What to feed baby tree frogs

What Do Tree Frogs Eat?

Written by Dana Mayor

Updated: October 23, 2022

Key Points

In spite of their name, certain varieties of this amphibian are capable of surviving in regions which are not heavily forested.

A viscoelastic tongue and adhesive toepads make them excellent hunters.

Although they are mainly insectivorous, certain of them are not averse to attacking and devouring other tree frogs, as well.

There are over 700 different species of tree frog in existence — and while they can vary pretty significantly in terms of both physiology and habits, their shared ancestry ensures that most of them enjoy similar diets and employ similar methods of hunting prey and evading predators. They also share similar ecosystems — because while tree frogs are present on every continent other than Antarctica, over 75% of them are native to Central and South America. Not every species of tree frog spends the majority of their time in trees, but their dietary and hunting habits were developed explicitly for survival in the rainforest. Despite this specificity, some tree frogs have adapted to live in or near marshes, lakes, or ponds where trees aren’t as plentiful.

Most adult tree frog species are insectivores with opportunistic feeding patterns — adjusting their diets to accommodate environmental availability but feeding exclusively on insects and other invertebrates with a rare few exceptions. The American green tree frog is dispersed throughout major portions of the United States, and the swampy habitats they prefer to result in diets rich in mosquitos and flies. The gray tree frog is a close relative to the green tree frog that can be found in Missouri. Ants make up roughly 40% of their diet, while beetles constitute about 30%. Like the green tree frog, the distinctive and iconic red-eyed tree frog has a rich diet of flying insects that include flies, moths, and grasshoppers. The red-eyed tree frog also sometimes cannibalizes smaller frogs — a habit that’s shared with invasive species like the Cuban and Japanese tree frogs but one that’s not shared by the gray tree frog.

The adult tree frog may be a pure insectivore, but baby frogs need to work their way up to that. Tadpoles will typically feed on a diet of algae and other aquatic plants. As they grow from their baby stage into adulthood, they’ll begin to adopt a more carnivorous diet. Vegetable matter is both small enough for them to easily consume and rich in vitamin C that they need to grow to adulthood.

What Do Tree Frogs Eat in Captivity vs in the Rainforest?

Environmental variables have led to different tree frogs having slightly different diets, but these distinctions are much less important for pet frogs. Whether you have a pet gray tree frog or a red-eyed tree frog, the food to feed them is going to be essentially the same. Pet tree frogs in captivity should be fed an exclusive insectivore diet. Crickets and grasshoppers are popular food choices because they’re readily available in pet supply stores and are high in protein. Bait worms are also popular choices, and a varied diet is best for these opportunistic insectivores.

Regardless of species, most tree frogs eat a diet that includes:

Flying insects (flies, moths, crickets)
Terrestrial insects (beetles, ants)
Plankton and algae (as tadpoles)
Worms (mealworms, waxworms)
Smaller frogs (rare species)

How Do Tree Frogs Hunt For Food?

Tree frogs rely on their tongues to catch prey.

©Brandon Alms/Shutterstock.com

Now we’ve explored the answers to the question, “what do tree frogs eat?” in detail, it is time to take a look at just how they get their food. As with most other frog varieties, tree frogs rely on their incredible tongues to catch prey. Frog saliva can function as both a solid and a liquid, and that lends it an incredible sense of adhesion and can operate at speeds of up to four meters per second. It’s an incredibly effective tool for hunting down insects, but the tree frog is further assisted by their adhesive feet. The pads on their toes are filled with fluids that help them stick to surfaces, and they can adjust to accommodate a wide variety of different textures by adjusting the grip of their long toes. Arboreal tree frog species take advantage of these skills to get close to getting hunting spots and within reach of flying prey.

