WHITE'S TREE FROGS
(Litoria caerulea)

White’s Tree Frogs should not be handled unless absolutely necessary - the oils found on human hands are toxic to frogs. 


HOUSING

You will want to use nothing less than a 30 gallon tall terrarium. A screen top is required for security reasons and good ventilation. Use a non-chemical potting soil mix covered with moss as a substrate: never use astro-turf, gravel, or anything small enough to fit in the frog’s mouth. Add some plastic/real plants (a spider plant is the best choice for live plants), smooth branches, and hiding places. Anything you collect from the outside must first be soaked in a mild bleach and water solution overnight, then soaked in water for another night and allowed to thoroughly air dry to kill any bacteria or bugs that may harm your frogs. Be sure the items are not releasing any fumes when they are placed into the enclosure. 

Your frogs should also be provided with a shallow bowl of 1 to 2 inches of dechlorinated water for soaking and defecation (this water must be changed every day or when dirtied to prevent bacterial infections). Add dechlorinating drops (can be found at your local pet store) as directed everytime you replace the water. Distilled water should never be used in a frog's tank! 

You should thoroughly clean the enclosure once a week: take everything out and rinse it and the aquarium under hot water (no soap). 


TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY

Temperatures should reach 86 F during the day, and drop to 68 F at night. This can be accomplished by using under tank heaters or a ceramic heat emitter (be sure the frog can’t come into contact with either source). Hot rocks should never be used with frogs.

It should be slightly humid in the enclosure. To raise the humidity, mist the cage and frog with DECHLORINATED & STALED water (add dechlorinating drops as directed and let sit overnight) a few times a day. 


DIET

Gut-loaded crickets (feed the crickets exotic fish food before giving them to your frog) should be the main food source. Before you give the crickets to your frog, coat them with a vitamin/calcium powder. Put the powder in a plastic bag along with the crickets and shake to coat them. Then put the crickets in with the frog. Freshly molted mealworms (should have their heads cut off before serving) can also be offered. Remove all dead or uneaten insects/food items from the enclosure daily. Fireflies, ladybugs, and lubber grasshoppers are toxic to frogs and should be avoided. 


HEALTH 

If your frog is cut or burned by something in its cage, remove the object and call a vet before applying any kind of medication - some antibiotics are lethal to frogs.
Fungal infections are very common in tadpoles and younger frogs. They look like inflamed areas of the skin surrounded by whitish threads. In its early stages, it can be treated by immersing the frog/tadpole in a 2% solution of malachite green or Mercurochrome for five minutes, repeated again after 24 hours. A veterinarian should be called if the infection does not clear up.
Red leg is a common disease in frogs caused by poor husbandry. It causes small ulcers, hemorrhages, and reddening of the skin around the belly and underside of the thighs. The infected frog should be kept warm (85 F) and immersed in a 2% solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate.
You should always at least consult a veterinarian if you think there is something wrong with your frog!


RECOMMENDED READING

All About Frogs, http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/species/whites.html

White's Treefrogs by John Coborn (1994)