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White's Treefrog
(Litoria caerulea)
Habitat:
Woodland or Basic Diet: Insectivorous
Adult Size: 3-4 1/2 inches
Lifespan: 15 years or more
Native To: Australia and New Guinea
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Did You Know:
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The White’s Treefrog
has thick rubbery skin with a cuticle
covering that helps it retain
water.
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Thanks to its
ability to retain moisture and tolerate a
variety of temperatures, it has become one of the most successful frogs
in nature. It can often be found in suburban neighborhoods and water reservoirs.
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The “white” in
its name comes from the scientist that
described the frog, rather
than its color. In actuality, the coloration
of White’s Treefrogs range from light
green to dark brown. They have the ability
to change colors.
The material
below is a general guideline, and is not
intended to serve as your sole source of pet
care information. Visit a veterinarian trained
in caring for reptiles and consult a broad range
of literature to ensure that your pet receives
adequate care.
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7
Things You Should Know About White's Treefrogs |
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The Basics: |
The White’s
Treefrog is one of the most popular
amphibian pets, because it's fun to
watch, relatively easy to keep, and
long-lived. It also tolerates a wide
range of temperatures and humidity
levels, and readily accepts most food.
This is a good frog for beginners, but
like all terrarium pets, it requires
extensive care from a committed owner.
Also known as the "Dumpy Treefrog," it
has a loveably plump appearance, which
is accentuated by its tendency to gain
weight, as well as the rubbery rolls on
its skin. Unlike most frogs, it has
horizontal, rather than vertical eye
pupils. A communal animal, it does
better when kept in groups rather than
alone. Females are larger than males.
Captive bred specimens tend to be
healthier than wild-caught animals. |
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Enclosure:
They Need
Space: |
Relatively
large frogs that can be active,
especially during
feeding times, White's Treefrogs need
space. A pair of adults should be housed
in at least a 40-gallon aquarium, with
10 gallons added for a third adult. The
enclosure should be
vertically oriented to provide the frog
with plenty of climbing opportunities.
Branches and plants should be arranged
diagonally in the tank to provide the
frog with a chance to
climb and hide during the day. Climbing
branches should be at least as wide as
the diameter of the frog's body. The
tank should be securely covered with a
screen top for
ventilation. |
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Substrate:
Material
That Is To Small Can Harm Them: |
Organic
mulch, paper and towels work well as
substrates. Avoid small bark and gravel,
since this enthusiastic eater can ingest
them. Aromatic wood substrates like
cedar must also be avoided, since they
can cause serious and even fatal health
risks. Substrates must be inspected
daily, so soiled
material can be removed. |
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Temperature:
The Upper 70's Works Best: |
White's
Treefrogs like a daytime temperature in
the upper 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit
during the day, and slightly lower at
night. They can, however tolerate cooler
temperatures, as long as the thermometer
is never allowed to dip below 70. If
room temperature doesn't suffice to
provide these readings in the enclosure,
a low power (20-watt) incandescent bulb
can be secured above the enclosure
screen. Care should be taken to avoid
external heat sources that are too
powerful for the size of the enclosure,
since this can result in overheating and
lower humidity levels. In all cases, the
temperature must be monitored carefully
to be sure it doesn't rise too much.
Never guess the temperature. Position
two thermometers in the enclosure at
branch level where the frog spends most
of its time, one thermometer should be
placed near the heat source, and the
other in a cooler section of the tank.
An enclosure should never be positioned
in direct sunlight. Important - see
the Note About Day/Night Cycles and
Heating below. |
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Lighting:
UVB
Exposure Is Essential: |
Although
they sleep during the day, White's
Treefrogs are exposed to ultraviolet
rays in their natural habitats. White’s
Treefrogs should be exposed to
supplemental UVB lighting, using a
fluorescent bulb designed for a frog
terrarium. Run lighting on a day/night
on/off cycle.
The fluorescent bulb
should be replaced every six months.
Glass blocks out UVB light, so overhead
light sources should be kept behind a
wire mesh cover, not a glass or acrylic
tank top. Important - see the Note
About Day/Night Cycles and Heating
below. |
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Note About Day/Night
Light Cycles and Heating: |
This pet
must have distinct day and night periods
in their enclosure to maintain their
biological rhythms. (See the lighting
entry above for the specific length of
this animal’s day/night cycle.)
The day period must be light; and night
must be dark. A timer should be
used to set day/night periods. If a heat
source is required to maintain correct
nighttime temperatures, use heat mats or
strips mounted below or on the side of
the tank, infrared heat lamps, ceramic
heat emitters, or a combination of these
products. This will allow the enclosure
to be heated while remaining dark.
Follow directions carefully with all
products. If ceramic heat emitters are
used always choose fixtures with
porcelain or ceramic sockets and to
protect against fires do not place them
by dry wood or flammable fabrics.