Tree frogs have exceptional eyesight that functions well at night. Naturally, they operate as nocturnal hunters. Their forward-facing eyes give them a narrower field of view but allow them to follow insects more closely and strike with precision. The primary factor in what insects end up dinner and which getaway comes down to how much they move. The American green tree frog, in particular, tends to prioritize frequently moving prey over larger prey — suggesting that motion is the primary trigger for an attack. That’s a smart evolutionary adaptation considering that frogs can’t chew and need to swallow their prey whole. There’s even some evidence that frogs have developed a preference for specific prey based on their movement patterns — a possibility reflected in the fact that the green frog prioritized common flies over four different mosquito species.

What Animals Eat Tree Frogs?

Having explored the topic “what do tree frogs eat?” in depth, it is only natural to explore what loves to eat these arboreal amphibians too.

Being nocturnal also helps tree frogs elude potential predators, of which there are many. Arboreal tree frogs are often targeted by any number of different bird species ranging in size from blue jays to hawks and owls. Species that live in or near water can sometimes find themselves hunted by larger fish. Tadpoles and baby tree frogs are especially prone to aquatic predation, and many species are in the habit of only laying eggs in bodies of water without fish. All species have to reckon with mammals, snakes, and reptiles.

In the rainforest, frogs are most at risk while traveling to breeding sites as this requires them to venture out onto open earth. Common mammalian threats include squirrels, raccoons, and otters — all creatures that combine tremendous dexterity with above-average eyesight. While many of these predators can climb trees, many tree frog species possess camouflage that gives them the upper hand in treetop canopies. Other tree frog species take an opposite tact and bear bright and vibrant colors. These can either be a warning to predators that the frog is poisonous or an attempt to confuse their sense of vision.

Perhaps the most dangerous threat to tree frogs are snakes like the tree boa and rat snake. These serpents are strong climbers who can track the chemicals a frog leaves behind. Humans don’t eat any tree frog species, but they do contribute to habitat destruction and capture them to be sold in captivity. The tree frog pet trade has led to the spread of invasive species like the Japanese tree frog.

Up Next…

Keep reading these posts for more incredible information about key animal facts.

What Eats Snakes? 10 Animals That Eat Snakes: A fearsome reputation makes it difficult to imagine them as prey. But they are. Read about the animals which consider them just that.

What Do Snapping Turtles Eat? They’re aggressive and will go after what they want. Find out what vanishes between those snapping jaws.

What Do Axolotls Eat? Their innocuous appearance notwithstanding, these underwater chameleons are strictly carnivorous. Discover their favorite prey here.

What Do Baby Tree Frogs Eat?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tree frogs are amazing creatures, and there are dozens of species that may be kept as pets. The American Green Tree Frog is the most frequently encountered variety, and it’s also one of the simplest to care for. If you’re interested, they’re quite stunning frogs. They should not be touched and prefer to live alone. These little frogs may live for up to five years in captivity if given proper care and nutrition.

Tree frogs are found in a variety of hues, ranging from green to brown to gray. It’s been discovered that most of the brightly colored tree frogs are harmful. Some species have the ability to alter their coloration in order to blend in with their environment. Their bodies may be marked by lines, spots, and other patterns. Tree frogs have a tiny body and range in size from 1 to 5.5 inches long, weighing between 2 and 17 grams. These frogs may live for two to four years or more and are well adapted to arboreal life because of their powerful and lengthy legs that allow them to leap and climb. The toes of tree frogs are sticky, and they use them to cling to stems, branches, and leaves. Their large, round, and protruding eyes give them binocular vision. Tree frogs’ tongues are sticky in order for them to capture their food.

What Do Baby Tree Frogs Eat?

Tree frogs are generally nocturnal, but if they’re hungry, they may go out and forage during the day. Their diet varies somewhat by species and geographic location, although it is mostly carnivorous in nature. Some species, especially the larger ones, consume worms, insects, and small invertebrates. It’s also been reported that certain kinds, particularly the bigger ones, prey on rodents, other frogs, and tiny fish. The Cuban tree frog is famous for its feeding habits since it is the biggest tree frog in North America.

They can hunt and feed on a wide range of prey, including insects, spiders, snails, snakes, other frogs, lizards, bird hatchlings, and crustaceans, and more!

