Can I Take Care Of White's Tree Frog?

Do you mind having a pet that will be active during nighttime?

Do you mind having a pet with whom you won't be able to interact much?

Can you provide a tall tank with a secure lid for White's tree frog?

Can you maintain a temperature gradient of 80 to 86 F during the day, and 72 to 78 F at night?

Can you maintain a 12-hour light and 12-hour dark cycle?

Can you maintain humidity levels at 50 to 60 percent?

Can you provide a diet that consists mostly of live crickets and other invertebrates like moths, beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers, and earthworms?

Do you have an exotics veterinarian that can treat amphibians like White's tree frog?

White's tree frogs are nocturnal, which means they are more active in the evening and night hours.

These amphibians have very absorbent skin that will take up chemicals easily, so extreme care is needed when handling them. Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and rinse well with non-chlorinated water, preferably tank water; even the natural oils and salts found on human skin are damaging. Do not use lotions or even soaps before handling your pet as the residues they leave behind are also toxic to frogs.

White's tree frogs in the wild spend most of their time in trees so they need an enclosure with lots of climbing enrichment. A tall 15 to 20-gallon aquarium is recommended for housing one adult frog. A hexagonal tank is optimal. A tight-fitting lid is essential, as these frogs have suctioning footpads that will let them easily scale the glass walls of an aquarium.

Place a basking light or heater outside of only one side of the cage to create a gradient of 80 to 86 F during the day, with a drop to 72 to 78 F at night. Use both hand-held and tank-side sticker thermometers to confirm that appropriate temperatures are being maintained.

Lighting should be subdued, and if a light is needed at night, owners should use only a nocturnal bulb. You will need to create a regular light-dark cycle; 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark works well. These frogs are nocturnal, so there are no special lighting requirements.

Use a hygrometer inside the tank to measure the relative humidity; as hygrometer meter readings can drift over time, calibrate them once annually. Maintain the humidity for this frog's enclosure at 50 to 60 percent by misting daily with dechlorinated or bottled (not distilled) water. A dish of the same water should also be provided.

White's tree frog's diet consists primarily of live crickets. Other live foods can include moths, beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers, and earthworms. Fully grown White's tree frogs may even take pinkie mice on occasion. Place live insects in the cage or offer them using blunt-tip or flexible-tip forceps, but make sure the forceps will not injure the frog's mouth or tongue on impact. Feed large frogs (greater than three inches long) a few large crickets every two to three days. All insects fed to amphibians must first be gut-loaded with nutritious foods. Also, it is important to dust the prey items with a calcium-vitamin supplement.

You can take care of White's tree frog!

Like most amphibians, White's tree frogs are susceptible to several health issues that require veterinarian's care. The most serious threat to White's tree frog's health is a disease known as chytridiomycosis, which is caused by the chytrid fungus. This fatal disease spreads quickly in the wild and has caused a large decline in the populations of most amphibians worldwide. This disease is characterized by lethargy and weight loss; few treatments are available.