White’s dumpy Tree frogs Care tips

Whites tree frog - Litoria caerulea

Intro

Native to Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea- these little cuties are absolutely to die for with their sleepy eyes and smiley mouth. They only reach about 4-5” in adult length but they can live for 45+ years! They’re very simple to tame as they’re extremely docile creatures- but avoid handling them during the day since they are nocturnal. Try to stick to their schedule a tad if possible. When you do hang out with them, be sure to wash your hands extremely thoroughly beforehand as these lil squishes have very absorbent skin that’s sensitive to nearly everything.

Enclosure 

House 2-4 frogs in an 18x18x24 enclosure or 30 gallon exo-terra. They appreciate frog-specific substrates like Josh’s Frogs Frog Foam and carpet type artificial moss. The best set-up in our opinion would be to start with a drainage layer of clay pebbles or stones, chemical-free soil, tree bark and varieties of moss for substrate. Include springtails and isopods and you’ve got yourself a bioactive! This means way less cleaning and a much more natural looking terrarium. Plants like philodendron, monsteras, snake plants, and other reptile-safe plants are great choices. The plants, moss, and clean up crew (isopods and springtails) will stay alive with once or twice daily mistings. Just like that you’ve created your own little bioactive world! Otherwise you can stick with things like paper towels or the frog-specific substrates. These will require spot cleaning and a little bit more attention to keep up humidity. They don’t look natural, but can look quite cute in their own way. These cute frogs look adorable on bright frog foam next to pastel colored hides. It doesn’t have to be natural- it just has to have a good amount of hiding spaces, a shallow pond for soaking, and perches wide enough to support the frog. Avoid placing perches at any major incline as these stout frogs aren’t the most limber. 

Parameters 

These frogs are native to the rainforest so recreate that with temperatures falling between 75-85 and a humidity of 50-70%. This is best achieved with a low wattage basking bulb above the terrarium but ensure the lamp isn’t closely directly over a sitting spot for your frog. This ensures your frog wont get burnt by the lamp. Temperature drops down to 72-78 degrees are okay at night.

Diet

Consider feeding your frog on paper towels or another flat, smooth surface to prevent your frog from accidentally ingesting substrate. This can cause impaction which can lead to death. Tong feeding is another great method of feeding and taming your tree frog. These cuties can eat many insects including crickets, roaches, grasshoppers, hornworms, black soldier flies, and earthworms. They only need to eat 3+ large crickets every two or three days as adults. Juveniles, however, should be fed daily. Dust the insects in calcium each feeding and a multivitamin once a week. Keep a water dish deep enough for these frogs to soak, but not deep enough to sit fully submerged. These frogs aren’t the best swimmers. 

Temperament

White’s tree frogs are generally some of the more docile and calm frogs. They’re quick to get used to their owners, but within reason of course. Remember that handling frogs has to be done very carefully as their skin is extremely absorbent and sensitive. Be sure to wash hands thoroughly before handling, and stick to short periods of time. When you first bring a frog home, allow them time to grow and adjust to their surroundings. It can be tempting to hold the brand new baby frog- but it’s better to wait.

Common Health Problems

These frogs are known to overeat so it’s important to watch their diet. The best way to monitor this is by watching the little space above their ears- If there is a fold drooping to cover the ear the frog is obese. If the skin is taught and boney the frog is underweight.

Another one of the most common conditions affecting these frogs is Chytridiomycosis caused by Chytid fungus. This tends to show with skin rashes, convulsions, and lack of balance. Tadpoles show this condition with discoloration of the mouth. If you suspect your frog is ill, seek an exotic vet’s assistance.