How to Take Care of Frogs

Choosing a Pet Frog

Familiarize yourself with some good beginner breeds. The first thing to realize when it comes to frogs is that there are a huge variety of frog species available -- some are easy to take care of, while others will require a lot of time and specialist knowledge. If this is your first pet frog, it's highly recommended that you choose a suitable breed for beginners, like one of the following: African dwarf frog: African dwarf frogs are a good option for beginners as they are small, active and easy to take care of. They don't require live food and are complete aquatic. Oriental fire-bellied toads: These frogs are a good option for beginners who want a terrestrial (non-aquatic) frog. They are fairly active and don't grow too large. White's tree frog: White's tree frog is perhaps the easiest tree frog to take care of -- they are somewhat active, easy to feed and even tolerate being handled from time to time (which is unusual for frogs). Pacman frogs: Pacman frogs are large, terrestrial frogs which are easy to care for. They tend to be quite sedentary, which lowers their space requirements but may make them a boring pet for kids. As a beginner, you should avoid poison frogs or frogs that cost a lot of money. Poison frogs tend to be quite fragile and have complicated care needs, while more expensive frogs are a risky choice for people new to frog care. It's better to start with an inexpensive, easy breed and work your way up.

Avoid keeping wild frogs as pets. Although it is possible to catch wild frogs to keep as pets, there are several things you should consider first. Firstly, it can be difficult to identify what species of frog you have caught. Different species of frogs have very different requirements in terms of foods, temperature, and habitat so if you try to keep a wild frog in the wrong conditions, it could die. If you do decide to take a frog from the wild, make sure to take note of the surroundings in which you find it. Was it hopping around a leafy, grassy forest bed, hiding under a rock or swimming in a pond? These are the conditions you will most likely need to replicate at home. However, you should still try to find out the exact species of your frog, by searching for images online, consulting a frog book or asking a local nature expert. This will help you to identify the frog's exact requirements. Secondly, many of the frog species found in the wild are facing population declines or even extinction. Taking a frog from its natural environment could be harming wild frog populations, especially if it is an endangered species. Thirdly, sometimes wild frogs can carry diseases. Make sure yours is an active and healthy individual! In fact, taking protected species from the wild is illegal in some areas, so be sure to check your state/country regulations before capturing a wild frog.

Consider the frog's size and space requirements. The size of your frog (when it's fully grown) and the size of the tank it requires should be a top consideration when choosing your pet frog. Sometimes, the teeny-tiniest looking frogs in the pet store will become giant monster frogs when fully grown. For example, pixie frogs (whose name would suggest a miniature frog) start out measuring under an inch in length, but can grow to a length of over eight inches. Large frogs require a lot of space. For example, a fully grown bullfrog will require a 75 gallon (283.9 L) tank, or larger. If they are housed in undersized tanks, these frogs can become unhappy and sick. Large tanks take up a lot of space in the home and require more effort to keep clean. These frogs will also eat more food, making them more expensive to feed than smaller frog varieties. This is another reason to do your research and find out the exact breed of frog before you buy.

Consider the frog's feeding requirements. Before you jump headfirst into buying the cutest (or ugliest -depending on your preference) frog in the store, you should take some time to figure out what it eats. Most frog species are happy to eat crickets, worms (such and red wigglers and night crawlers) and other creepy crawlies. However, it's important to keep in mind that frogs usually prefer live food, especially if you're squeamish about that sort of thing. Larger frogs will often require more substantial food, which might include mice, goldfish or guppies. Providing your frog with these items can be a lot of work and is not for the faint of heart! In addition, you will need to consider where the frog's food will come from -- your local grocery store probably doesn't stock live crickets! Do you have a large pet supply store nearby which caters for more exotic animals? Of course, it is possible to find food for your frog in the back garden but this can be pretty time-consuming and unreliable. In addition, garden pests are often exposed to chemical insecticides, which is unhealthy for your frog.

