What to feed baby green tree frogs

Green Treefrog Care Sheet - Reptiles Magazine

Green Treefrog (Hyla cinerea)

The green treefrog is common throughout the southeast United States, and their presence is best known by their call, which can be heard from nearly a mile away on a still night. Their breeding season is quite extensive, and in Florida I have seen them breeding from April until October. They prefer more permanent water than some of the other treefrogs, and will even breed in water that contains fish.

Often they will call during a falling barometer, such as before a rain. Like most treefrogs breeding takes place at night, but intermittent choruses can be heard in the daytime, especially in the late afternoon, and during the actual breeding they will call continuously deep into the night, often in the company of other species of frogs and toads.

Green Treefrog

Herping for Frogs in Florida

Green Treefrog Availability

The green treefrog is relatively inexpensive to buy. Also if you live in their range they are easy to locate by their singing, and a couple can easily be collected. Please check the local regulations for the area you might be collecting in since they may be protected in some regions, especially in fringe areas of their range. If you do wild-collect, and you have many to choose from, please feel free to look them over first, since some have lovely yellow or orange spots, and some may be larger or greener than others.

Joe myers

Besides worms and crickets, moths are a favorite, and despite the small size of the frog, it can eat a pretty big moth.

Also be aware of their possible croaking – which could occur at any hour of the day or night in captivity, especially ahead of stormy weather. If you live in their range you can always be on the lookout for females (since they're silent), but if females are taken during the breeding season, or if you find a pair, it's better to collect them both, or add a couple males to the mix, so she'll be able to lay her eggs. The males as well as her tadpoles can always be released later, and you'll have a nice "silent" female or two! We'll take a look at the care and hatching of the eggs shortly. Also if you buy a female from a list or a store, more than likely she'll have no eggs, and the artificial light of captivity will prevent her from producing any.

Green Treefrog Size

The average length of green tree frog (Hyla cinerea) is about two inches from snout to anus, but from personal experience these will reach about three inches in captivity. I have never seen them this large in the wild. The tadpole length is about two inches as well. They usually lay several hundred eggs, and these are attached to sticks, leaves, or other debris on the bottom. In captivity they're attached to plants, aquarium gravel, or to the aquarium itself. They hatch in less than a week and like most tadpoles, they remain with the eggs for several days.

joe myers

The green treefrog is a great frog for the beginner and pro alike, and they will give you five or six years of fun and trouble-free care.

Captive Care Tips

Of the species I have kept over the years, this is one of the most colorful, and one of the easiest to keep! When compared to other treefrogs, these feed very well, and will react very quickly to food. They will turn to snatch an insect the moment it is dropped in with them, and aren't too picky as to the type of setup you decide to go with. We all like free food. Right? Here's a way to feed them for free – in the summertime at least. Collect insects from your porch light, or you can flip a few boards for a couple crickets. Most pet stores offer crickets for sale, so feeding is inexpensive at best, and some can be trained to eat small worms.

Besides worms and crickets, moths are a favorite, and despite the small size of the frog, it can eat a pretty big moth. They'll also eat beetles, pillbugs, sowbugs, small spiders, even tiny frogs, in addition to other similar-size foods. Pretty much if they can fit it into their mouth, they'll eat it. From personal experience, when I have mixed these with other treefrogs, the green treefrogs will usually get to the food first. Concerning their temperature, they like it anywhere between 70-82 degrees, and these do well with a reflector over them with a 60-watt bulb. Besides the heat they seem to readily enjoy, it makes it easy to see them, and they are pretty to look at.

For housing, a 10 gallon aquarium makes a great "home," and one aquarium will comfortably hold up to four frogs, but two or three are better, since some may be faster than the other at snatching the food. I have used several different setups for these, but the one that seems to work best for these is large, natural "creek gravel" (available in many pet shops and garden stores), and large gravel is less likely to be swallowed during a feeding frenzy! Anyway on top of the gravel I place a shallow bowl of water for them to hop into. Stoneware bowls seen in the pet shops look better than the standard round bowls, and there are even decorative bowls designed to fit into a corner of your aquarium. A few plastic plants are nice to have, but to overdo any aquarium decor may hide some of their food. A nice piece of driftwood also works well, and I often use this in place of plastic plants.

joe myers

The green treefrog is common throughout the southeast United States, and their presence is best known by their call.

