How to Care for a White's Dumpy Tree Frog

Native to both semi-arid and humid habitats of Australia, the White's dumpy tree frog (Litoria caerulea) is an adaptable and easy-going frog, making it a good choice for the novice frog keeper. These large frogs can be various shades of green to green-brown. Although these may be considered one of the easier frog species to care for, as a frog they still need very specific care in order to live to their potential lifespan of 20 or more years.

Things You'll Need

  • 30-gallon aquarium
  • Reptile bark
  • Branches
  • Live plants
  • Reptile heating pad
  • Frog food
  • Reptile vitamin powder
  • Water bowl
  • Water
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Instructions

    • 1

      House your White's dumpy tree frog in a 30-gallon-or-larger glass aquarium. This can hold two or three frogs, as they are not very active or territorial.

    • 2

      Use bark sold at a reptile retailer for the substrate. This will help keep the humidity higher in the tank.

    • 3

      Place several branches and live plants in the aquarium. The branches are for the tree frogs to climb on. The live plants will also help maintain humidity in the tank. Any small houseplant will work well. Ivy and ferns tend to do well in amphibian habitats.

    • 4

      Heat the aquarium with a reptile heating pad placed under the tank. The temperature should be about 78 degrees to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and about 10 degrees to 20 degrees cooler at night.

    • 5

      Feed the frogs every other day. They can be fed insects such as crickets, mealworms and waxworms. They can also be fed pinkie mice occasionally. Feed gut-loaded insects and dust the insects with a reptile vitamin powder prior to feeding one to two times a week.

    • 6

      Place a shallow reptile dish in the tank and keep it filled with fresh water at all times.

    • 7

      Clean the tank completely once a month. To do this, throw out the bark and replace it. Wash the tank with warm water only. If you do need to use some soap, use as little as possible and thoroughly rinse the tank. The soap can absorb into the frog's skin and kill it.

    • 8

      Wash and rinse your hands before and after touching the frogs. Any lotions or other residue on your hands can also harm your frogs.