White-Lipped Tree Frog Reproduction

Named for the white stripe on its lower lip, the white-lipped tree frog lives in humid environments in Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Its green and white body can grow up to five inches long, making it the largest documented tree frog in the world. Recently, the white-lipped tree frog has become popular as a terrarium pet. Adults, though sometimes difficult to breed, will mate in captivity under the right conditions.

  1. Terrarium Needs

    • White-lipped tree frogs need a 20 gallon terrarium, at least. Since they prefer to live in trees, they also need a variety of vines, branches and plants with hiding and perching places. The base of the terrarium should be covered with natural substrates, such as soil and moss. These frogs need a shallow water swimming area, daytime temperature between 75 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit, and nighttime temperatures a few degrees cooler. Manually misting the terrarium with non-chlorinated water each evening will maintain the humid environment needed to keep these frogs healthy.

    Promote Mating

    • Female white-lipped tree frogs can begin breeding at two to three years of age. It is difficult to determine the sex of white-lipped tree frogs, but the females are larger than the males, and the males emit a loud dog-like bark as a mating call. In the wild, white-lipped tree frogs mate in the spring after the days begin to lengthen and the temperatures rise. Mimicking these cues by reducing the temperature and daylight hours in the terrarium for two months before increasing them to summer-like conditions will often promote mating.

    Mating

    • When the female is ready, she climbs into shallow water and lays her eggs. She can lay several thousand eggs at once, but may only lay a few hundred. The male then climbs into the water and fertilizes the eggs. Eggs will begin to hatch into tadpoles in two to four days.

    Tadpoles

    • The brownish tadpoles need to be fed once they begin moving around in the water. In the wild, they eat algae and water-borne bits of insects and plants. They need a variety of foods to mature into healthy frogs, and their rate of growth will depend on quality of their diet. Foods to provide include flaked fish food, leafy greens and algae. When the tadpoles turn into little frogs, small insects and meal worms should be added to their daily menu.