What Do Baby Tree Frogs Eat in Captivity? Baby Tree Frogs Feed on Many Insects, including Mealworms

The majority are beautiful in appearance and calm in disposition. Some species are highly sought after as pets. The green tree frog, especially the American green tree frog, Australian green tree frog, and red-eyed frogs are among the most popular. Keeping a tree frog as a pet, however, may appear to be simple. You must have considerable expertise in frog care if you want to keep one successfully. Their demands vary depending on the species and size of the animal.

You will need a supply of live crickets, mealworms, and flies to feed your pet tree frogs. As previously said, you must satisfy their particular demands. Green tree frogs eat crickets, mealworms, and earthworms. Alternatively, Pacific tree frogs live on spiders, flies, beetles, and ants. In general, tree frogs consume insects and worms. Ensure that the prey’s size is appropriate for the frog.

Spiders Form an Important Meal for Baby Tree Frogs

You may feed your baby tree frogs flies, cockroaches, moths, or other similar meals on a daily basis. Adult frogs require two to three feeding sessions each week. Every second day, feed your frogs two to four small crickets. Before you offer the frog, dust the prey with calcium and multivitamin powder. Water with no chlorine should be used to clean the frog once a day, ideally in the morning. It’s also advisable to have a separate feeding enclosure. Food, such as live crickets, can be purchased at the pet store if you’re raising a pet tree frog. Algae and pond plants are eaten by tadpoles, but they become carnivorous as they mature. Lettuce leaves may also be used to feed these frogs’ tadpoles.

Cockroach: Food For The Baby Tree Frog

What do Baby Tree Frogs Eat in The Wild?

Tree frogs that spend the majority of their lives on vegetation are nocturnal and feed mostly at night, but if they are hungry enough, they may eat during the day. Tree frogs, like other frogs, spend the majority of their lives in trees and tall plants, eating insects and grubs that abound in their natural habitat. Their diet varies somewhat based on place and species, although all tree frogs are carnivores by nature.

Snails are Tree Frog Food any day of the week

In the wild, most tree frog species eat insects, larvae, worms, and other small-sized invertebrates, while certain bigger ones may consume small animals such as spiders, snails, lizards, snakes, fish, and even other frogs.

In general, tree frogs are omnivores that will hunt for anything they can fit into their mouths as they move up and down the trees. They’re mostly nocturnal but are occasionally active during the day. They use their long, sticky tongues to hunt and capture food rather than stalk and capture it, although larger species may leap toward bigger, faster-moving prey like lizards. Tree frogs have tiny teeth, but they typically swallow their prey whole, so the type of food they can eat is limited.

How To Feed Baby Tree Frogs? A Baby Tree Frog in The Wild

Step 1

In a 76 L tank, keep up to two gray tree frogs. Gray tree frogs are lively during their sleepless hours at night, and they require a lot of room to swivel about. Provide a tank with a capacity of at least 76 L and no more than 2 frogs. Choose a tank that’s at least two times the length of the widest part. These frogs might feel calmer in an environment that is not completely open on all sides. Cover three sides of the aquarium with a black poster board to give it an enclosed feeling. Cover the outside of the tank with the poster board so that it does not get damp.

Step 2

To make a simple frog habitat, use coconut husk fiber or paper towels as a substrate. Soil or paper towels are also excellent substrates options. Large, smooth river rocks are also acceptable. As a result, it’s critical not to use aquarium gravel or tiny bark pieces since your frogs could consume them by mistake. The substrate should simply be deep enough to cover the bottom of the tank.

Step 3

Provide a variety of platforms, climbing branches, and hiding spots for your gray tree frogs. If you want to keep your gray tree frog healthy and happy, provide areas for them to climb and hide. Furnishings such as branches, hollow logs, driftwood pieces, or even lengths of PVC pipe can all help. Live or artificial plants can be used to create shade and cover around or over the climbing and perching areas. Weeping figs, hibiscus, or umbrella plants are all excellent living plants. If you’re worried about the frogs finding their food, stick to two or three climbing twigs. At the tank’s bottom, leave some vacant space.

