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White's Treefrog
(Litoria caerulea)
Habitat:
Woodland or Basic Diet: Insectivorous
Adult Size: 3-4 1/2 inches
Lifespan: 15 years or more
Native To: Australia and New Guinea
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Did You Know:
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The White’s Treefrog
has thick rubbery skin with a cuticle
covering that helps it retain
water.
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Thanks to its
ability to retain moisture and tolerate a
variety of temperatures, it has become one of the most successful frogs
in nature. It can often be found in suburban neighborhoods and water reservoirs.
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The “white” in
its name comes from the scientist that
described the frog, rather
than its color. In actuality, the coloration
of White’s Treefrogs range from light
green to dark brown. They have the ability
to change colors.
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7
Things You Should Know About White's Treefrogs |
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The Basics: |
The White’s
Treefrog is one of the most popular
amphibian pets, because it's fun to
watch, relatively easy to keep, and
long-lived. It also tolerates a wide
range of temperatures and humidity
levels, and readily accepts most food.
This is a good frog for beginners, but
like all terrarium pets, it requires
extensive care from a committed owner.
Also known as the "Dumpy Treefrog," it
has a loveably plump appearance, which
is accentuated by its tendency to gain
weight, as well as the rubbery rolls on
its skin. Unlike most frogs, it has
horizontal, rather than vertical eye
pupils. A communal animal, it does
better when kept in groups rather than
alone. Females are larger than males.
Captive bred specimens tend to be
healthier than wild-caught animals. |
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Enclosure:
They Need
Space: |
Relatively
large frogs that can be active,
especially during
feeding times, White's Treefrogs need
space. A pair of adults should be housed
in at least a 40-gallon aquarium, with
10 gallons added for a third adult. The
enclosure should be
vertically oriented to provide the frog
with plenty of climbing opportunities.
Branches and plants should be arranged
diagonally in the tank to provide the
frog with a chance to
climb and hide during the day. Climbing
branches should be at least as wide as
the diameter of the frog's body. The
tank should be securely covered with a
screen top for
ventilation. |
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Substrate:
Material
That Is To Small Can Harm Them: |
Organic
mulch, paper and towels work well as
substrates. Avoid small bark and gravel,
since this enthusiastic eater can ingest
them. Aromatic wood substrates like
cedar must also be avoided, since they
can cause serious and even fatal health
risks. Substrates must be inspected
daily, so soiled
material can be removed. |
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Temperature:
The Upper 70's Works Best: |
White's
Treefrogs like a daytime temperature in
the upper 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit
during the day, and slightly lower at
night. They can, however tolerate cooler
temperatures, as long as the thermometer
is never allowed to dip below 70. If
room temperature doesn't suffice to
provide these readings in the enclosure,
a low power (20-watt) incandescent bulb
can be secured above the enclosure
screen. Care should be taken to avoid
external heat sources that are too
powerful for the size of the enclosure,
since this can result in overheating and
lower humidity levels. In all cases, the
temperature must be monitored carefully
to be sure it doesn't rise too much.
Never guess the temperature. Position
two thermometers in the enclosure at
branch level where the frog spends most
of its time, one thermometer should be
placed near the heat source, and the
other in a cooler section of the tank.
An enclosure should never be positioned
in direct sunlight. |
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Lighting:
UVB
Exposure Is Essential: |
Although
they sleep during the day, White's
Treefrogs are exposed to ultraviolet
rays in their natural habitats. White’s
Treefrogs should be exposed to
supplemental UVB lighting, using a
fluorescent bulb designed for a frog
terrarium. Run lighting on a day/night
on/off cycle.
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. |
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Diet:
They Have Very
Hearty Appetites: |
White's
Treefrogs love to eat. As pets, they
will
gladly accept any insect offered. It's
important to avoid overfeeding, since
they can become obese. Insects caught
outdoors should not be offered, since
they can contain
traces of pesticides. Gut loaded
crickets are a good choice of food, as
are cockroaches, moths and beetles, all
should be dusted with supplements.
Adults should be fed every other day,
while juveniles (under 3-inches)
should be offered food on a daily basis.
Offer only as much food as the frog can
consume in a few minutes (2-8 crickets).
The weight of a White's Frog can be
judged by looking at
the supratympanic ridges over its ears.
This is the area where the frog stores
fat. If the ridge is visible, the frog
is underweight and should be offered
more food. If the frog is
overweight, the supratympanic ridges
will cover the ear membrane. In this
case portion size should be cut. Obese, over supplemented frogs have a
shorter lifespan.
Important -- It is necessary to provide
calcium and vitamin supplements as part
of the diet. Please read the supplement
section below: |
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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 since too much
calcium can cause gout
and calcification.
The following is a
possible supplementing
schedule for this
reptile.
Dust food with a
calcium/vitamin
supplement once a week
for adults, 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.
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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. |
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Water and Humidity: |
White's
Treefrogs don't need as much humidity as
many other frogs. They can have a
relatively high level of humidity,
around 50-percent. The enclosure can be
humidified every day with a light
misting or every other day with a
moderate misting.
Clean, fresh water free of chlorine and
heavy metals should be used in misting
and in a large shallow water bowl placed
in the frog’s enclosure. Water level in
the bowl should
be relatively shallow, and a climbing
branch should be placed in the bowl to
make it easy for the frog to climb out
of the water. Since maintaining proper
humidity levels is so important to the
health of this frog, it is essential to
use a hygrometer to measure them in its
enclosure. |
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How
To Handle A White's Treefrog:
Like all amphibians, White's
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
lift the frog, do so with great care. Wearing
moistened exam 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 White's 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.
Bright Idea:
When providing water for your amphibians, it's
critically important to use chlorine free water.
Over a period of
time the chlorine in tap water will cause
serious heath issues for
an amphibian. |
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Look Out For This:
A hearty eater,
the White's Treefrog can become overweight, so
care must be taken to avoid overfeeding. Since
it does eat with
such gusto, this frog is always at risk of
ingesting some substrate
with its food. For this reason any substrate
used should be in large
pieces, so it isn’t eaten.
Recommended White's Treefrog
Supplies:
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A secure
vertically oriented enclosure
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Sturdy climbing branches
and perches
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Foliage in the form of
live plants or artificial plants
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A large, but shallow
water dish with a climbing branch for
exiting
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A suitable substrate
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A UVB fluorescent light
source
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Two thermometers
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A hygrometer
- A misting bottle
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