Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea)

Green Tree Frog-This frog is a light to dark green with a well-defined, sharp-edged white or yellow stripe on the side. They are found in the Southeastern United States. Green tree frogs are usually 1 1/4-2 1/4 inches in length. Males are usually smaller than the females and have a darker, dirty-yellow throat. Females are larger and have a white throat. Males croak and it sound like a duck quacking. They blow a bubble under their chin. They get their name due to the primary coloration on their back. Unhappy, cold, or sick frogs will loose the green coloration and begin to turn brown or yellow. Cage setup-Since your frog is used to a semi-tropical climate it will need a semi-tropical setup called a vivarium. Glass aquariums work the best because they are easy to clean and have good visibility. I suggest at least a ten gallon tank with a screen lid. Since this is a tree frog a cage that is taller than it is longer would work best. As for a substrate you can use larger pebbles or small rocks nothing small enough to swallow. You can use Astroturf or reptile carpeting. For cage furniture, you can use driftwood, cork bark, sticks and branches (warning: anything from outdoors needs to be soaked in a weak bleach solution overnight to kill bacteria or bugs. Soak everything a couple hours in plain water to remove all the bleach). Plants that are not poky or sharp can be added for you frogs enjoyment Your frogs will also need a shallow dish of water easy to get in and out of as they are poor swimmers. They do not drink they absorb water through their skin so this is a must. Be sure to change the water daily to prevent bacterial infections. Misting the frogs daily is also enjoyed by the frogs. Food-these frogs are insectivores and eat small insects that will easily fit in their mouths. Crickets seem to be the choice food recommended by professionals. They will eat almost any bug small enough to fit in their mouth. You need to coat the food with calcium and multi-vitamin supplements at least once a week but not at every feeding. It is suggested that you feed 2-3 crickets every 2-3 days. Lighting-Since these frogs are nocturnal they do not need any special lighting, although it is beneficial to the plants if you have any. If you have a light make sure it is on top the screen so the frogs won't get on it. They seem to like to get close to the light. Heating-Heat is not necessary if the cage is kept where it is warm 65-80F, if you are comfortable usually the frogs are too. If the cage is kept in a cooler place under tank heater situated only under one end (so if they get hot they can move). Another way of heating is to place a light above the enclosure (above the screen cover) on one side no higher than 15watts. Cleaning-Once a week you should clean the cage. Do not use soap. I use a weak bleach solution and make sure it is rinsed to where there are no fumes left. Make sure to empty the water dish daily and give fresh water to prevent bacterial infections. Green Tree Frog Friends?-Be very careful when mixing breeds of frogs because the larger ones will eat the smaller ones. Make sure whatever cage mates they are about the same size. Compatible cage mates: (all large enough to not be eaten) land snails, anoles, other tree frogs, (watch the snails though they eat you're plants if your not careful). Incompatible cage mates: newts, crabs, and larger frogs.

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