Step 4

Offer your frogs a shallow soak dish. Keep a small bowl or dish in the aquarium for gray tree frogs to submerge themselves in and relax at any time. Make sure the bowl is continuously refreshed with clean, warm, dechlorinated water. Misting the tank’s interior several times a week may also help to maintain a proper humidity level. If your home is extremely dry, daily misting of the tank is recommended.

Step 5

Provide your frogs with a varied diet of insects. While crickets should be the focal point of your frog’s diet, you may also give them a variety of other invertebrates. Flies, silkworms, moths, earthworms, and waxworms are all excellent options. Sprinkle powdered calcium and vitamin supplement on your frogs’ food to ensure that they are getting all of the nutrients they require. Baby gray tree frogs must consume food every day, while adults should do so twice or three times each week. Crickets should be offered as a primary source of food, but occasionally in addition to another alternative, such as moths or waxworms, as a treat. Gray tree frogs will usually consume 3 to 6 crickets or other similarly sized invertebrates at one feeding.

What are The Natural Predators of Baby Tree Frogs?

The tree frog family contains 360 species, including baby tree frogs or hylids, which may be found all over the world. Australia and New Guinea are home to more than 700 different species. Hylids span a wide variety of habitats and lifestyles. Certain tree frogs may be found on the ground or even underground. They can survive despite tremendous predation everywhere they reside, owing to the fact that snakes, birds, carnivorous animals, and fish apply great harm.

Snakes

Snakes are notable predators of tree frogs. They primarily search for food using chemical indicators rather than visual ones, eliminating the camouflage advantage that tree frogs have. Snakes in general are skilled climbers that can climb trees, as well as tree frogs. Rat snakes and tree boas are two species that prey heavily on frogs.

Carnivorous Mammals

Squirrels, raccoons, and otters are all predators of tree frogs. The acute eyesight and nimble hands of these two species aid in the detection and capture of amphibian food. Tree frogs may be captured in trees, but they are most frequently caught when traveling to and from breeding sites. Bats have been observed discriminating edible species from poisonous ones based on their calls alone.

Birds

Bats, for example, have excellent eyesight and can spot even the most well-camouflaged tree frogs. The bird-poop frog, for example, attempts to avoid notice from birds by mimicking something the birds never look for, such as bird droppings. Red-shouldered hawks, blue jays, and owls are all species that consume tree frogs.

Fish

It’s vital to remember that most frogs, including tree frogs, begin their lives as water tadpoles. When a pair of common tree frogs reaches full maturity, it’s generally considered politically incorrect to kill them. Many frog species avoid being eaten by fish by laying their eggs only in water without fish, such as temporary puddles. This is known as “hydrophobia.” Green tree frogs are resistant to fish pressure, although the reasons for this aren’t well-known.

How Do Baby Tree Frogs Protect Themselves from Predators? A Tree Frog

Poison dart frogs’ vivid blue, yellow, and orange coloration is an excellent example of warning coloration, telling potential attackers to avoid. According to new research, these bright colors may actually be aiding the frogs in hiding in plain sight.

The dyeing poison frog, from South America’s Guiana Shield, an ancient geological formation beneath the northeastern coast of Venezuela and Brazil’s lowland tropical rainforests, feeds on plants growing near the ground. The color of the frogs is black with a brilliant yellow ring around their head and back, which may be broken or joined to form an eight. The pattern is unique to each frog, much like a fingerprint.

Predators generally avoid brightly colored frogs because they are poisonous. This, however, isn’t always the case. Naïve predators disregarded the warning while some birds and snakes appeared to be able to consume poisonous frogs without suffering significant injury.

Researchers wanted to know whether poison dart frogs employ camouflage in order to defend themselves. To discover out, they ran computer models of predator vision on photographs of the frogs. According to their findings, however, despite being apparent up close, frog species’ hues and patterns blend into the surrounding jungle as viewing distance increases.

