What’s The Most Popular Pet Frog?

June 8, 2022

Photo credit: Campbelltown City Council

The most popular pet frog among reptile-lovers is White’s Tree Frog, otherwise known as the Australian green tree frog. It’s cute, inexpensive and likes to be handled.

White’s Tree Frogs are a lovely shade of green similar to jade and have a creamy white belly. They have wide, grinning mouths and large, expressive eyes. They can grow to about 4 inches or more and do well in captivity, living up to 16 years in some cases. Exotic pet owners love the green tree frog for its gentle, calm nature. 

White’s Tree Frog gets their name from the surgeon John White, who had a passion for exotic animals and loved to travel and explore rainforests and other wild habitats. He named the green tree frog after his trip to New South Wales in 1790.

This particular tree frog is prone to weight gain, especially in captivity where they aren’t out hunting for food all day. Though, it would be more accurate to say, ‘hunting for food all night’, as the green tree frog is nocturnal. If overfed, they will get quite pudgy. Because of this, they get the rather unflattering nickname, Dumpy Frog.

White’s Tree Frogs are also known as healing frogs because of the therapeutic oils in their skin. These oils contain antibacterial and antiviral properties that protect the frog’s skin from infection and disease. Scientists have found these oils to be useful in some medical conditions, including HIV.

Are pet frogs easy to look after?

Though it may be said by many exotic pet owners that the White’s Tree Frog is easy to care for, their habitat does require some careful planning and necessary equipment. 

To keep them healthy as pets, their indoor tank needs to match their natural surroundings and the humid climate of Australia and New Guinea. High humidity helps to protect the frog’s skin from drying out.  Their tanks should be kept at a humidity level of 70 to 90%, which can be achieved by installing an automatic mister. They also like a good misting in the evenings when they are most active.

According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, the green tree frog can adapt to drier conditions but they prefer moist, forested environments. They enjoy climbing, so be sure to include lots of sticks, branches and plants in their terrarium. 

White's Tree Frog Habitat

Choose a tall, 15-gallon, glass or acrylic tank for your White’s Tree Frog to live in and avoid any kind of enclosure that will be abrasive to their feet, such as wire mesh. For bedding and ground cover, coconut fibre is recommended. 

To keep them warm, you will need a 40 watt bulb and a thermometer or thermostat to keep the temperature constant. Green tree frogs need to feed on live bait, including crickets, mealworms and dubia cockroaches. 

White’s Tree Frogs do enjoy being handled and interacting with their humans, but always make sure your hands are clean and free of chemicals before handling. All reptiles need to be handled with care as their skin can absorb substances from your skin that may be toxic to them.