When Fall arrives, they can be kept feeding right through the winter by keeping them under a heat lamp, but if you prefer (especially if you live in area where insects are scarce during cold weather), you can hibernate them. To do this, rather than make a mess of their home aquarium, I have a separate aquarium and I fill it about half-full with dead leaves taken from the forest floor and add the frogs. Keep this moist but not too wet, and when it's cool enough they'll hide beneath the leaves. If the leaves are moist enough a water bowl may not be needed, but from experience I put a bowl in there for them anyway, since I do see them using it from time to time. Several months is usually good enough, and around April I return them to the light and warmer temperatures and after a week or so, they'll resume their feeding. As for hibernation, I usually keep them in the mid-40s and 50s, but they must not be exposed to freezing temperatures. If it is in the 60s for any length of time they may want to become active.

I have never bred these, but have raised the tadpoles, which are similar to other tadpoles. They are easily trained to eat fish food and Repto-Min, as well as soft lettuce. The tadpoles grow to around two inches and once the back legs are full-sized, the body will begin to turn green, and the froglets will eat fruit flies or baby crickets. It takes about two months for the tadpoles to transform. The frogs reach maturity in about one year.

This is a great frog for the beginner and pro alike, and they will give you five or six years of fun and trouble-free care.

"Nature" Joe (Myers) has been working with groups of people of all ages in an outdoor educational setting since 1986, and can be followed on Facebook, and his nature photography is displayed there publicly. https://www.facebook.com/n.joe.myers

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A Guide to Caring for American Green Tree Frogs as Pets

American green tree frogs are native to the southeast U.S. from Florida to Virginia, and as their name indicates, they are a bright green color, which helps them camouflage in the wild with the surrounding foliage. They have a light white or cream-colored stripe from the side of the head down to the flanks.

American green tree frogs are small. Their skin is porous and not recommended for much handling, but they are one of the easier frogs to care for even for a novice. Maintaining the right environment for these hardy amphibians is not too difficult, but you will need to devote at least an hour each week to clean out the habitat.

Species Overview

Common Name: American green tree frog

Scientific Name: Hyla cinerea

Adult Size: Up to 2 1/2 inches long

Life Expectancy: 2 to 5 years

American Green Tree Frog Behavior and Temperament

These small frogs are timid and do not tolerate handling; they are squirmy and will resist it. Some frogs, after many years in captivity, may grow to accept it. But like most frogs, their skin is delicate and continuous hand contact can damage their skin.

Do not plan on keeping this frog's habitat in your bedroom. As nocturnal creatures, the males are especially active and vocal at night. American green tree frogs are not cuddly pets, but they are fun to watch. Their big eyes seem to look longingly at a spot, and their mouths always appear to be perpetually smiling.

Click Play to Learn More About the Cute and Shy American Green Tree Frog

Housing the American Green Tree Frog

A minimum 10-gallon tank is suitable as a terrarium for green tree frogs, although larger works well too. Frogs are arboreal, spending most of their time in trees. The height of the cage is more important than the floor space, so a tall tank is best. Get a secure mesh or wire cover to prevent escape.

Climbing is essential for this species. Provide a variety of branches, live plants, or artificial vegetation. Ensure any wood collected from the outdoors is pesticide-free. You will need to treat or sanitize harvested wood to remove harmful bacteria or bugs. Driftwood and cork bark also make suitable cage furnishings.

Unlike many other frog species, the American green tree frog doesn't require any special heating considerations, unless it drops lower than 70 degrees Fahrenheit in your home. It's entirely nocturnal, and no supplemental ultraviolet light is needed. It will, however, need a humid environment.

