By: Isabelle Baidoo

Frogs have become a very common pet in recent years due to their small and cute stature. Although they seem like they would be pretty simple pets, they require lots of care and attention.

Research before purchasing a frog is crucial to proper care. Some things you should know before making a frog part of your household is that all amphibians have very absorbent skin. This skin will easily take in chemicals, natural oils, and lotions found on human hands which are all toxic to frogs. Before handling a frog you must wash your hands thoroughly with filtered water, and make sure you use no lotions or creams on your hands. Then before handling, put gloves on to ensure the frog’s safety.

Another thing you need to know is that frogs don’t understand clear glass barriers, which are commonly found in tanks/aquariums. This can cause the frogs to rub their noses against the glass in an attempt to try and reach things outside their tank. This can be prevented by putting paper along the outside of the tank so they can’t see what’s on the outside.

Most adult frogs do not need to eat daily, and should only be fed every 2-3 days. Juvenile frogs under the age of one should be fed daily to ensure proper growth and health.

Yellow Banded Dart Frog

The first frog recommended as a pet in this article is the Yellow Banded Dart Frog, also known as the BumbleBee Dart Frog. These frogs are in the Poisonous Dart Frog Family and are found throughout South America in tropical rainforests. They are commonly found near water in the wild and are expert climbers. These frogs are still very abundant in the wild, but the majority of pet frogs for sale in the US are bred in captivity.

These frogs are insectivores and commonly eat small fruit flies and pinhead crickets. They are yellow and black in coloration and have yellow and black splotches all over their bodies. They are a relatively small frog at only 1.5 inches long. The Yellow Banded Dart Frog lives for roughly 10 years in captivity and as pets.

These frogs require a 10 gallon tank with 75F-85F temperatures and a high humidity percentage. Without roughly 90% humidity it is much more difficult to keep these frogs healthy. These frogs are not meant to be handled often, and if they are, their handler must wear gloves due to their venomous skin.

White’s Tree Frog

Then there is the White’s Tree Frog, native to Australia and Southern New Guinea. These frogs can grow up to 3-5 inches in length and live for 7-10 years.

In the wild, they spend most of their time in trees so they need lots of climbing enrichment. This can be made by having branches laid vertically across their tanks.

A tall 15-20 gallon tank is recommended for one frog. They need their tanks to maintain a 75F-85F degree temperature during the daytime and 68F-75F in the evenings. Lighting should be subdued and if lighting is needed at night the use of a nocturnal light bulb is crucial. 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark is recommended for the White’s Tree Frog. Their tank should remain at 60-70% humidity.

The White’s Tree Frog is nocturnal, meaning they’re more active in the nighttime. They are quite sedentary and docile, and often become fairly tame and tolerant of handling so long as their owner treats them well, and the frog itself is healthy.

Their diet ranges from how big and how old the frog is. Fully grown White’s Tree Frogs might take a pinkie mouse on occasion but not often. These frogs are not to be over fed because obesity is a common issue these frogs face. Large frogs should be fed every two to three days, ranging from live bugs such as: crickets, insecticide free moths, beetles, cockroaches, grasshoppers, or earthworms.

Burmese Chubby

The Burmese Chubby, also known as the Asian Painted Frog, is a large frog from Southeast Asia. They are excellent swimmers, climbers, and diggers. They live up to 10 years and adapt to new environments very well and quickly. They’re 2-3 inches long and have brown coloring with cream bands wrapped around their bodies.

These frogs require a 10-15 gallon tank and can be
housed with one other frog with caution. They don’t
croak often and when they do it’s a rather quiet and subdued noise which makes them great for people who don’t want to constantly hear croaking from their pet. Although they are a quiet breed it’s better for them to not be handled, the Burmese Chubby is better off inside its enclosure away from hands.

They can be fed a range of live insects such as: crickets, locusts, flies, and earth worms. As an occasional treat, owners can feed these frogs waxworms and mealworms but not too many and not too often. On average they will eat five crickets every two days.

African Bullfrog

Then lastly, the African Bullfrog, which is loved for its unique size and behaviors. They originate from South Africa and are commonly found in Tanzania. They’re a non-venomous species and they spend the majority of the year buried underground. This is their way of staying cool in hot temperatures and avoiding predators. With good attention and care they can live up to 35 years as pets. They are easygoing and tolerate handling once in a while.

Male African Bullfrogs are much larger than females and can grow up to 10 inches in size. They’re olive green in color and have yellow or cream throats.

They need a 20 gallon tank with plenty of moist dirt for digging and coverage. The temperature of the tank should be 72F to 85F. A temperature drop to 68F during the night may be beneficial to their health.

They need to eat at least 3 times a week due to their larger size, but when they’re less than a year old they should eat daily. These frogs are carnivores and eat small fish fry, brine shrimp, frozen blood worms, small white worms, or earthworms.