To assess these outcomes, the researchers put model frogs on different backgrounds in a French Guiana rainforest to see how wild predators would interact. When frog models were placed on an image of barren soil or a colored paper square, predators attacked them more frequently, but not as much when they were on the actual rainforest floor.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.

What and how to feed amphibians?

A varied diet is the key to good health for your amphibian. In their natural environment, many amphibians are formidable hunters. For example, the American bullfrog usually feeds on bats and turtles. Chinese giant salamanders have been known to eat duck, and an African bullfrog was once seen eating 17 newly hatched spitting cobra babies.

Most amphibians prefer to get their food live. Many living organisms can become their victims, ranging from crickets and earthworms to roach and crayfish.

Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas)

The easiest and most affordable way to feed your pets is insects. Crickets, for example, are sold in many pet stores. But this diet definitely needs vitamin supplements.

First, make sure your amphibian food is the right size for them. Then, before feeding, sprinkle it with a supplement containing calcium and vitamin D3. Supplementation with calcium is essential to prevent the development of MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). This serious disease occurs when there are not enough minerals in the amphibian diet. Plant insects intended for feeding in a jar, add 1-2 pinches of mineral supplement there, close the lid and shake so that the insects are covered with this powder.

Use a feeding bowl or tweezers to keep the powder from falling off insects. Feed nocturnal amphibians such as the fire salamander at night. In the care of nocturnal animals, you will be helped by a lamp that emits waves invisible to amphibians.

Insect larvae such as maggots or mealworms are also very nutritious. These worm-like creatures are an early stage in the development of beetles. Use them before they have scary jaws.

Earthworms and coretra do not need additional additives. Dig up earthworms only where there are no pesticides. Place them in a cup while feeding to prevent them from running away and burrowing into the substrate.

Pseudophryne australis (Pseudophryne australis)

The smaller the size of the food, the better because smaller prey is better digested and, when the food consists of immature forms of insects, it contains less difficult to digest parts. While in many amphibians pieces of the substrate swallowed with food can be harmlessly removed from the body, in some they clog the stomach. Remove uneaten food before it pollutes your terrarium.

Try to meet the individual requirements of your pets. Some of them require a very specific approach. Tree frogs, for example, feed only on crawling and flying insects, while the red-eyed tree frog hunts only at night.

Whenever possible, offer your pets the insects you have caught. You can buy special traps, or you can catch them by dragging the net through the tall grass. This will be a good addition to your amphibian table. You can sort the caught insects by size using the appropriate holes in the container where you keep them.

Related article Worms are the ideal food for tailed amphibians

If you have insects, feed them food with vitamin supplements that your pets need. You can also give insects vegetables and fruits such as sweet potatoes or oranges. The amphibian that eats them will also get all these vitamins.

How to diversify the diet? Vary the types of food you offer your pets. In the pet store you can buy various insects, worms, beetle larvae, such as mealworm larvae or wax moths. You can buy earthworms and maggots in fishermen's shops. To diversify the diet of your wards, collect insects.

Paddlefoot

Strict feeding schedule . Try to feed your amphibians an average of 3 times a week. After eating, many animals stop eating, and you can remove the uneaten insects. Satisfy all the specific requirements of your pets. Small, active frogs, such as mantellas, need to be fed daily and given frequent vitamin supplements. And salamanders that feed on fish and earthworms, such as sirens, can be fed once every two weeks and not given any supplements.

Temperature . Metabolism in cold-blooded animals such as reptiles and salamanders depends on the temperature of their environment. This means that the higher the ambient temperature, the faster the metabolism and the more often you need to feed your animal. However, if the temperature is too high, they may stop eating or be unable to digest food. In many amphibians, the digestion process takes place at a temperature of +12 to +22°C, but some amphibians, such as hymenochiruses, require temperatures above +26°C.

