Green Treefrog
(Hyla cinerea)
Habitat: Woodland    Diet: Insectivorous    Adult Size: 1-2 1/2 inches   
Lifespan: 6 years    Native To: Southern and Eastern U.S.

Did You Know:

  • Naturally communal animals, Green Treefrogs prefer to live in groups rather than alone.

  • Despite their small size, Green Treefrogs can jump long distances. These agile little frogs can also use their feet to stick to the glass sides of an aquarium tank.

  • Male Green Treefrogs will make a loud quacking sound to attract potential mates. A single male can repeat this sound up to 75 times per minute. In nature, when thousands of males are calling at once, the sound can be deafening.

 

What You Should Know About Green Treefrogs

The Basics:

True to its name, the Green Treefrog spends much of its time in trees. It is green with a white, cream or yellow stripe running from its jaw all the way down its side. (Albino varieties are also now available to the pet trade.) Its beautiful coloration, along with its captivating expressions, makes the Green Treefrog an attractive pet. The Green Treefrog has relatively large toes, which make it an excellent jumper and climber. Relatively easy to keep, provided a reasonable daily maintenance program is followed diligently, the Green Treefrog is a nocturnal animal. Females tend to be larger, and males often have darker skin under the throat.

Enclosure:
They Need Vertical Space :

Green Treefrogs need an opportunity to climb. So they must be provided with a relatively high enclosure that includes plenty of sturdy climbing branches. A 20-gallon aquarium tank that measures at least 20 inches high can house up to three adults, but more space is always better. 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. Commercially available sanitized climbing branches and driftwood, as well as artificial or live plants should be included in the enclosure setup to provide climbing opportunities. Good live plant choices include philodendrons and ferns, provided they can support the frog. Whether live or artificial, foliage setup inside the tank must be dense. This will serve the added, and very important, function of providing the frog with hiding places.

Substrate:
Carpeting Can Scratch Them:

A substrate that holds moisture, can’t be swallowed, and is easy to keep clean is ideal for Green Treefrogs. Coconut fiber is a good choice. Substrate must be inspected daily, so soiled material can be removed. Reptile carpet substrate should not be used with Green Treefrogs, since its rough surface can irritate a frog’s skin.

Temperature:
Extremes Are Harmful To Them:

Green Treefrogs do best with moderately warm temperatures, in the 70s during the day and mid-60s at night. 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.

Lighting:
UVB Lighting Contributes To Their Health:

A 12-hour on/off light cycle is essential to the health of Green Treefrogs. Too much light exposure will be detrimental to the well-being of these nocturnal animals. Although they are nocturnal, Green Treefrogs still benefit from limited exposure to UVB rays on a daily basis. Provide a Green Treefrog with a 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:
Insects Are Their Favorite Meal:

Green Treefrogs do best on a diet of insects, primarily crickets. Feeder crickets should be gut loaded (fed a nutrition rich diet) for 48 hours before being offered to the frog and dusted with supplements. Other acceptable insects are flies, moths, and small silkworms. Mealworms and wax worms can be given only as an occasional treat.  Feed adult Green Treefrogs 2-6 insects every other day or every third day, depending on the size of the insect and the frog.  Juvenile frogs should be fed pinhead crickets or fruit flies every day. The juveniles should be given as many insects as they can consume in a feeding. 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.

The following is a possible supplementing schedule for this reptile. Insects should be dusted with a calcium/vitamin supplement every third feeding. Dust the insects with a supplement every feeding or every other feeding 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.

A NOTE ABOUT WATER: All water given to this pet for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing 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.

Water & Humidity:

Green Treefrogs require high levels of humidity, generally in the 50-75% range. This can be maintained by misting the enclosure daily with chlorine free water. Avoid over misting and over humidifying, since this will promote infections and
other ailments. Keep a large bowl of clean, fresh filtered water that is free of chlorine and heavy metals in the enclosure. The water in this bowl should be very shallow (about one inch), since Green Treefrogs are bad swimmers.

How to Handle an Green Treefrog:
 Like all amphibians, Green 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. If it is necessary to move a Green Treefrog, it is best to guide it to a fine mesh net or plastic cup, rather than lift it. Always wash your hands, and rinse them thoroughly before touching a Green 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:
Almost all Green Tree Frogs are wild caught specimens. They often experience stress during shipping, so extra care should be taken to ensure their health while they become acclimated to captivity. Once they pass this period, these little frogs are relatively hardy and healthy animals.

Bright Idea:
Small frogs are often too weak to break the surface of water if they do not have a solid, non-slippery surface to cling to when climbing out. Putting a stone or other good traction object in the corners of a water area will help a frog exit.


Recommended Green 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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