Thoroughly clean the enclosure once a week. Do not use soap as detergents can kill your frog. Make sure your hands are clean (but not recently soap-cleaned) or use latex-free gloves. Gently place the frogs in a small container.

Take everything out, rinsing and scrubbing under hot water. The tank itself will need to be cleaned too (with hot water, no soap). As for the bedding, use washable liners, such as reptile carpeting or washable coconut fiber mats. You can use a gentle laundry detergent for the liner, but it must be rinsed thoroughly with cold clean water. To cut your cleaning time, have two pieces of tank liners, so when one is dirty, you will always have a clean one ready for use.

Heat

The temperature needs of this frog are similar to humans; they thrive at temperatures from 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. As these creatures are cold-blooded, they need to regulate their internal body temperature. They do this by moving around in their cage to cool down or get warm. Provide a thermal gradient or range of temperatures in the cage. You can do this by putting a ceramic heat emitter in one corner or end of the cage. The temperature should not exceed 82 degrees Fahrenheit in that warm spot.

Light

This animal is nocturnal and will likely sleep during the day. It does not require lights, but a UVB fluorescent light tube (5.0) can be beneficial but not necessary for this species. The invisible ultraviolet rays may help your frog metabolize calcium.

Humidity

Humidity should be around 50 to 60 percent during daytime and spike to 80 to 100 percent at nighttime. Never let the humidity level fall below 50 percent at any time. A hygrometer or humidity gauge will help you check moisture levels. Automated misters and foggers can provide moisture on a timer if you are not home to mist your cage regularly with a spray bottle.

Substrate

Substrate is the bedding or lining for the bottom of your pet's cage. The safest, easiest, and most economically efficient choices are reptile carpet or a coconut fiber mat. These are easily washable and safer since your frog cannot mistakenly ingest it.

However, you can still use other substrates, such as cypress mulch or organic soil, moss, cork bark, or smooth gravel. You can try to clean small gravel every week, but it would require boiling to sanitize it adequately, so it's best to replace it entirely every week. If your frog seems to be eating some of its substrate with its insect meal, consider switching to a reptile carpet or a coconut fiber mat which can prevent health issues down the road.

Terrarium Plants

When selecting plants for your frog's cage, get plants that thrive in a similar climate: temperatures in the 70s, high humidity, and lower light. Also, make sure your plant selections are not toxic to amphibians. Your best options will be sturdy ferns or Philodendron.

What Can I Plant in a Terrarium That Houses Reptiles or Amphibians?

Food and Water

What Is a Tree Frog's Diet?

A tree frog's diet includes the food and nutrients it needs to thrive. As insectivores, tree frogs can eat insects like crickets, fruit flies, houseflies, ants, moths, and worms to maintain a healthy diet.

American green tree frogs are generally good eaters and exclusively eat insects. Crickets can make up the bulk of a green tree frog's diet. The crickets should be gut-loaded—fed a high-protein, nutritious meal before being offered to the frog—and dusted with a calcium and multivitamin supplement a couple of times a week.

Tree frogs will likely eat more in the spring and summer months than in the winter. Feed smaller frogs daily, while larger frogs can be fed daily or every other day. Expect to feed three or four insects per feeding. Do not overdo it. Frogs are opportunistic feeders and can grow obese. If it appears that your frog is getting obese, cut back on the number of feedings per week. If your frog appears overweight, it could also benefit from more space to move around and get exercise.

Provide a large, shallow, sturdy water dish with dechlorinated water. It must be shallow since these frogs are not good swimmers. Mist the cage daily with dechlorinated water to maintain humidity. Frogs absorb water from the habitat's ambient moisture through their skin. They also may drink water droplets on plants or tank walls.

Common Health Problems

As with most amphibians, bacterial and fungal infections of the skin and eyes are common ailments. Pus (which may look cheesy), swelling, or redness are signs of disease. Although less common in frogs than in other reptiles and amphibians, respiratory infections can occur in frogs that have enclosures with inadequate or too much humidity. Symptoms of a respiratory infection include wheezing, drooling, and general lethargy.

