WHITE'S TREE FROG  

  • White's tree frogs are native to Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea
  • White’s Tree Frogs have an average lifespan of 16 years and are sometimes called Dumpy Tree Frogs due to their “dumpy” appearance.
  • The adult frogs can grow to 4-5 inches in length. Females are usually longer than males, but it is very difficult to determine sex, even when older.
  • Their color ranges from a green to a blue green or aqua color, and can be quite striking. They have a waxy film or coating on their skin that helps them retain moisture, so these frogs can tolerate more arid conditions than some other tree frogs.

Diet

For many White’s Tree Frogs the meal of choice is crickets. Simply shake out a few from a tube that comes with your Kricket Keeper and watch your tree frog stalk and chase after his prey. They will also enjoy an occasional meal of mealworms or waxworms; place a few in a feeding dish and offer once or twice a week.

Keep a dish of fresh, clean water in the cage at all times. Frogs will sit in their water dish and absorb water through their skin, so the water should always be clean. It’s a good idea to use a water conditioner for reptiles to treat the water for your frog.

Housing  

Tree frogs are arboreal, or tree-dwelling, needing taller habitats such as a 15 or 20 gallon “tall” aquarium with a screen top for ventilation. Plant the tank with various plants, vines and branches to climb on. These frogs do well alone, in pairs, or in colonies, requiring an extra 10 gallon space for each pair.

Cover the bottom of the tank with 3-5” of a coconut-fiber or bark substrate and damp sphagnum moss to help keep the tank's humidity at 50-70%. Keep the substrate damp and mist the cage daily if possible, or every 2-3 days. Keep the temperature of the tank around 70-85ºF with either a heat lamp or under-tank heater.

Handling

The White’s Tree Frog is great with people, even kids. They love to climb on arms and don’t seem to mind being handled.

Tree frogs do not normally jump, preferring a hand over hand motion of moving. However, their leaps can be quite large if startled. Don’t use soap prior to handling your white’s tree frog, as soap can be harmful to its skin. However, White’s Tree Frogs secrete a toxin through their skin that can irritate your skin if not washed off. Always be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap after handling.

Health

White’s Tree Frogs are generally quite healthy, though they are prone to a few common diseases and illnesses. Obesity tends to be a problem with captive White’s Tree Frogs; if you see the “fat rolls” starting to cover up your frog’s eyes then it’s time to cut back on the amount of crickets and waxworms you’re feeding! Metabolic Bone Disease is also common in White’s, but easily prevented by dusting the food with a calcium and vitamin D3 supplement at least three times a week.