How to Make a 30 Gallon Frog Terrarium

A 30-gallon frog terrarium does not require many resources and is large enough so the only limit to the design is your imagination. Before construction of a frog terrarium you should always research the required environmental conditions of the particular species of frog that you are planning to keep. Ensure that the design of your terrarium will provide enough heat, humidity and light to keep your frog healthy and happy through its life. Most frogs available in the pet market require warm, moist environments, so terrariums are often constructed as living environments that can be lush, exotic additions to any room

Things You'll Need

  • 30-gallon aquarium
  • Aquarium cover
  • Small gravel
  • Large rocks
  • Small tree branches
  • Peat soil
  • Moss
  • Tropical plants
  • Small plastic bowl
  • Hydrometer
  • Thermometer
  • Misting bottle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Sterilize the aquarium, gravel, rocks and plastic bowl in a mild bleach solution, then rinse thoroughly with water. Ensuring the terrarium's environment is clean is essential to keeping healthy, disease-free frogs.

    • 2

      Place two inches of small gravel in the aquarium's base, then add a few larger rocks to create variety in the terrarium landscape.

    • 3

      Clear a space in the gravel to add the small plastic water bowl. This will create a pond environment for your frog that is easy to remove and clean when necessary. Be sure the bowl is not too deep for your frog; not all frogs can swim.

    • 4

      Wedge branches into the gravel and ensure their stability. Small branches create vertical space for your frog to explore and bask on.

    • 5

      Cover the remaining exposed gravel with one inch of peat soil, then cover with wet moss. Sphagnum or sheet moss is cheap and readily available at most hardware stores. Otherwise, you can add living mosses that are available through most terrarium supply companies.

    • 6

      Rinse tropical plants well to remove any pesticides, then add them to the terrarium. Plants provide micro-climates for your frog to hide in and help retain moisture in the terrarium. Aquatic plants can be grown in the water bowl. Various species of vines, bromeliads and ferns can all be used on the floor of the terrarium while epiphytes can be tied to branches. If enough light and humidity is provided, terrariums can come to life and thrive as mini jungles.

    • 7

      Ensure the aquarium cover fits properly and will retain humidity. If you use a wire aquarium cover, you can cover most of it with plastic wrap to help keep moisture in the terrarium.

    • 8

      Place the thermometer and hydrometer in a clearly visible location in the terrarium. Make certain that the proper temperature and humidity is maintained.

    • 9

      Add your frog. Mist the terrarium often to sustain the correct humidity level to keep your frog and the terrarium's plants healthy.