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Green Tree Frogs are probably the best known frog in Australia. They make excellent pets as they are long lived,easy to maintain and seem very well adjusted to life in captivity. They will also tolerate a small amount of handling and for this reason have been very popular as children's pets. They readily occupy habitat that has been degraded and altered by humans and occupy rain water pipes, shower recesses, septic tanks, and any moist warm location provided by human structures. They breed in suburban ponds and swimming pools laying 2000-3000 eggs at a time. They are regularly accidentally transported all over Australia in produce like tropical fruit and plants. Prior to protective legislation throughout most of their range, they were deliberately collected in large numbers and sent to the southern states to supply the pet trade. Reaching an adult size of over 10cm they have been known to live beyond 25 years. When buying your Green Tree Frogs it is best to select young animals to ensure that they were not collected from the wild and that you are not inheriting problems created by someone else’s poor care. Starting with young frogs will also provide a long and happy experience with your frog. The following information should guarantee your success.

Frog Tanks and Enclosures

Many different enclosures can be used to house Green Tree Frogs as long as they are water proof, escape proof and non toxic. Our Exo Terra range of terrariums and our budget terrarium range are ideal as they are water tight and well ventilated. A standard 3ft (90cm) aquarium would adequately house three to four adult frogs. 18"x18"x24" would be recommend as a minimum for adult frogs.

Temperature / Heating

Green Tree Frogs must be kept warm. Prolonged exposure to temperatures below 10°C will result in the death of your animals. If you do not live in a warm climate the most effective way to heat your enclosure is by the use of an aquarium heater placed in the water. The water should be heated to 24-26°C and this should ensure that the air temperature remains above 18°C. A waterfall or some other form of water movement will increase evaporation and help maintain and stabilise the temperature and humidity of the air. If excessive heat loss is occurring, part of the lid may be covered with glass or plastic. Be sure however that the cover is not beneath the light fixture as it will stop the necessary UV light from reaching your frogs.

Lighting

Green Tree Frogs are largely nocturnal but they are sometimes exposed to some natural sunlight. It has been observed that in captivity a failure to provide ultra violet light has resulted in stunted and deformed growth. As they only require low levels of UVB lighting it is very important that you get the right spectrum globe for your frogs. A good quality 2.0 UVB is recommended and these globes are also good to promote plant growth. 10.0 UVB globes should never be used for frogs as the UVB output is too high and can seriously hurt or kill your frogs. 10 hours per day of light is sufficient. For breeding, you may need to alter your day length with the seasons.

Water

Maintaining water quality is an important part of keeping you Green Tree Frogs healthy. Chlorine will need to be removed from your tap water and the best way is with some Repti Safe. Your water should be changed regularly which will depend on how much water you have and how many frogs you have. A small filter, running water and some aquatic plants will all help to keep your water clean. Only change up to 50% of the total water volume at any one time and do not use hot water from the tap. Although Green Tree Frogs can easily climb glass, it is important to provide numerous escapes from the water especially in the corners where young frogs tend to get trapped. Small frogs are often too weak to break the surface tension of the water when they have nothing but slippery glass to cling to. Part of or all of your tank may be covered in water. Green Tree Frogs will successfully spawn in as little as 10cm of water.

Feeding

In nature most frogs are almost totally insectivorous. In captivity the tendency to use substitute foods is one which must be avoided. The most common dietary problems seen in frogs are related to lack of calcium or too much protein in the diet. Calcium powders are available at many pet stores and should be mixed in equal quantities with a multivitamin powder then dusted on food before feeding. Place your food insects in a plastic bag with a pinch of calcium/multivitamin powder and shake it till the food is well coated. By doing this about 1/2 the times you feed your frogs, calcium deficiency will be avoided. Feed your frog a variety of insects and invertebrates and you should have few diet related problems. Juveniles will happily eat flies, moths, small crickets and cockroaches, and should have food available to them AT ALL TIMES. If young frogs are kept warm and offered plentiful food they will reach breeding size in about 8-12 months. Adults will eat almost anything that moves and fits in their mouth, they should be offered about 10-20% of their own body size in food spread over 2-3 feeds each week. During winter or when your tank temperatures are reduced your frogs will need less food. It is important to increase and reduce food in both quantity and frequency with the changing temperatures of your enclosure. Remove drowned insects so as not to foul the water, or feed your frogs individually by holding the insects on some feeding tongs.

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