GAIA EXOTICS
Species: White’s Tree Frog ( Litoria caerulea) and White Lipped Tree Frog (Litoria infrafrenata)
Place of Origin: Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea
General information: The White’s tree frog and white lipped tree frog are a medium species of frog that fair well in captivity and make a good starter frog. Of the two species the White’s is more commonly found and is a better choice for beginners. Both species have a average size of about 3”-4” with females usually larger. Sexing the frogs can be difficult in young specimens, but in larger specimens the males will vocalize where as the females will not. White lipped tree frogs get their name from a single white line located along there jaw. The white’s tree frog which is sometimes referred to as the Dump tree frog is traditionally a light green. But due to selective breeding they can be found in white, light blue, dark blue, and even a speckled variety. The average life spam for the two species is around 10-15 years, with the record being 22 years for a white’s tree frog.
Housing/ lighting: This species can easily be housed in a 10 gallon tank. The most important thing is making sure that you provide a secure lid. You can also house several animals together. You can house multiple males and females in the same enclosure without having to worry about fighting. The only concern when housing multiple animals together is cannibalism so make sure that they are all around the same size. The bedding in the enclosure should be one that holds moisture so a good choice would be bark or moss. Also be sure to provide a water bowl to help keep the humidity up and allow soaking. The enclosure should also have some decoration such as wood and plants. Make sure that the water you provide is not straight tap water. Provide either water treated with a water conditioner, bottled spring water, or water that has gone through a water softener. Do not use distilled water or RO ( reverse osmosis) since the filtration process often strips the water of essential minerals. If you choose to treat the water you can purchase a water conditioner from a local pet store designed for either fish or reptiles. Another method used often is to allow the water to sit and gas out. This method isn’t recommended, since many cities add Chloramines which is a combination of Chlorine and Ammonia and will not gas out.
Feeding: Feeding the White lipped tree frog and White’s tree frog is fairly simple, provided that you have regular access to live insects. They feed regularly on crickets, small roaches, mealworms, wax worms, and pinky mice. Juveniles should be fed every other day and adults every 2-3 days. A good rule of thump when feeding is to allow them to eat as much as possible in 5-10 minutes and remove the un eaten prey items for another time. Be very careful when feeding this species as to they are very prone to obesity.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to email us at staff@gaiaexotics.com
