Care Sheet:
Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)
Author: Peter Child
General Info:
With the relaxation of Wildlife regulation by authories many people
have now discovered the fasinating world of frogs as a new and exciting
pet. This is of course assuming the the appropriate licences/ permits
are obtained. They are a simple yet relaxing pet that is easy to care
for.
Green Tree Frogs can grow to 10 cm (4 inches) for females, while males
are a little smaller at 7.5cm (3 inches). Largest known size is 6in/15cm.
Will live up to 15 years.Their skin is smooth and is bright green to
a dull gark olive green in color on top and the underside colour can
vary from white through to brownish white or pinkish. They normally
have a series of white spots from the corner of their mouth to the base
of their forearm. 
As with all tree frogs they are very good climbers and will often climb
to the very top corner of their enclosure to hide. Green Tree Frogs
have quite a large mouth and a corresponding larger appetite. Large
adults will quite happily eat pinky mice. Accordingly housing a large
adult with a small juvenile is asking for trouble.
As with all frogs is very important that they be handled only after
the hands have been washed, rinsed thoroughtly and left damp. Frogs
can absorb detergents and other chemicals (which are toxic to
a frog) throught their skin. It is important that frogs be handled with
damp hands as a dry hand will quickly dehydrate a small frog and caused
it undue distress.
Feeding:
Green Tree Frogs do well on a diet consisting of a variety of insects
such as crickets, cockroaches and mealworms. In reality they will happily
eat almost any bug you can find around your home. Personally I have
fed my frog: crickets, locusts, grasshoppers, cockroaches, mealworms,
earthworms, moths, caterpillars, flies, beetles, aphids, fruitflies,
termites, spiders and even small snails and slugs. If it moves my frog
will eat it. Adult frogs should be fed 3-4 times per week. Dusting your
insects with a vitamin/calcium supplement will ensure your frogs good
health.
With patience frogs will happily take food from your hand and will
even eat dead insects if you wriggle the insect in front of the frog.
Housing:
 Green
Tree Frogs can be housed in a standard aquarium, providing that the
aquarium is escape proof and it has adequate heating, airation and ventilation.
A screen lid is essential for proper air exchange. A standard 60 cm
to 100 cm (2-3 foot) aquarium is more than adequate. As your frog likes
to climb, the height of your enclosure important. Ideally your enlosure
should be taller than it is longer. Normal aquarium rock and plant can
be used to decorate the enclosure as well as providing a place for your
frog to perch and hide. (N.B. Any material you collect from your
yard (outside) should be soaked in mild bleach overnight (to kill any
harmful bacteria) and them thoroughtly rinsed and allowed to dry.) The
substrate you use in the bottom of your cage is very important. It should
be stones, gravel, bark and moss. However, ensure that whatever is used
is not very small as it may be eaten along with food. eg. rocks
- yes, pebbles - no.
A good substrate is a layer of potting soil, with vermiculite at the
bottom to promote drainage. The soil can be covered with orchid bark
for looks, although the bark tends to disappear into the ground over
time. A potting-soil substrate allows plants to be placed directly in
the vivarium, rather than in free-standing pots. If you add a few earthworms
into the soil; the worms will help keep the soil viable, compost fecal
matter and dead feeder insects, and incidentally provide occasional
frog snacks.
Ventilation:
Good ventilation is very important. If air is unable to circulate, the
atmosphere in the vivarium will gradually become foul and unpleasant,
at best and can lead to all kinds of fungal and bacterial infections;
if air circulates too freely, however, it can be difficult to maintain
appropriate temperature and humidity in the enclosure. Therefore it
is essential that your enclosure has ventilation screens on the side
and top of the enclosure. A piece of glass or other solid object that
can be used to partially cover a screen top, and slid on or off as necessary,
can be very useful in this regard. Side ventilation is best placed at
slightly above the water level.
 Water:
Anything from one quarter to half of the base of your enclosure can
be covered in water. The depth can be between 2cm to 10cm (1 - 4 inches).
Ideally the depth should allow your frog to have a good soak when it
wants to or to just hedydrate itself during the day or night. A shallow
area should be provided to allow for a soaking area that is easy to
enter and exit. This can be accomplished by using gravel or pebbles
to for a sloping beach area. Humidity should be moderate. Misting the
habitat once or twice daily will help maintain proper humidity levels.The
humidity for these frogs should be kept at or near 50 -80 percent.
N.B. They also tend to defecate in the water; because of this,
it becomes foul quickly and must be changed regularly.
Juvenile Green Tree Frogs are at particular risk of drowning. It is
essential that a small frog have some form of ramp, or a branch protruding
into the water, to climb out easily.. This can also serve as a way for
crickets (or any other live food) that fall into the water to escape.
Plants:
Live plants can be used in most frog enclosures to maintain humidity
levels and create a natural atmosphere. They also like to sit on the
leaves or hide under the leaves. Extremely sturdy broad-leafed potted
plants such as monstera and philodendron should be used since they can
withstand the weight of the frog. All plants which are purchased at
stores should be de-potted, cleaned thoroughly, and re-potted with fresh
clean soil. (Some nurseries will use fertilizers to provide plants with
nutrients essential for growth, these are chemicals are TOXIC
to frogs. When cleaning your enclosure you should also spray and wipe
the leave of the plant to remove any dust or waste that may have stuck
to your plant.
 Temperature:
Ideal daytime temperature for these frogs should range between 20 -
29 (68 - 84) degrees. This can normally be achieved throught the use
of a standard aquarium heater placed in the water at the based of your
enclosure. Reduce the temperature slightly at night. Extreme temperature
changes are stressful to your frog so use a thermostat to control the
temperature in the enclosure.
Lighting:
Even though Green Tree Frogs are normally nocturnal, it is crucial that
they get appropriate UV light and it is even recommended that black
lights are used. Some recent advice from a M.A.R.K. member has been
that he has noticed that the frogs in his possession will gather in
the corner of the tank when a small amount of natural light shines on
it in the late afternoon and just bask. More to the point he has had
significant frog losses when not using UV light and substantially less
losses when using UV lights in his tanks. Green Tree Frogs tend to change
their colour in response to light or the lack of it. During the day,
they are often a dull olive-drab color and change to a bright, porcelain-like
green after the lights go out.
Sexing
Determining the sex of your Green Tree Frog can be very difficult, especially
in younger animals. The most relaible method is to keep them for a while
and wait for them to begin calling, which I have observed them doing
once the males get to about 2 cm in length. If your frog calls then
you can be reasonably sure that it is a male frog as only males vocalize.
Females will occassionally vocalise but will only call if they are stressed
or hurt. Females are usually larger. Males tend to have a looser throat
which may be grayish. In breeding condition the males develop nuptial
pads on the inside fingers and front feet. Although if the frog is not
in breeding condition, its nuptial pads will be very faint and hard
to distinguish.
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