WHITES TREE FROG CARE SHEET
Dumpy Frog, Litoria caerulea
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Whites Tree Frogs are a joy! With tons of personality and the cutest faces, they make excellent pets. However, these little cuties are very mischievous and messy! The only frogs I have ever had that are true escape artists. Whites Tree Frogs are also known for their frequent messes and require a high level of dedication to cleaning.
CAPTIVITY DIFFICULTY: Intermediate
LIFE SPAN: 10-15 years
ACTIVITY: Whites Tree Frogs are nocturnal, meaning they are active after sunset to sunrise. During the day, Whites Tree Frogs spend their time sleeping in the corners and the sides of their terrarium, behind or on plant décor, or on other ledges in their terrarium. At night, they hunt, look for a mate, and soak in their water dish. Besides a mating call, these frogs still are pretty noisy. They tend to jump around the enclosure all night which can generate some noise! Alongside splashy or anything other mischief they get into. I suggest keeping these frogs in pairs. They are very social and need a friend/friends!
My frog spends a lot of time on the bottom of the enclosure, is that normal? Your Whites Tree Frog spending most of their time on the bottom of the enclosure is a sign of illness. Some larger frogs sleep near the bottom or on the bottom because their weight makes staying on the glass difficult. I suggest adding a horizontal suspended ledge of sorts to the higher areas of the enclosure to accommodate your frog. Examples include; Mushroom ledge by Zoo Med, Vertical Décor Rock Cave by Zilla, and Frog Soap Dish by AliExpress. If your frog still spends most of the time on the bottom, it is time to see an exotic vet.
HANDLING YOUR FROG: Whites Tree Frogs are very friendly and enjoy climbing all over you! It is important to interact with them but it also equally important to ensure their skin does not become irritated. The natural oils humans produce on their skin in large amounts can harm your frog. Holding for 15 minutes twice or so a week will not harm your frog. But keeping your frog from its enclosure your hands for longer can irritate their skin. Some people prefer to always handle with gloves, others only handle with gloves when they need to handle for long periods of time or have an irritant on their hands. Irritants include lotion, soap, cleaning supplies, oils, etc. If you cleaned your car today or got your nails done, wear gloves while handling your frog because those chemicals seep in.
Also, be sure your frog still has the proper requirements out of its enclosure. From temperature to humidity. Many Whites Tree Frogs enjoy looking out the window. Be sure the glass is warm enough for them and keep their skin moist. I suggest getting a platform that suction cups to the glass so you can mist the frog while they enjoy looking out the window!
ENCLOSURE: Whites Tree Frogs require a lot of vertical space to jump and explore. I personally suggest Exo Terra’s line of front opening terrariums. While more expensive, it is worth the easy accessibly. For substrate, I suggest mainly frog foam, but paper towels may be used. Paper towels can be accidentally consumed. Whites Tree Frogs are also prone to bacterial infection and having a substrate that is easy to change/clean helps prevent these greatly (along with proper humidity). I personally use Frog Foam by Josh’s Frogs. This is an amazing choice for Whites Tree Frogs as it is easy to clean, holds an adequate amount of humidity, and can not be accidentally consumed. Loose substrates like coconut fiber core tend to end up in your frog’s mouth often. This can lead to complications down the road.
Whites Tree Frogs spend their time in the treetops in their native habitat. You must mimic that environment in their enclosure. Vines, leaf vines, and live plants give your frog plenty of places to jump on and hide in. Click the button below to see my favorite type of vine to use. It is very easy to clean, extremely durable, and includes very nice suction cups and end caps to prevent the metal insides from poking out. When decorating, ensure there are multiple levels of areas for your frog to hide or rest. I suggest adding a horizontal suspended ledge of sorts. Examples include; Mushroom ledge by Zoo Med, Vertical Décor Rock Cave by Zilla, and Frog Soap Dish by AliExpress. Frogs tend to rest on these platforms.
A water bowl is required. The bowl should be as wide as double your frog and deep enough that their whole body, besides their face, can be submerged. Freshwater must always be available. This may mean changing the water once to twice daily. If using tap water, water conditioner must be used. This removes harmful chemicals and makes the water safe for your amphibian. Directions vary so be sure to read the label before using. Spray you frogs at least twice daily or however many times it requires to keep up the humidity to a proper level.
SIZE OF ENCLOSURE: For two to four Whites Tree Frogs, an Exo Terra Medium Tall is suggested. 24” x 18” x 24” (60 x 45 x 60cm). For more frogs, expand taller! Vertical height is key for Whites Tree Frogs.
HUMIDITY: 50% with spikes around 70% when misting in the morning and evening. Whites Tree Frogs are prone to bacterial infections if they are kept at too high humidity.
TEMPERATURE: Daytime temperatures should be 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit or 24 to 29 degrees Celsius.
Nighttime temperatures should never drop below 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 degrees Celsius.
LIGHTING: A heat lamp is never necessary unless the room your amphibian is in drops below 70 degrees F or 21 degrees Celsius. If it does, use a low wattage reptile heat lamp in the day, and a low wattage infrared heat lamp at night. A UVB light is recommended. It helps improve your frogs’ overall health. A linear 2.0 UVB is best. Never use higher than 2.0, it is too strong and can harm your frog!
FEEDING: Whites Tree Frogs will eat everything and anything that fits in their mouths. That does include other tree frogs. Be sure to house similar-sized frogs together. Their main diet should consist of live crickets or dubia roaches. An Adult Whites Tree Frog should have around 7- 10 crickets or dubias every other day. Dusting your crickets with calcium powder is highly suggested. I personally calcium dust every other feeding. Horn worms, moths, Wax worms, Black Soldier Fly larvae, and Mealworms can be incorporated into their diet as snacks. Horn worms and wax worms are particularly high in fat so be sure to only feed these every once in a while!
Be sure to not overfeed. These will eat what you give them! Whites Tree Frogs have a tendency of becoming extremely obese. Follow a feeding schedule and you will be good!
HOW TO SEX: Female Whites Tree Frogs tend to be larger than males and more plump overall. Females will answer with a small chirp if an undesired man mounts her, but females do not produce the loud mating call.
While males tend to be smaller. Males produce a loud “barking” mating call to attract a mate. Their throat will look like a gumball and while calling and so will their belly!
SIZE: The average size for Whites Tree Frogs is 3-4 inches (7.6-10.1cm). Females may grow to be 5 inches (12.7cm)
I AM NEW TO FROGS, ARE THEY GOOD FOR BEGINNERS?
Whites Tree Frogs are not my first pick for beginners, but they are good! I only do not highly suggest them because the of the level of cleaning they require and how common it is for them to become ill. They are easy to care for as long as you have the time, money, and resources to clean daily and go to the exotic vet if need be.
My first suggestion for beginners will forever be Fire Bellied Toads. Click the button below for their care sheet!