Tree frogs are arboreal, which means they spend most of their time in trees. In captivity, they don’t have access to trees but branches, sticks, vines, and plants will keep them happy. Vertical space is a must. Terrariums at least 18 inches in height will suffice.
The overall size (width, depth, and height) depends on the number of frogs you’re keeping. As for the setup, well, that’s what this post is for.
I’ll explain everything you need to set up a great tree frog enclosure; from terrariums sizes and brands to helpful tips for decorating, and everything in between.
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Basic Cage Setup for Tree Frogs
Setting up a tree frog enclosure consists of creating climbing areas in a vertically oriented terrarium. Through the usage of branches or sticks, vines, and plants, a person can create the ideal habitat for any arboreal species.
It’s important to remember, this guide won’t work for every type of tree frog. Each one is different, requiring different temperatures and humidity levels.
The basic build will get you started, but it’s up to you to learn the precise conditions needed to keep your pet treefrog happy and healthy.
This can be accomplished by reading care sheets. Find out the recommended temperature, humidity level, and whether or not your special lighting is required.
These factors will determine whether or not you need more equipment like automated misting systems, foggers, UVB lighting, a heating mat, etc. Use this guide as a base example on how to set up a treefrog terrarium.
Step 1: Choosing Your Terrarium
Before you can do anything, you need a terrarium. Chances are, you’ve already got one but if you don’t, I’ll point you in the right direction. As I already mentioned, you need a tall terrarium. That is, something taller than it is wide. As for the terrarium size, well that depends on the number of frogs you’re keeping and their overall size once they’re full-grown.
- 12″ x 12″ x 18″ terrarium will house 1 – 2 treefrogs. Again, this depends on the type of tree frog and how big they get. You can put 2 full-grown Red-Eyed Tree Frogs in a terrarium this small because they’re not very big. On the other hand, White’s Tree Frogs grow much larger, so two of them would need a larger enclosure.
- 18″ x 18″ x 24″ terrarium can hold 3 – 4 tree frogs. So it really comes down to the full-grown size of the frogs you’re keeping, and how many you want in the same cage. Keep in mind, you can use just about any size container 18″ in height or taller. However, the two sized mentioned above are the most common sizes for tree frogs. They’re also relatively inexpensive compared to larger terrariums.
So, here are my recommendations. If you’re a first-time amphibian owner, I recommend getting a tree frog terrarium kit. Exo Terra, Zoo Med, and Zilla all have kits that work well for arboreal frogs.
You will probably still need to buy a few items, but as a whole, it comes with most of the things you need to get started. Otherwise, if you’re not a new herpetoculturistand you’ve got some extra supplies lying around, you may opt for getting just the terrarium itself.
Image | Description |
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Exo Terra Rainforest Habitat Kit, Small This is an excellent starter kit. Great for 1 – 2 tree frogs. (12x12x18) | |
Exo Terra Rainforest Habitat Kit, Large My favorite starter kit. Houses 3 – 4 tree frogs. (18x18x24) | |
Zilla Tropical Vertical Kit An awesome starter kit from Zilla. 1 – 2 adult tree frogs. (12x12x18) |
I did a review of the various frog terrarium starter kits and, in my personal opinion, the Exo Terra Rainforest Habitat Kit offers the best deal. Especially at the time of writing this guide, the small habitat kit is on sale for $85.06 on Amazon, plus free shipping if you have Prime.
I don’t know how long the sale will last, but it’s worth checking the link to see if they’re still on sale. As for the Zoo Med Naturalistic Terrarium Frog Kit, it’s kind of hard to find.
They’re sometimes available in pet stores but I wasn’t able to find one online. Anyway, once you’ve got your terrarium, move on to step 2.
Step 2: Preparation
Once you’ve purchased yourterrarium and you’re ready to set everything up, place the terrarium in the spot you want to keep it. When everything is set up, the terrarium will be heavy. Heavy enough you won’t want to be moving it anywhere. It’s a good idea to do the set upwhere you plan to keep it forever. Or at least for a while.
Before we begin adding things to the enclosure, it’s a good idea to clean the glass with a towel and distilled water. The only point in doing this is to remove any lingering dust.
Be mindful not use to chemical cleaners as it might be harmful to your delicate amphibians. Also, tap-water high in calcium will eventually lead to calcium build up. To avoid this, use distilled water instead.
Step 3: Add the Substrate
Now we’re ready to start adding everything into the enclosure. The first thing is the substrate. In most cases, this will be coco fiber or similar substrates. Because tree frogs are arboreal, they won’t be spending much time on the ground.
Either way, it’s best to give them a non-particulate substrate to save them from impaction. Eco Earth and Plantation soil are both great options. They’re cheap and come in compressed bricks like the one in the picture above. Follow the directions to prepare the substrate for use.
Depending on the requirements of the treefrog you’re keeping, it might be wise to set up a drainage layer. Typically this is only required when dealing with a lot of water. A custom waterfall, misting systems, etc. High humidity is a requirement for some frogs, but not all.
If you know you need a drainage layer, keep reading the rest of step 3. Otherwise, you can fill the terrarium with 2 – 3 inches of substrate and continue to step 4.