If your frog is not eating well and shows no other apparent symptoms, it may have a parasitic infection. Usually, this needs to be diagnosed by an exotics veterinarian who specializes in reptiles and amphibians.

The vet should take a yearly fecal sample to check that your frog doesn't have an overgrowth of usual parasites. Also, pet frogs are susceptible to ammonia poisoning, which is a potentially fatal condition that occurs when wastes accumulate in an animal's enclosure. Ammonia build-up can be prevented by regular, weekly cleaning.

All of these ailments can be treated by a qualified vet if caught early.

Choosing Your American Green Tree Frog

Frogs can make lovely pets, but frogs in the wild are facing population declines and extinction due to human encroachment. If you take in a wild-caught frog as a pet, it may have diseases or health issues.

Buy a locally captive-bred frog from a reputable breeder and make sure it is tested free of disease. You can usually find a breeder through an exotics veterinarian, another frog owner, or a reptile expo. Reptile shows typically have amphibians on display and for sale, too. Most American green tree frogs cost about $10.

Look for an active, alert animal that has clear eyes with skin that looks free of bumps or cuts. If you can watch it eat before deciding, that's ideal; most frogs will not refuse food unless they're unwell. Likewise, if the frog you are considering seems lethargic or is having trouble breathing, or if its abdomen seems bloated, these may be signs of illness.

100 Names for Pet Frogs and Toads

Similar Species to American Green Tree Frogs

If an American green tree frog interests you, you may want to look into related species:

Otherwise, check out all of our other frog profiles.

WOOD FROG ᐈ Photo and description ✔

Amphibians repel many. Few people are enthusiastic about snakes, frogs and toads. However, among them there are very interesting, unusual animals with a bright, memorable color. Such creatures often attract attention, but they are quite dangerous for others. Tree Frog stands out among them.

Species origin and description

Photo: Tree frog

The tree frog comes from the Latin word "Hylidae", which refers to the ancient Greek character Hylas ("forest"). We often call such amphibians tree frogs or tree frogs. The Russian name tree frog appeared solely because of the behavior of these animals. Tree frogs, regardless of gender, croak very loudly.

This animal belongs to the order of tailless amphibians, the tree frog family. It is widely present in nature. To date, there are more than eight hundred species of tree frogs. Each species has some external features, habits and characteristic behavior. All representatives of this family are distinguished by extraordinary external data, unique abilities to change color depending on temperature and climatic conditions.

Video: Tree frog

Unlike other varieties of frogs, tree frogs are distinguished by their slenderness and unusual habitat. These amphibians spend almost their entire lives in bushes, trees that grow on the banks of water bodies. They are also small in size. Most species of tree frogs do not exceed seven centimeters in length. However, there are exceptions. In nature, there were individuals whose length reached forty centimeters.

The species is also characterized by the presence of special suckers on the legs, a very bright color. Suction cups help the amphibian to climb vertical surfaces. The coloring of the body is very unusual, attracting attention. However, it is precisely such a bright color that warns enemies that this creature can be poisonous and it is better to immediately abandon the idea of \u200b\u200bdining on tree frogs.

Appearance and features

Photo: Green tree frog

The appearance of a tree frog can be described as follows:

suction discs on the legs. This feature unites all types of tree frogs. Suckers create a vacuum that allows the animal to climb trees, bushes, leaves. At the same time, some individuals have a very underdeveloped ability to “stick” to a vertical surface. But here, too, nature has provided for everything - such frogs have a special structure of fingers on their limbs. It is with their help that an amphibian can cling to branches, plants;
bright coloring. The color of the tree depends on the species. There are individuals with colors from green to bright red with various divorces, stripes. Most have a camouflage color: green-brown. It helps the little frog to easily get lost in the pile of leaves on the trees;
relatively small body length. Usually it is about seven centimeters, only occasionally there are larger individuals;
large, protruding eyes, mostly with horizontal pupils. Such an eye structure allows amphibians to have a large scope of vision, hunt with ease, and safely jump from one branch to another;
the presence of a throat pouch in males. It is quite easy to distinguish between a female and a male in a woodworm. The most important sign is the presence of a throat bag. It is only found in males. When inflated, such a bag may make sounds. Moreover, males are always much smaller than females.