Ceramic heat emitters must be kept out
of the reach of children and all pets,
including dogs and cats. |
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Diet:
They Have Very
Hearty Appetites: |
White's
Treefrogs love to eat. As pets, they
will gladly accept any insect offered.
It's important to avoid overfeeding,
since they can become obese. Insects
caught outdoors should not be offered,
since they can contain traces of
pesticides. Gut loaded crickets are a
good choice of food, as are cockroaches,
moths and beetles, all should be dusted
with supplements. Adults should be fed
every other day, offering them 10-15
crickets per meal, while juveniles
(under 3-inches) should be fed every
day, offering them 3-6 crickets per
meal. Offer only as much food as the
frog can consume in a few minutes (2-8
crickets). The weight of a White's Frog
can be judged by looking at the
supratympanic ridges over its ears. This
is the area where the frog stores fat.
If the ridge is visible, the frog is
underweight and should be offered more
food. If the frog is overweight, the
supratympanic ridges will cover the ear
membrane. In this case portion size
should be cut. Obese, over supplemented
frogs have a shorter lifespan.Important
-- It is necessary to provide calcium
and vitamin supplements as part of the
diet. Please read the supplement section
below: |
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Supplements: |
Dust
insects with calcium supplement
and vitamin supplement.
As a rule, a growing
juvenile's food should
be dusted more often
than an adult's. Consult
product labels and
outside literature for
specific instructions on
supplementing.
Avoid over-supplementing
food since too much
calcium can cause gout
and calcification.
The following is a
possible supplementing
schedule for this
reptile.
Dust food with a
calcium/vitamin
supplement once a week
for adults, twice a week
for juveniles.
However, this
is only a general
suggestion -- the best
specific schedule may
vary depending on the
supplement products used
and other factors.
Please consult product
package directions,
outside literature and a
veterinarian to
determine the optimal
supplementing program.
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A
NOTE ABOUT WATER: |
All water given to this
pet for drinking, as
well as water used for
misting, soaking or
bathing must be 100%
free of chlorine and
heavy metals. (Not all
home water filtration
systems remove 100% of
the chlorine and heavy
metals from tap water,
so check your system's
specifications before
using it to filter water
for your pet.) We
recommend that you use
unflavored bottled
drinking water or
bottled natural spring
water and never
untreated tap water. If
tap water is used, you
should treat it with a
dechlorinating treatment
or allow it to stand for
at least 24 hours before
being introduced to the
pet's enclosure to allow
the chlorine to escape.
Do not use distilled
water, which can cause
severe medical problems,
since it lacks minerals
that are essential to
important body functions |
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Water and Humidity: |
White's
Treefrogs don't need as much humidity as
many other frogs. They can have a
relatively high level of humidity,
around 50-percent. The enclosure can be
humidified every day with a light
misting. Clean, fresh water free of
chlorine and heavy metals should be used
in misting and in a large shallow water
bowl placed in the frog’s enclosure.
Water level in the bowl should be
relatively shallow, and a climbing
branch should be placed in the bowl to
make it easy for the frog to climb out
of the water. Since maintaining proper
humidity levels is so important to the
health of this frog, it is essential to
use a hygrometer to measure them in its
enclosure. |
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How
To Handle A White's Treefrog:
Like all amphibians, White's
Treefrogs are meant to be observed and
appreciated, rather
than handled and petted. Frogs breathe through
their moist delicate skin, and this
important organ can be damaged when rubbed
against and handled. If it is necessary to
lift the frog, do so with great care. Wearing
moistened exam gloves, grasp the animal
firmly but gently around the waist, joining your
thumb and forefinger around its chest.
Always wash your hands, and rinse them
thoroughly before touching a White's Treefrog.
The skin of these frogs will absorb residual
traces of soap or perfume left on a hand. You
should also wash your hands thoroughly after
handling any frog.
Bright Idea:
When providing water for your amphibians, it's
critically important to use chlorine free water.
Over a period of
time the chlorine in tap water will cause
serious heath issues for
an amphibian. |
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Look Out For This:
A hearty eater,
the White's Treefrog can become overweight, so
care must be taken to avoid overfeeding. Since
it does eat with
such gusto, this frog is always at risk of
ingesting some substrate
with its food. For this reason any substrate
used should be in large
pieces, so it isn’t eaten.
Recommended White's Treefrog
Supplies:
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A secure
vertically oriented enclosure
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Sturdy climbing branches
and perches
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Foliage in the form of
live plants or artificial plants
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A large, but shallow
water dish with a climbing branch for
exiting
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A suitable substrate
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A UVB fluorescent light
source
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Two thermometers
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A hygrometer
- A misting bottle
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