Meat-eating amphibians. Some amphibian species are carnivorous. A toad-aga and a horned frog can eat a mouse or a whole fish - both are very nutritious. In the wild, tiger salamanders also feed on mice. But if you feed them rodents in captivity, then they may develop an eye disease - clouding of the cornea.

Tags: amphibians, amphibian keeping, amphibian feeding

Keeping tree mantella (Mantella laevigata)

Tree mantella not well suited for captivity. This species of frog is moderately poisonous. The poison is not dangerous to humans, but can cause local irritation. You will need a terrarium or vivarium of a horizontal type. It must be remembered that mantells are very dirty, so cleaning should be done every 3-4 days.

Tree mantella terrarium

Type: horizontal terrarium or vivarium, topped with a mesh cover.
Dimensions: size for 3-4 frogs - 60x45x40 cm, for 10-12 frogs - 90x40x50 cm. The substrate is changed every week. The same moss can be used (up to 3 times, no more!), for which it is thoroughly washed under clean running water.

Cleaning/cleaning: the mantellas are very dirty, so cleaning should be done every 5-7 days, if there are a lot of frogs - every 3-4 days. If the terrarium is not cleaned in time, mantellas get sick with various diseases.
Temperature: daytime - 21-25°C, nighttime - 18-20°C. Most Mantellas cannot tolerate high temperatures.
Heating: with heating mat (with thermostat) located under 1/2 of the bottom of the terrarium.
Lighting: Full UV spectrum fluorescent lamps. Daylight hours: in summer - 14 hours, in winter (November-March) - 11 hours.
Humidity: up to 90%. Once a day, spray with fresh water.
Plants: climbing plants (eg Fittonia, common ivy), spiral ferns, bromeliads.
Pond: shallow bowl (2 cm deep, 10 cm in diameter) with clean water. The bowl is placed away from sources of heat and light.
Decoration: do not forget to place strong branches with holes drilled in them, set diagonally in the terrarium. The holes in the branches are lined with moss, and water is regularly sprayed into them. If desired, you can add stones and everything that creates hidden and elevated places.

Related article Tree Mantella (Mantella laevigata)

Feeding tree mantella

Can be given: Variety should be observed when feeding mantella. The tree mantella is completely insectivorous, it willingly eats small ants, termites and flies. All insects must be free from pesticides and pesticides.
Do not feed: mealworm.
Frequency of feeding: adults - once a day, young (growing) - several times a day. Beware of overfeeding Mantell!
Water: changed every day.
Mineral/Vitamin: Sprinkle insects 1-2 times a week with powdered calcium and vitamins.

Socialization / domestication

Compatibility: cannibalism is very pronounced. Only 1-2 strongest tadpoles survive.
Character: aggression towards his own kind is not expressed.

Behavior

Psychology: in captivity the tree mantella likes to sit on high ground.
Voice: males sing throughout the day.

Tree Mantella Breeding

Preparation: Under favorable conditions, males become territorial and begin to sing. If the territoriality of males is weakly expressed, they do not sing well, increase the amount of food, and on warm days, spray water over the substrate. Mantell courtship occurs secretly, under bark or logs. Eggs should not be touched for 10-12 days after laying.
Adjustable terrarium/aquarium: water temperature for tadpoles is maintained between 21-25.5°C.
Male to female ratio: 2-3:1
Egg incubation period: When Mantellas are bred in captivity, there is a high percentage of unfertilized eggs. Therefore, if within 18-30 hours after laying, no signs of embryo development are observed in the eggs, it means that they have not been fertilized.
Offspring: larvae hatch within 2-6 days. Spray the eggs regularly with water. During the entire period of development of tadpoles, be sure to purify the water from the excrement of tadpoles. To tear off the tail of the tadpoles, you need to prepare additionally: they make a gentle bank, which is lined with moss so that the frogs can get out of the water. As soon as the tree mantella came out on land and grew to 5-10 mm, it must be placed in a separate plastic container (the bottom of the container is lined with moss), do not forget to put a small bowl (2.