For setting up a drainage layer, you need a filter medium. Most people use hydroballs, which are great. I, on the other hand, recommend something else. Matala Filter isn’t designed specifically for terrariums, but it’s one of the best products I’ve ever used for a drainage layer.
So first, fill the bottom of the enclosure with 1.5 – 2 inches of hydroballs or use a custom cut piece of Matala filter. On top of that, add a substrate barrier; a mesh screen. It should allow water to flow through but keeps your substrate above the first layer. On top of the mesh screen, add your substrate.
Step 4: Add Branches, Sticks or Logs
Treefrogs and other arboreal species appreciate vertical climbing space. In the wild, they spend most of their time atop trees and other vegetation. As such, it’s recommended that you provide several climbing opportunities in the form of branches, sticks, or logs.
Which type of terrarium wood you choose is entirely up to you. High humidity enclosures would benefit from a hardwood, something that can be waterlogged without becoming moldy or breaking apart.
Should the enclosure not require super high humidity, a large grapevine will look nice. Regardless of the conditions, cork bark is always a good option.
You should strategically place the branches and sticks in a way to allows your treefrog several different climbing and resting areas in different heights of the enclosure.
Step 4: Add Plants and Vines
Plants are a must-have for tree frogs. Not only do they provide more climbing options and great hiding locations, but they prefer to sleep on leaves. My red-eyed tree frogs have their favorites, but most often I find them on the long, thin leaves that seem to wrap around them perfectly.
Whether the plants are real or fake, it doesn’t matter. Obviously, with real plants, you will need a low-powered grow light. Something designed for terrarium usage, with no greater than 5.0 UVB.
Another thing plants provide is a storage place for water. Frogs drink water droplets from plant leaves more often then they do from a water dish. It’s a good practice to mist the plants especially to ensure there are drops of water all over the terrarium.
Aside from live or fake plants, adding vines is a great way to create more climbing places. I personally haven’t tried all the different brand’s of terrarium vines, but I’m sure they all do a good job.
Step 5: Add the Small Water Dish
Even though tree frogs are amphibians, they’re not the best swimmers. They enjoy shallow water. So a dish small, shallow water dish will suffice (click here to see one on amazon). Having said that, the size of the water container doesn’t really matter.
What matters is the depth of the water. It’s important to note that tree frogs won’t spend a great deal of their time in the water. They’re more likely to drink water droplets left on leaves from the last misting. If no droplets are available or they simply want to soak their skin, they will find their way into the water dish.
Fill the water dish with clean, dechlorinated water. The water should be free from toxins. Tap-water often contains chemicals like chlorine, which are harmful to frogs and other amphibians.
So, if you chose to use tap-water, I recommend treating it with ReptiSafe or a similar water conditioning agent. For more information on this topic, check out my safe-water guide for amphibians.
Step 6: Add the Lights, Thermometer, and Hygrometer
At this point, you’re nearing completion of your tree frog terrarium. All that’s left is to add any remaining gadgets you need. These items depend on the individual needs of the treefrog you’re keeping.
Should your frog or live plants require special lighting, you can install that now. Other products include automated misting systems and foggers.
Those items, as I mentioned, may or may not be required depending on the species you’re building the habitat for. For all frogs, I recommend a nice .
Thermometers & hygrometers are fairly inexpensive and they measure the humidity level and temperature inside your terrarium. With this information, you can manually adjust the temperature by use of a heating pad or basking light. As for humidity, well, simply mist the enclosure using a spray bottle.
A hygrometer & thermometer combo can be placed in the top corner while an additional thermometer can be placed in the bottom. Checking the temperature at the top and bottom of the enclosure gives you a better understanding of what’s going on in the terrarium.
This is ideal for checking a temperature gradient, where the top of the enclosure is meant to be warmer than the bottom. Achieving a temperature gradient like this is most effective by the use of a basking lamp, which is positioned above the enclosure.
Anyway, don’t worry about doing this unless it’s a recommendation for your tree frog.
Step 7: Mist the Enclosure
Now that you’re finished with the setup, it’s a good idea to thoroughly mist the entire terrarium; the substrate, branches, leaves, and everything else. Don’t be shy, get the entire enclosure wet.
This is a great opportunity to ensure you’re hygrometer is working. If you notice the humidity level is dropping too fast, you might considercovering a portion of the screen lid with a piece of plastic or custom-cut piece of glass to increase the humidity in the terrarium.
After this, you’re ready to introduce your frog to his or her new home.
Introducing Your Tree Frog to its New Enclosure
It’s always a good idea to be gentle and patience when introducing your frogs to a new home. In most cases, your pet will be in a small, plastic container, especially if you just bought one from a pet store.
Otherwise, you may be transferring them from an old terrarium to the new. Either way, open the plastic container and set it inside the new enclosure.
Allow your pet to hop out of the plastic container on their own. Once you’ve noticed they’re venturing out into their new home, gently remove the plastic container and close the terrarium doors.
All done! I hope this guide has helped you in setting up the perfect enclosure for your tree frogs.