Find out how active your species is. Another major consideration is the activity level of your preferred species of frog. This is especially important if the frog is a children's pet, as most kids want a pet who'll keep them entertained. A lot of the larger, cool or weird looking frogs are a popular choice among beginner frog keepers, however, these frogs tend to be the least active and will simply sit still as a statue and sleep all day. This can become boring very quickly. If you're looking for a more active frog, you're better off going for smaller frogs, aquatic frogs and certain species of tree frog, as these will often hop or swim around, making them more fun to look at. You should also bear in mind that even the most active frogs won't do much other than hop around or eat some crickets -- you can't take a frog for a walk, teach it tricks or even handle it all that much. Therefore, it's important to consider whether a frog is really the ideal pet for you (or your child).

Understand that keeping a pet frog is a commitment. It's important to realize that getting a pet frog is not the same level of the time commitment as a goldfish -- in fact, a large, well-cared-for frog can live up to 25 years! As a result, you need to be prepared to take care of your frog for many years to come -- to feed it, keep its environment clean and care for it when it's sick. You should also think about how you will deal with future vacations as someone will need to care for your frog while you are away. A willing volunteer can be difficult to find if your frog only eats live crickets or even mice! If you get a pet frog but discover it's too much work or too much of an expense to keep, you will have to get rid of it through the proper channels. If you picked a wild frog from your backyard or a local park, you should be able to release it in the same place you found it. Be specific and replace the frog as close to the original location as possible -- whether it was underneath leaves on the forest floor or beside a stream. However, if your frog is a store-bought, non-native species, you will not be able to release it into to wild. You will need to give the frog back to the pet store, sell the frog to a new owner, donate the frog to a local school as a class pet, or contact a nearby animal care organization.

Figure out whether you need a license. In some places, you are required to possess a license to keep certain frogs as pets, especially if they are endangered or poisonous. For example, the African clawed frog is illegal in states like California and Oregon, where it would pose a threat to native wildlife populations if released. Contact your local government office for more information on the licensing requirements in your area.

Housing Your Frog

Find out what type of tank your frog needs. Different species of frog have very different requirements when it comes to tanks, so make sure you do your homework before buying. Terrestrial tanks: These are the simplest frog tanks, but should only be used for frog species that come from dry environments. Aquatic tank: This type of tank is only used for purely aquatic species of the frog -- it is basically an aquarium filled with water, just like a fish tank. Half and half: This is the most common type of frog tank, where half of the tank is filled with water, while the other half is dry. Most frogs will do well in this environment. Arboreal tank: The arboreal tank is designed specifically for tree frogs who prefer to spend their time climbing on branches. These tanks are typically taller and narrower than other types of tank. Pond: In some situations, you can keep native frog species in a pond in your backyard. Sometimes simply building a pond will attract local frogs to your yard and you won't need to go to the trouble of catching them at all! However, you should never keep non-native species in an outdoor pond as they might disrupt the local ecosystem by feeding on native frogs and other endangered insects.

Place the tank in a suitable location. Once you have the tank, you will need to decide where to put it. It should be kept out of direct sunlight at all times, as this can raise the temperature, making it uncomfortable (and perhaps dangerously) dry and hot inside the tank. The tank should also be kept away from the kitchen, as smoke and other fumes from cooking can be harmful to your frog. You also need to be careful not to expose the tank to any aerosol sprays (such as spray paint in the garage or hair spray in the bedroom) as these can be absorbed through the frog's skin, potentially making him ill.

Fill the tank with the right substrate materials. The substrate is the material used to cover the bottom of the tank. Your main considerations when it comes to the substrate are how damp or dry the tank needs to be and how easy the material is to clean. Gravel stones are a good option for most common frog species -- the gravel is easy to clean and comes in a variety of colors and sizes. Other good options include potting soil, pine bark, sand, and cedar or pine shavings. Once the substrate materials are in place, you can set about decorating the inside of the tank to your frog's liking! You can cover gravel substrate with a layer of moss, which makes the tank look a lot more natural. Just make sure to keep the moss damp by spritzing it with clean, stale water every so often and remember to keep an eye out for mold. Placing a few rocks or stones inside the tank is also a good option, as it gives your frog something to climb on. Just make sure that the rocks have no sharp edges that the frog could injure itself on. You can also decorate your tank with plastic branches or small live plants while a hollow log provides a good hiding spot. Buy or make a colorful background for your tank, such as a rainforest backdrop, as this helps to keep your frog feeling at home.