Tree frog is unique! Her body is able to withstand almost complete freezing. This is possible due to the presence of glycine in the body. It protects the cells of the body from possible damage, loss of their qualities, viability.

Where does the tree frog live?

Photo: tree frog tree frog

The tree frog's natural habitat is not so small. They prefer to live in temperate climates. They mainly inhabit Asia and Europe. Their habitat includes northwest Africa, Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Russia, North and South America. In Russia, such frogs can be found only in the central part. Their family on the Russian territory is represented by only two species - ordinary and Far Eastern.

A huge number of tree species can be found in Tunisia, China, Korea, Turkey and Australia. The Caribbean islands are also inhabited by similar amphibians in large numbers. Where this species was not represented, it was populated artificially. For example, tree frogs appeared in this way in New Zealand, Guam, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. Individual representatives, in particular the red wood tree, were found in small numbers in the jungles of Costa Rica and Panama.

Today the tree frog can become an inhabitant of any home. These animals are sold in many major pet stores. However, keeping such amphibians at home requires considerable investment, special knowledge and skills. It is important to maintain a comfortable temperature - about 23 degrees, provide the necessary humidity (at least 70%), equip the terrarium with snags, twigs, plants. If these conditions are not met, the animal may die.

Woodworms choose regions with a temperate climate, humid mixed and tropical forests for life. Only a few species prefer to settle directly in lakes and ponds. In this case, they give preference to reservoirs, lakes, ponds with dense vegetation, where many insects live.

What does the tree frog eat?

Photo: Poison tree frog

Absolutely all amphibians are carnivores. Tree frogs are no exception. The diet depends on the species of the individual, its size. They usually eat small insects. The diet includes flies, ground beetles, cockroaches, crickets, mosquitoes. Woodworms also feed on some invertebrates: small wood lice, slugs, earthworms. Only occasionally can frogs eat mice, young lizards.

Like most representatives of the order Anurans, cases of cannibalism occur among some species of treewort. This is usually the case for large adults that may eat the young. Today, tree frogs often become pets. However, this does not change their diet much. The owner of the animal must ensure an adequate supply of small insects. For the convenience of feeding, you can purchase special tweezers.

Woodworts eat insects and other food during the warm season. For hunting, they choose secluded places, disguise themselves among the greenery. The tree frog can wait for prey for several hours absolutely immobile. These amphibians usually hunt at dusk, at night. They catch small insects with a very long tongue, and they help themselves to eat and swallow larger prey with their front paws.

Frogs do not hunt in winter. They first find shelter for themselves and hibernate. During hibernation, the body's metabolism slows down significantly. Tree frogs survive solely on their own internal reserves. At the same time, the animal can withstand any temperature. Woodworts return to their usual habitat around mid-March.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Red-eyed tree frog

The tree frog spends its entire life in more often mixed, tropical, broad-leaved forests, river valleys, in bushes on the banks of reservoirs and rivers. Less commonly, it can be found in parks, gardens and even vineyards. In the mountains, such an animal lives at a maximum height of 1500 meters above sea level. A tree frog can be called a terrestrial creature, because it spends most of its time on the branches of bushes, on trees and in dense grassy thickets.

Some species of the family are diurnal, others are predominantly nocturnal. Amphibians are not afraid of heat, cold, which is associated with their cold-bloodedness. Only at critically low temperatures do tree frogs go to the shelter for the winter. They hide under tree roots, in silt, in hollows or abandoned burrows. There, animals fall into suspended animation, and wake up only in the spring.

