access to UVB lighting and a warm basking area that gets to 90F) and diet (anoles will need to be fed live foods like crickets, flies, and larvae in a dish). If you notice the anoles taking an interest in the hermit crabs move them to a new enclosure. Also pay attention to the substrate you use and avoid sand. Coconut husk fiber or similar soil-like substrate would be a better option for both.
Good luck,
Devin
i know that snapping turtles are aggressive by nature but I’ve had a snapping turtle for about 3 years now almost 3 he was about 6 days old when I got him he’s perfectly fine with me holding him petting him bathing him and he will even eat crickets off my finger I even can call his name and he will reach up out of the water. I know that keeping their habitat clean will make them happy I know how to hold him so not to harm him never pick him up by the tail it may cause spine problems I know that he’s supposed to get large obviously should his dietary needs change has he gets big I really do not want to get him obese I feed him eight pellets a day and every other day he gets three crickets is that too much I know that when the skin overlaps each other he’s obese what kind of problems with obesity cause in a snapping turtle just curious oh so now you don’t never release him back into the Wild is there any info you can give me for the future when he gets well 50 lb that I should know. if he was to bite me which his never done what should i do to get him to release that will not harm him… or is that just a meth .
It sounds like you are treating your snapping turtle very well. If you are careful you won’t get bitten, but if you do put the turtle down back in its tank and wait for it to let go.
If you can no longer keep the turtle at some point in the future, try contacting a local reptile rescue or even a wildlife rehabilitation center (if the turtle was taken from the wild) and they can advise you on what to do. It’s always best to think carefully about how long an animal lives and how large it gets before acquiring it, but I also understand sometimes people find themselves in situations and need help so if you do need to find the turtle a new home my first thought is to contact a reptile rescue in your area and see what they say. Don’t release it if it has been in your care for some time now.
yes … i would never release him back into the wild i misspelled some words at that part i was trying to say i know never to release him in the wild …. so has far has diet need …should it increase has he gets larger what do you think I should increase it to or stay the same …with my dogs they eat more now then they did when they were small so …
Yes, as the snapping turtle grows you will need to feed more. If the turtle is still small you can offer turtle pellets, feeder guppies, snails, ghost shrimp, and earthworms. Nightcrawlers can be fed once the turtle is larger. Worms are especially useful because powdered nutritional supplements will stick to them underwater for short periods of time.
Keep aquatic plants in the water as well like elodea, or float pieces of romain lettuce, removing uneaten lettuce daily. Small turtles may not eat the vegetation, but larger ones should. After a few years you can start to offer chicken, turkey, and fish from the grocery store. Feed the turtle daily. Remove uneaten leftover food still in the water after a half hour or so. If all the food is eaten you can feed more, especially for babies. As the turtle grows, obesity could be a problem so you want to make sure not to feed too much. It is better to have a slightly underfed adult turtle than an obese one.
thank you so much i thought i was doing it right ….i just wanted some confirmation. He’s not big at all yet he only weighs 5 lb so far. but when he does get large I planned to make a little Pond out of my yard for him fenced-in…. any suggestions on how I should go about building a small pond … I have a couple things that I was thinking of like getting a small watering trough metal or stainless steel like you feed animals with it and submerging in the ground and then putting water in it and a filtering pump some rocks and some nice plants and then fence the whole thing in would that be okay. When I feed him chicken and turkey should I get it unprocessed or processed because they have some sitting on the shelf just regular chicken but then I could go and get it from a deli and they can have sliced chicken… I go fishing every other weekend can I feed him live crawfish or should I kill it.. and he loves shrimp uncooked of course.
can i put a tortoise and regular toad together in the same habitat i had my tortoise tammy for bout 2 yrs and mammy for 6 mo. i got 2 toads one baby one big i know that toad excrete this toxic smell so they wont be eating …i dont think my tortoise will eat the toad but will that toxic stank harm my tortoise will it get in the water or food source and if so what kind of problems will there be.
It depends on a few things (importantly what kind of tortoise and what kind of toad and if the tortoise is kept in s smaller enclosure inside or a larger outdoor pen) but the safest bet and what I would recommend is to keep them separate. If the toad is a native species to your area that you found near your house and the tortoise is in some sort of large outdoor enclosure, then the two might work out just fine. If instead the tortoise is kept indoors in an aquarium or tub that offers less space, and the toad came from outside, then I definitely would not advise it. In any case if you decide to try it make sure the environmental conditions like temperature, lighting, substrate, and water, are all okay for both the toad and the tortoise. It would be easier and safest to keep them separately.
Best of luck,
Devin
Hi. Can I keep African Dwarf Frogs in the water part of my leopard frog habitat or will they get eaten? My leopard frog is a new froglet. Thank you.
I wouldn’t advise it. I think that your first thought is right — that the African dwarf frogs could be eating be a leopard frog, especially during times when the aquatic frogs go to the surface to breath or sit in shallow areas near the water’s edge. Another concern that comes to my mind is disease. Dwarf aquatic frogs (Hymenochirus spp.) are known to regularly carry amphibian chytrid fungus. While dwarf aquatic frogs often are able to live with this pathogen, other amphibian species exposed to it are not as adaptable. Keeping the two species together could put your leopard frog at risk.
can you combine a green tree frog with a baja tree frog?
Jolie, I am not familiar with baja tree frogs and I probably would not recommend it. In a very large enclosures (several feet in length, width and height) some kinds of tree frogs can be kept together, but the safest option is to keep them separately. The main point to remember is that you don’t want to keep different kinds of frogs together that are different sizes (where predation or competition for food could be an issue) or that require different temperatures or habitats.
Devin
Is it ok to put a tiger salamander and fire belly toads together in the same enclosure or will the salamander eat them?
Hi Darcy,
Yes, good question. That’s a mix that I would not recommend. It seems likely the salamander will try to eat the toad. The other consideration is that tiger salamanders generally prefer cooler temperatures than fire-bellied toads. They also are more terrestrial. Accommodating both environmental conditions in the same enclosure would be challenging.
Best of luck,
Devin
can I keep a fowlers toad with a northern dusky salamander?
Although the range of dusky salamanders and Fowler’s toads overlap, they don’t live in the same type of habitat. Dusky salamanders live in a wetter environment than Fowler’s toads, the salamanders living with running water along small streams and toads in dryer woodlands not so close to water. In captivity it would be challenging to create a setup with the right conditions for both species, but maybe in an especially large enclosure it could work. My advise would be to keep the two species separate.
Can I keep a glass snake and a baby box turtle together?
Glass lizards and box turtles can be found together in the wild in the same habitat, so perhaps in some sort of large outdoor pen or enclosure that is located in their native range it might work, but I can’t see the two species living together in more typical housing. I would not recommend the mix. Best of luck,
Devin
Thank you so much for your quick response. The uromastyx and the snakes were given to me and I want to set them up in my classroom. I will certainly heed your advice