Barking Treefrog
(Hyla gratiosa)
Habitat: Damp savanna     Diet: Insectivorous     Adult Size: 2 1/2 inches    
Lifespan: 8-10 Years     Native To: Eastern U.S.

Did You Know:

  • The Barking Treefrog can make chameleon-like changes to its color.

  • Despite its small size, this little frog emits a big sound. Its distinctive “barking” sound has been measured at 85 decibels, which is about as loud as a bus. A single specimen will “bark” roughly 8,000 times in one night.

  • In nature, the Barking Treefrog spends much of its time around ponds and wetlands, but it will also forage high in trees for food. When it’s hot and dry, this versatile frog will burrow into sand and soil, or take refuge beneath tree roots or other vegetation.
     

What You Should Know About Barking Treefrogs

The Basics:

A friendly, alert and hardy animal, the Barking Treefrog has become a popular pet with amphibian keepers of all ages and experience levels. This is a nocturnal frog, which is most active after sundown. Large and pudgy by treefrog standards, it has granular skin that is typically bright green in color with dark spots. Within minutes, it can change its coloration to brown, gray or dark green. Round pads on the Barking Treefrog’s toes allow it to climb up trees, walls and vertical glass surfaces with relative ease. This is a sociable, calm frog, so more than one specimen can be housed together. Males usually have “baggier” throats than females, and their throats also often show a splash of yellow coloration. Most specimens available to the retail pet trade are wild-caught males.
A NOTE ABOUT WATER: All water given to this pet for drinking, as well as water used for swimming or misting must be free of chlorine and heavy metals. We recommend that you use bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. If tap water is used, you should treat it with a dechlorinating treatment or allow it to stand for at least 24 hours before being introduced to the pet's enclosure to allow the chlorine to escape. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.

Enclosure:
They Need A Place To Hide:

Being nocturnal animals, Barking Treefrogs must have ready access to a secluded hideaway in their enclosure where they can go to sleep during the day, and find reassurance whenever they become frightened. Hiding places are usually created by putting dense foliage (real or artificial) in the enclosure. Since Barking Treefrogs also like to climb, their enclosures should have plenty of solid branches and perches. Climbing branches and perches should be at least twice the diameter of the Barking Treefrog’s girth. The enclosure itself should be at least a 20-gallon aquarium tank for up to three adults. Since Barking Treefrogs are climbers, the enclosure must be vertically oriented (taller than it is wide). A Barking Treefrog’s enclosure should always be at least 20 inches in height. A screen top should be placed over the tank to provide ventilation. This top must be very secure to prevent escapes. Placing aquarium backgrounds or other opaque material on three sides of the enclosure will make the frog feel more secure and reduce stress.

Substrate:
They Do Best With Material That Retains Humidity:

Since Barking Treefrogs need a humid environment, they do best with a substrate that retains moisture, such as organic mulch, reptile barks, coconut fiber and peat. Avoid aromatic wood substrate since this can cause serious and even fatal health risks. Substrate must be inspected daily, so soiled material can be removed. Reptile carpet substrate should not be used with Barking Treefrogs, since its rough surface can irritate a frog’s skin.

Temperature:
A Moderate Climate is Best For Them:

A Barking Treefrog’s enclosure should be in the mid to upper 70s in the day, then drop to the mid-60s at night. This can best be provided by regulating the temperature of the enclosure’s room, rather than the enclosure itself. However, a thermal gradient ranging from the low to upper 70s can be provided by positioning a low wattage bulb over a section of the tank during the winter months. Care must be taken when using external lamps not to overheat the enclosure.

Lighting:
 Exposure To UVB Rays Contributes To Their Health:

A 12-hour on/off light cycle is essential to the health of Barking Treefrogs. Too much light exposure will be detrimental to the well-being of these nocturnal animals. Although they are nocturnal, Barking Treefrogs still benefit from limited exposure to UVB rays on a daily basis. Barking Treefrogs should be exposed to supplemental UVB light using a fluorescent bulb designed for a frog terrarium. The fluorescent bulb should be replaced every six months. Glass blocks out UVB light, so overhead light sources should be kept behind a wire mesh cover, not a glass or acrylic tank top.

Diet:
They Are Hearty Insect Eaters:

 Barking Treefrogs are opportunistic insect eaters with great appetites. In nature, they will devour insects near the water, in the ground and high atop trees. As pets, their diet should consist of commercially raised crickets, moths, silkworms, earthworms and other insects. Wax worms and mealworms can be offered as an occasional treat. A varied diet contributes to this frog’s health. Feeder insects should be gut loaded (fed a nutrition rich diet) for 48 hours before being offered to the frog and dusted with a supplement. Use common sense and body condition/weight of the Barking Treefrog to determine feeding schedule. Important -- It is necessary to provide calcium and vitamin supplements as part of the diet. Please read the supplement section below:
Supplements: Dust insects with calcium supplement and vitamin supplement. As a rule, a growing juvenile's food should be dusted more often than an adult's. Consult product labels and outside literature for specific instructions on supplementing. Avoid over-supplementing food.

The following is a possible supplementing schedule for this reptile. Dust feeder insects with a vitamin/calcium supplement once a week for adults and twice a week for juveniles. However, this is only a general suggestion -- the best specific schedule may vary depending on the supplement products used and other factors. Please consult product package directions, outside literature and a veterinarian to determine the optimal supplementing program.

Water and Humidity:

Barking Treefrogs require high levels of humidity, generally in the 50-75% range. This can be maintained by misting the frog daily with chlorine free water and keeping a large bowl of clean, fresh filtered water free of chlorine and heavy metals in the enclosure. Part of the enclosure should be kept dry to provide a drying area for the frog. The water in this bowl should be very shallow (about 1- 1.5 inches).  Maintaining water levels well below the rim of the bowl will minimize spillage to keep the enclosure dryer and more sanitary.


How To Handle A Barking Treefrog:
 Like all amphibians, Barking Treefrogs are meant to be observed and appreciated, rather than handled and petted. Frogs breathe through their moist delicate skin, and this important organ can be damaged when rubbed against and handled. When moving a Barking Treefrog, try guiding it to a fine mesh net or plastic cup, rather than lifting it. If it is necessary to lift the frog, do so with great care. Wearing moistened latex gloves, grasp the animal firmly but gently around the waist, joining your thumb and forefinger around its chest. Always wash your hands, and rinse them thoroughly before touching a Barking Treefrog. The skin of these frogs will absorb residual traces of soap or perfume left on a hand. You should also wash your hands thoroughly after handling any frog.
 

Look Out For This:
 The Barking Treefrog is named for the loud raucous barking sound made by the males of the species. People thinking of welcoming a Barking Treefrog into their homes should understand that, despite their many endearing qualities, these frogs are not the quietest pets. And they vocalize at night.

 

Recommended Barking Treefrog Supplies:

  • A secure vertically oriented enclosure
  • Sturdy climbing branches and perches
  • Foliage in the form of live plants or artificial plants
  • A large, but shallow water dish
  • A suitable substrate
  • A UVB fluorescent light source
  • Two thermometers
  • A hygrometer
  • A misting bottle

 

 

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