Frog Basics

Just the Basics. We didn't write a book...

Pacman Frogs

Pacmans are a terrestrial frog that tends to sit in one place for quite a while. They come in a dozen or so color combinations and get quite big. They get their name from their big mouth that can eat food almost as big as they are, like the video game of the same name.

White's Tree Frog

A very easy to care for tree frog, also known as the Dumpy Frog. One of the few tree frogs that is commonly available as captive bred specimens, and do very well in bio active setups.

Pixie Frog

The Pixie Frog, or African Bullfrog, is very similar to the pacman frog in care. They can actually get bigger than pacmans though! There are not usually any specific color morphs available.

Care in Captivity

Please keep in mind there are many, many ways to keep your pet We encourage you to research and learn more all the time. Please feel free to look at how we keep our animals in the shop and ask questions.

The single most important factor when maintaining frogs is water. Bad water equals dead frog. Frogs literally soak water in from their entire body, so bad or polluted water affects them fast, and hard. Straight tap water will kill a frog in minutes. So we recommend treating their water like you would an aquarium (where fish breathe the stuff). Use a dechlorinater for tap water, or good quality filtered or bottled water.

Substrate. Generally the more natural the better. We use mostly Eco Earth from Zoo Med, or Reptisoil, also from Zoo Med. Add some reptile safe moss on top, and keep it all moist at all times. Not swampy wet, but moist. For pacmans and pixies, change the substrate every couple weeks. They sit in it. And poop. Tree Frogs can go a lot longer, especially in a bioactive type set up.

Decor, for the terrestrial species keep it simple. It's there for you. Not them. For tree frogs, give them climbing areas, vines and plants. Live plants are best. If the plants look wilty or dry, your frog isn't happy either. Use lights to keep the plants healthy, and the frog will be happy too.

Temperature is usually upper 70s to low 80s. Humidity 50% to 70%. Notice that is not 100% humidity. They like it moist, not swampy. Too wet can be as bad as too dry. Standing water tends to grow nasty stuff. So not good. Mist your frogs daily as necessary. That will change as the seasons do. During the winter months your home HVAC system will likely dry the air out more.

For feeding, it is bugs all the way. Pacmans and Pixies will take insects off of feeding tongs, or loose. Be careful with loose crickets etc in their cages, if they aren't hungry they will ignore them. Even if the cricket starts chewing on them. Tree frogs tend to eat mostly at night, so letting them loose there is the only way. They tend to be better about getting rid of pesky bugs. The joke amongst tree frog people is you can tell if they are eating, as there will be poop on the glass when they are done...

Generally speaking it is best not too handle your frogs unless necessary. They can absorb any chemicals on your skin and be harmed by them. Rinse your hands in clean water before handling, then wash with soap and water after. Hand sanitizer can be deadly to them, so never use it before picking up a frog.