Since ancient times, the wood tree has been considered a true “predictor” of rain. The body of an amphibian reacts to a change in the weather. Its color becomes darker. At the same time, tree frogs begin to scream more intensely.

A special feature of the tree is the presence of poisonous mucus on the skin. It protects them from various bacteria, viruses, natural enemies. Such mucus is produced more intensively at the moment of danger. In some countries, tree frog mucus is used to make medicine. It helps to cure diabetes, acts as a prophylactic against blood clots, strengthens the immune system. Also, on the basis of the mucus of the tree, quite expensive preparations are made to increase libido.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Tree frog

The tree frog's breeding season begins at the end of March. Lasts until mid-June. However, the season and its duration depend on the habitat of the frogs. In the mountains, the mating season begins about a month later. During the mating season, members of the family behave differently, depending on the species. However, one thing is the same for everyone - males attract females with the help of a throat bag that makes a special sound. Each type of tree frog has its own sound of the bag, so the “necessary” frogs respond to it.

If tree frogs spend most of their free time in trees, then for mating they descend to the ground and go to the water. It is in the water that eggs are laid, where the male fertilizes them. Only a few varieties of treeworts mate on the ground. In this case, the eggs are hidden in the leaves or carried on themselves until the tadpoles hatch. At one time, female frogs are able to lay more than two thousand eggs.

After ten days, the first tadpoles emerge from the eggs. Maturity may be shorter. In some species of tree frogs, it is only a few days. Within fifty to one hundred days, the tadpoles gradually become similar to adult woodworms. Full maturation occurs only in the second or third year of life. The overall lifespan of tree frogs also varies. Some species live only three years, others - about nine years. In captivity, such animals live longer - up to twenty years.

Natural enemies of tree frogs

Photo: Animal tree frog

The tree frog, despite its poisonous mucus, has quite a few natural enemies. They surround her from all sides. Birds, terrestrial predators, and larger amphibians prey on woodworts. Among birds, the most dangerous enemies of tree frogs are representatives of corvids, ducks, pheasants. Also occasionally they are attacked by storks, ibis, herons. They can pick up an animal right on the fly.

On the ground, on the trees, no less danger awaits them. They are not averse to eating foxes, otters, raccoons, wild boars, and smaller predators. The worst enemies are snakes. From them, the wood tree cannot hide even on a tree. The snakes are good at climbing them. A certain danger to tree frogs is represented by larger frogs, marsh turtles. In some way, the natural enemy of tree frogs are people. Many animals die at the hands of man during their capture or attempts to domesticate.

While adults have every chance to save their lives, run away and hide from predators, tadpoles are practically defenseless. They die in large numbers from various water beetles, snakes, predatory fish and dragonflies. In general, they are not averse to eating almost all the inhabitants of reservoirs. From complete extinction, the offspring of frogs saves their number. At one time, the female lays about two thousand eggs.

Population and species status

Photo: Green tree frog

The tree frog is an amphibian that is widely distributed throughout the planet. It is represented by more than 800 varieties. In general, this family is currently not threatened with extinction. The tree frog population is at a fairly high level due to their abundance and excellent fecundity. The species has been given a conservation status of "Least Concern". The risk of extinction of the species is very low. Despite this, the population of this animal in some regions is still declining.

This is influenced by the following negative factors:

frequent attacks from natural enemies. Predators, birds, large amphibians kill and eat a large number of tree frogs;
captured by humans. The venom of woodworms is not dangerous to humans. Such extraordinary frogs are often caught for keeping at home. In captivity, tree frogs can live for about twenty years. However, this requires the creation of all necessary conditions. With the wrong approach, animals quickly die;
water pollution. Despite the fact that tree frogs live mainly on the ground, the pollution of water bodies affects their population. It is in rivers, reservoirs, ponds that most members of the family breed;
massive deforestation. Uncontrolled logging deprives tree frogs of their habitat.

Tree frog is a very beautiful, extraordinary amphibian. Their interesting appearance is very attractive, but deceptive. Behind the bright colors, small size, there is a danger - the body of the frog secretes poisonous mucus. However, such mucus does not threaten human life, but after meeting with this frog, it is better to wash your hands with soap and water.

