**NOTE: At the bottom of this sheet we have provided specific information on each of the species we

sell**

There are well over 4,000 species of Frogs on the planet and they contain some of the most fascinating creatures of any amphibian genus. There are dozens of frog species which are incredibly popular with reptile hobbyists. However, since Big Apple only sells our own captive bred frogs we offer a select number of species that we found to be the best for captive care as well as multiple color morphs. This care sheet is designed to provide information on caring for frogs in general. There are some differences between the variety of frogs that we carry so please keep in mind that this is a single care sheet providing a basic outline of how to keep your Frog happy and healthy. Many species of frogs have entire books written on there natural history, care, breeding, etc. and we encourage you to find out as much about the frog you select to keep as possible.

 

HOUSING

Baby and Juvenile Frogs can be set up in an enclosure as small as a 10 gallon (20" x 10" x 12"H) but

adults should be housed in a larger enclosure of 20 gallons (30" x 12" x 12"H) depending on their full

adult size and whether they are arboreal or terrestrial. Some species can be house multiple frogs

together and some can only be housed alone. Some Frogs are escape artists, a secure screen top is

definitely advisable to keep your frog from escaping the enclosure. A Big Apple Acrylic Cage would make

an ideal enclosure... we'll be happy to set you up with the correct cage, heating, lighting and accessories

for your new pet.

 

SUBSTRATE

Substrate choices can include Eco Earth (ie. coconut fiber), Zoo Med Forest Floor (ie. Cyprus mulch), peat moss and sphagnum moss (We find that most people do a mix of these beddings). However, some people find that moist paper towels work well too in enclosures that are small and cleaned often.

 

HEATING

Frogs need a thermal gradient which varies by species but consists of a warm side around 85 Deg. F and a cool side around 76 Deg. F. The best way to heat your Frog's enclosure is with a combination of a heat mat and ceramic heat emitter. We recommend the Intellitemp Heat Mat and Black Heat Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter to accomplish the heating of your Frog's cage. The heat mat and ceramic heat emitter should be located on one side while the other side should not have any heat source. It is a good idea to control the ceramic emitter with a thermostat but make sure to purchase a quality thermometer to keep track of your warm and cool sides. Thermometers and thermostats are available in our heating supply section.

 

LIGHTING

Frogs in general should have a UV bulb to keep them healthy. We highly recommend a 10.0 fluorescent bulb. UV Fluorescent bulbs can be found in our lighting section of our reptile department. Don't forget that you must change your UV bulb every 6 months in order to maintain proper UVA/UVB..

 

SHELTER

Frogs do not need a specific hiding place per se but they do need decor items that they can utilize to feel secure like cork bark, driftwood or bamboo tubes. Please note that we have a large selection of decor items in our natural decor section in our habitat Furnishings department. There are a lot of commercial choices available for to use as decor items but if you choose to make some of your own please make sure that it is sturdy enough that there is no potential for collapsing and crushing your Frog.

 

SHEDDING

Like all reptiles and amphibians, Frogs shed their entire skin all at once. Providing a moist shelter is another way to have your Frog get the humidity necessary when it is shedding. Using moistened sphagnum moss or Zoo Med Forest Floor Bedding works well and both of these items are available in our bedding section. If your Frog has retained skin after shedding you can place the frog in a plastic container lined with warm, wet paper towels with the container lid on. The high humidity in the container should loosen the skin enough for it to come off on its own.

 

WATER

It is essential that you provide your Frog with a large water bowl. The bowl should be large enough that the Frog can soak its entire body in but not so big that it might have a difficult time getting in or out of the bowl. Place the water dish on the cool side of the cage so that it does not evaporate quickly. However, note that frogs often use their water bowl to defecate so changing the water is usually a daily chore. As well, if you use tap water you must use a product that will dechlorinate like Nutrafin "Aqua Plus" water conditioner located in our conditioners section in Aquarium supplies. The other option is to use purified or filtered water but most say the best water to use with Frogs comes from water that has been run through a reverse osmosis filtration system. Do NOT use distilled water.

 

FOOD

Frogs eat mostly what is in front of them but this does vary by the species. Most frogs enjoy crickets, earth worms, silk worms, wax worms, night crawlers, roaches and superworms. See our live feeder section of our website for a vast array of live feeder options that are shipped direct to your door.

 

VITAMINS

It is important to feed high quality live feeders to your frog but it is always a good idea to coat the feeders with a bit of vitamin and calcium powders before feeding them. We carry a full line of quality insect food and reptile vitamins and calcium in our Food section.

 

CAGE MAINTENANCE

Frogs require minimal maintenance and using one of our scoopers (for sale in our cleaning section) you can perform this task when defecation occurs. The bedding should be completely thrown out and the entire cage (including all accessories) should be washed with hot water at least once every four to five months. If using paper towels, change all paper towels at least once a week. Do not use cleaning chemicals of any kind as frogs are particularly sensitive and this could cause serious ramifications for your frog.

 

HIBERNATION

Hibernation is natural for some Frogs but we highly suggest that you heat your Frogs throughout the winter so that they continue to eat, drink and be active. A general reduction in feeding behavior is normal during winter months due to temperature fluctuations in your house. As long as they keep fairly consistent weight it is generally not an issue and normal feeding typically resume in the spring.

 

SPECIES SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Budgetts Frogs 
Adult Size: avg. 4 inches 
Food: crickets, mealworms, giant mealworms, super worms, earthworms, wax worms, butterworms, small grasshoppers and very occasionally fish and pinkies 
Day Temp: 78 F Night Temp: 68 F 
UV Bulb: Required 
Enclosure Style: Terrestrial with lots of plants 
Water: Shallow - 2/3 land & 1/3 water (Or very large shallow water dish) 

Fantasy, Horned & Pacman Frogs 
Adult Size: 4 to 6 inches 
Food: crickets, mealworms, giant mealworms, super worms, earthworms, wax worms, butterworms, small grasshoppers and very occasionally fish and pinkies 
Day Temp: 82 F Night Temp: 75 F 
UV Bulb: Required 
Enclosure Style: Terrestrial with lots of plants 
Water: Shallow - 1/2 land & 1/2 water (Or very large shallow water dish) 

Giant Pixie Frogs (African Bullfrog) 
Adult Size: 4 (females) to 9 inches (males) 
Food: crickets, mealworms, giant mealworms, super worms, earthworms, wax worms, butterworms, small grasshoppers and very occasionally fish and pinkies 
Day Temp: 82 F Night Temp: 75 F 
UV Bulb: Required 
Enclosure Style: Terrestrial with lots of plants 
Water: Shallow - 1/2 land & 1/2 water (Or very large shallow water dish) 

Red Eye Tree Frogs 
Adult Size: 2 to 3 inches 
Food: crickets, mealworms, earthworms, butterworms, small grasshoppers and occasionally wax worms 
Day Temp: 80 F Night Temp: 72 F 
UV Bulb: Required 
Enclosure Style: Arboreal with lots of plants 
Water: large shallow water dish but must be misted regularly as humidity should be 60 to 70 percent 

Tomato Frogs 
Adult Size: 2.5 to 4 inches 
Food: crickets, mealworms, earthworms, butterworms, small grasshoppers and occasionally wax worms 
Day Temp: 80 F Night Temp: 70 F 
UV Bulb: Required 
Enclosure Style: Terrestrial with lots of plants 
Water: large shallow water dish but must be misted regularly as humidity should be about 60 percent