Red Eyed Tree Frog Diets

Red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) are small aphibians native to the low land rainforests of Central America. They are arboreal frogs that spend the majority of their time in the trees, using their sticky, suction-cup-like toes to attach themselves to the underside of leaves high in the forest canopy. Red-eyed tree frogs are a small species: males only grow up to two inches large while females grow around three inches. Like most frogs, red-eyed tree frogs are carnivorous apmhibians and actively hunt for small insect prey.

  1. Feeding Habits in the Wild

    • In nature, red-eyed tree frogs hunt for prey at night. They have large eyes and excellent vision that allows them to seek out small insects with ease. The frogs use their green coloration to blend in with the tree leaves allowing them to ambush unsuspecting insects as they pass by. Red-eyed tree frogs will eat any creature that it can fit into its mouth including moths, crickets, worms and even smaller frogs.

    Tadpole Diet

    • Red-eyed tree frogs lay their eggs on the underside of leaves high above the forest floor. When the tadpoles develop in the eggs they swim around and burst through the thin membranes, falling into a pool of water. All the tadpoles tend to hatch at the same time, which allows the fluid from the eggs to sweep the tadpoles off the leaf and helps them to fall into the pools of water below. Red-eyed tree frog tadpoles are tiny and feed primarily on algae and detritus as they develop.

    Froglet Diet

    • As the tadpoles develop they move onto land and then into the trees. Young froglets utilize the energy reserve stored in their tail as they fine tune their newly acquired motor skills to hunt tiny insects such as fruit flies and baby crickets. Young red-eyed tree frogs are brown in color, which helps them blend in with the forest floor. As they grow and mature their skin turns the characteristic bright green color.

    Diet in Captivity

    • Red-eyed tree frogs are popular pets due to their bright coloration and ease of care. The frogs are easy to feed on a diet of small crickets and fruit flies when young. You should offer small numbers of crickets to the frogs several times a day rather than a large amount of food at once. Red-eyed tree frogs require special amphibian vitamin mixtures that should be applied to crickets before feeding to supplement their diet and ensure they receive the nutrients needed for healthy growth and development in captivity.