Date of publication: 19. 04.2019

Date of update: 19.09.2019 at 21:59

Author: Alekseeva Inna

Tree frogs

So far, amphibians living in water and on land have been described, but many of them decided to climb higher! Representatives of the family of tree frogs, or trees, (Hylidae) are especially popular with terrariumists. They spend most of their lives on trees and shrubs, and only occasionally go down. Some tropical species do even without these "visits".

They "take baths" and lay their eggs in small reservoirs, formed in the axils or rosettes of leaves, hollows of trees. Long fingers with suction cups at the end allow them to climb not only on trunks and branches, but also on smooth leaves, and in captivity on glass, easily holding onto vertical surfaces. In addition, tree frogs are able to make huge jumps, instantly “sticking”, for example, to the opposite wall of the room.

Many species are brightly colored, which is reflected in their names: "orange-sided", "golden", "multi-colored", etc. , although most of them are green or brownish in spots and stripes protective coloration. Three domestic species are common in Russia: common (Hula arborea), Asia Minor (H. savignyi) and Far Eastern (H.japonica) tree frogs. These are medium-sized (3-4 cm) frogs that lead an arboreal lifestyle. All of them are somehow protected species.

As an example, consider the common tree frog, which lives in the south of the European part of Russia, in the Krasnodar Territory and the Caucasus. But in some years with especially hot summers, tree frogs were found in the south of the Moscow region. The green color makes them completely invisible against the background of green leaves. Their existence is given out only by the sharp cries of males. Their singing can be heard at night and during the day, especially before the rain. Adult tree frogs usually live on trees far from the water, and young ones often stay on aquatic vegetation, sitting directly above the water (on reeds, cattails, reeds, sedges).

These frogs are active both day and night, but at night they feel bolder: they descend from trees and catch insects in the grass. They overwinter, burrowing into bedding or hiding in burrows, hollows, under stones. Before wintering, the color of tree frogs changes to a darker one. They prey on various insects, but prefer winged ones - flies or butterflies. Large prey, like other frogs, are stuffed into the mouth with the help of the front paws. For breeding, reservoirs are chosen, whose banks are bordered by reeds, bushes and trees. Females lay their eggs in spring, in large lumps, in several steps. One female can lay up to a thousand eggs. Very small tadpoles, no more than 0.5 cm, hatch after 10 days. Their development lasts for 3 months; the size of the tadpole before metamorphosis is up to 5 cm. The frogs become sexually mature at the 3-4th year of life.

More attractive for home keeping are tropical tree frogs, whose captive breeding is well established, and therefore some species are sold in pet stores. Most often these are Australian species: blue, or coral-toed, (Litoria caerulea) and long-legged (L. infrafrenata) litoria. These are large (up to 14 cm) amphibians of green color, sometimes with a bluish tint. Calm, even phlegmatic, they live great at home and are capable of simple training, so they often become pets. They require a spacious high terrarium. As a pound, a mixture of leafy soil, peat and expanded clay is used, in which plants with dense leathery leaves can be planted. At the bottom you need to put a wide and deep pond for swimming. When decorating the terrarium, you can use snags and tree branches that will protect the stems of plants from breakage. The temperature of the content is slightly above room temperature: 20-32 ° C. Humidity - about 80%. Food: crickets, cockroaches and other insects of suitable size. Frogs are very willing to eat flies and mosquitoes. They quickly get used to taking food from their fingers or from tweezers. Tree frogs can be trained to croak when the lights are turned on. In order for the frogs to start making sounds, they use a box of matches - just shake it next to the terrarium, as the males begin to "respond". If you do this every day when you turn on the light (lamps for illuminating the terrarium), then the tree frog develops a conditioned reflex - to croak when the owner approaches the terrarium and turns on the lamp. During the mating season, male tree frogs scream loudly on their own initiative, warning a possible rival that the territory is already occupied, and attracting females with their calls.