Figure out your frog's light and temperature requirements. The temperature and heating requirements for frogs vary greatly by species, so make sure to do some research before you set up your tank. Unlike lizards, snakes, and turtles, most frogs do not require any special lighting, as they get all of their vitamin D requirements through their food. However, you will usually need to provide a light source for up to 12 hours a day, especially if the tank doesn't have access to natural light. Fluorescent lighting is the safest option for frogs, as it doesn't tend to get too hot. Hot lights can be dangerous if the frog decides to jump on them. In terms of heating, the ideal temperature for your frog will depend entirely on species. The easiest way to change the temperature inside the tank is to change the temperature in the whole room. Alternatively, you can buy heating lamps (which go above rather than inside the tank) or heating pads (which wrap around the outside of the tank) to raise the temperature inside. If you need to heat the water in an aquatic or half and half tank, you will need to purchase a glass tube or fully submersible water heater. Make sure to run any heaters a couple of days before you put the frogs in the tank. This allows you to monitor the temperature and makes sure it is right for the frogs.

Feeding and Caring for Your Frog

Feed your frog crickets (and other creepy-crawlies). As mentioned above, most common frog species will eat crickets, worms, and other insects, while larger frogs will also eat mice or goldfish as an occasional treat. How much and how often you need to feed your frog will depend on the individual frog and may come down to a process of trial and error at first. Try feeding your frog three crickets per day to start off. If he quickly eats all three and starts to look hungry over the next few days, you can increase the number of crickets. However, if he only eats one or two and ignores the rest, you may be able to cut back. You can also experiment with different types of food, such as mealworms, waxworms, and grasshoppers to see what your frog prefers. Aquatic frogs will generally eat frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp.

Keep your frog clean and hydrated. It is very important to provide your pet frog with clean water daily, as he will use it for both drinking and bathing. Frogs absorb water through their skin rather than drinking with their mouths. As a result, they tend to spend long periods of time just sitting in their water baths or ponds. This water should be dechlorinated, if possible. You will also need to clean out the tank every couple of days to remove any droppings, wipe down the side of the tank, check for mold or algae and generally maintain a healthy environment for your frog.

Avoid handling your frog. Frogs don't like to be handled, plain and simple. Therefore, you should try to leave your frog inside the tank as much as possible and content yourself with just looking at him. If you can't resist picking him up, make sure to thoroughly wash and dry your hands first and avoid putting on any lotions, as frogs can absorb these things from your skin and potentially fall ill. Be aware that he might squirm when you pick him up and potentially wet on you -- this is a sign that your frog is stressed by the handling and you should put him back in his tank as soon as possible. Also be very careful not to drop your frog while handling -- even if it squirms -- as falling from a height could seriously injure your frog.

Pay attention to the health of your frog. Once a frog gets sick, it can be very difficult to treat and the prognosis is rarely good. Therefore, the best way to keep your frog healthy is to prevent it from becoming sick in the first place. If your frog starts to look in any way skinny or malnourished, ask yourself whether you are providing enough variety in terms of food. A frog can't survive on a diet of crickets or mealworms alone. One of most common frog deficiencies is a lack of calcium, so consider sprinkling your frog's food with a powdered calcium supplement before feeding time. Watch out for signs of red-leg, which is a potentially fatal illness that commonly affects captive frogs. Red-leg manifests as a reddening of the skin on the underside of the frog's legs and belly, while suffering frogs tend to become lazy and pathetic. If you suspect your frog might have red-leg, you should scrub out the tank to remove the parasite, then give your frog daily sulfamethazine baths over a two week period. You also need to look out for fungal infections and illnesses like dropsy and spring disease. In these cases, you probably need to seek treatment from a veterinarian who can prescribe an appropriate antibiotic for your frog.