Outwardly, representatives of the family of copepod frogs, or copepods, (Rhacophoridae), common in Southeast Asia and tropical Africa, are similar in appearance to tree frogs. Some Asian species are famous for their ability to gliding flight using greatly enlarged webs between the toes of the hind legs. Most often, house copepods (Polypedates leucomystax), breeding in captivity, get to amateurs. These are medium-sized amphibians: the body length of males is 4-5 cm, females are twice as large. The color is brown with darker spots and stripes. To the conditions of detention are undemanding. The main thing that attracts the attention of lovers to them is the method of reproduction. The eggs are laid in a foam nest built by the parents. It is located above the water, between the leaves of low-hanging plants. In a terrarium, copepods build a nest on the side walls or just on the ground. After 2-5 weeks, the foam liquefies and the hatched tadpoles roll into the water. They feed small copepods in the same way as tree frogs. And reproduction in captivity is stimulated with the help of hormonal injections, which is not available to beginners.

Of course, representatives of the family of poison dart frogs (Dendrobatidae) are considered the “most-most” among tailless frogs. Incredibly bright colors, interesting behavior, beautiful "singing" and, last but not least, the deadly poison produced by the skin of some species, attract the attention of not only biologists and ecologists, but also a large army of terrarium amateurs. Fortunately, when kept and bred in captivity, the toxicity of the poison practically disappears. It is possible that it depends on habitat conditions and the type of food, but nothing is known for sure. Which allows us to recommend dendrobates as pets.

A group of poison dart frogs (1 male and 3-4 females) needs a spacious terrarium, at least 40 x 25 x 25 cm in size. The soil is a mixture of peat, fern roots and sphagnum. A snag with plants from the bromeliad family placed on it is obligatory. Ventilation required. Temperature during the day 23-27 °C, at night 19-22 °C. Humidity - about 70%. Lighting is a must; at the same time, it is desirable to provide for a daily 30-60-minute quartz treatment with a LAU-30 lamp. Food: small insects, spiders and other invertebrates; should be in stock, since poison dart frogs are very energetic frogs and in the event of a week-long hunger strike they can simply die, which is how they differ from their other cold-blooded relatives, who eat just once a week.

The reproduction of poison dart frogs is incredibly interesting, although very difficult for a novice terrariumist. A male sitting on a horizontal leaf of a plant, with melodious trills, calls females ready for breeding to him. Caviar in the amount of 5-10 pieces is laid directly on this sheet. The male fertilizes her, and then stays nearby for a while, moistening the eggs with his mucus as needed. Tadpoles hatch on the 10-15th day, and the father carries them on his own back in a lump of foamy mucus to the nearest reservoir: such a reservoir is often water accumulated in the axils of bromeliad leaves. The female periodically visits her children, laying unfertilized eggs into the water, which serves as food for them. The male defends his territory and his "harem" (usually he has several females), courageously attacking the male poison dart frogs of his species.

The following types of dendrobates are imported into our country: coloring (D. auratus) poison dart frog - black-blue or black-yellow, about 4 cm in size; small (D. pumilo) poison dart frog - usually bright red with black or blue legs, 1.5-2 cm in size; blue (D. azureus) poison dart frog - blue-blue with black spots, 4 cm in size; sacred (D. leucomelas) poison dart frog - black with bright yellow spots and stripes, 3.5 cm.

In terms of complexity of keeping, other amphibians of the same bright color can be compared with dendrobates. For example, harlequins (Atelopus) - small toads from the tropical regions of America and Madagascar mantella frogs (Mantella). Unfortunately, all these most interesting tailless amphibians do not live long - 5-6 years. (However, this is longer than the lifespan of a laboratory white rat - about a year and a half!). In addition, all exotics are poorly tamed, completely ignoring the existence of their own owner. Therefore, I do not suggest that beginners start them without fail - this is the lot of "advanced" terrariumists who have accumulated extensive experience in keeping amphibians in captivity.