American Green Tree Frogs

American green tree frogs are found in areas of the southeastern United States, from Florida to Virginia. As their name suggests, they are bright green in color, which helps them to hide among the forest vegetation. They have a pale white or cream-colored stripe running from the head to the back on either side of their body. These frogs are small in size and their skin is thin and membranous, so it is not advisable to touch them too much. However, they are one of the easiest frogs to care for for beginners. It doesn’t take much effort to maintain them properly, but you should spend at least an hour every week cleaning your living environment.

Behavior and Temperament of American Green Tree Frogs:

American green tree frogs are shy and do not like to be held or touched. They squirm and try to avoid it. Some frogs, kept in captivity for long periods of time, may gradually adapt to this habit, but like most frogs their skin is delicate, and constant handling can damage their skin. The living environment of this frog is not suitable to keep in your bedroom. Because they are active at night, male frogs in particular are more noisy and active at night. American green tree frogs aren’t affectionate pets, but they are fascinating to observe. Their large eyes give the impression that they are gazing wistfully at a spot, and their faces always appear to be smiling.

Appearance of American Green Tree Frogs:

American green tree frogs have smooth skin, which is usually green as their name suggests, but in some individuals, it can be red or brown. They often have golden spots on their backs, and their undersides are white or cream in color.

They have a creamy or white stripe extending from the eye to the side of the body. The depth of green on their bodies varies with the amount of light and temperature. Their large eyes are gold in color with a horizontal black rim. Male frogs have a wrinkled area under the throat that marks the location of their vocal sacs. Their average body length is about 6 cm (2.5 in). Male frogs are usually slightly smaller than female frogs.

Food and Diet of Green Tree Frogs:

As for the food habits of the American green tree frog, they are insectivores and usually eat flies, mosquitoes, and other small insects such as shrimp. According to one study, these frogs choose prey not based on its size but on its activity level, meaning they eat more of the most active prey. The same study also reported that about 90% of Hyla cinerea prey is actively captured, while the remaining 10% are insects that are moving or close enough that the frog can easily pick them up with its tongue. can catch

These American green tree frogs are able to catch their prey very quickly, and their tongues are so powerful and flexible that they can pull the prey towards them in an instant. Their diet does not consist of fish or other organisms, but they mostly eat small insects that walk on the ground or on plants. These are important for their survival as their stomachs are highly efficient at digesting insects, which they naturally find in their environment.

The housing of Green Tree Frogs:

Providing a suitable habitat for American green tree frogs is very important so that they are happy and thrive. You should provide them with multiple climbing opportunities, hiding spots, and bathing areas in the tank that are at the bottom, middle, and top. Frogs like to feel safe, so they need many places to hide whenever they feel threatened. All of these you can provide by using leaves, stones, and branches. Because American green tree frogs are small and lightweight, most plants, whether real or simulated, provide them with opportunities to climb and hide. Branches, if placed in the right place, are great for bathing and climbing.

Enclosure Size:

Keeping American green tree frogs requires a cage that they can live comfortably in. A cage of this size provides them with comfort, which is vital to their health and well-being.

• Up to six months: 18 x 18 x 24 inches
• Twelve months and older: 24 x 24 x 36 inches or larger

Lighting:

Using UVB light is not necessary for American green tree frogs as they are nocturnal. A 5.0 UVB light can be used during daylight hours to keep live plants healthy. Just make sure to set the light on a timer so that your frogs get a full day-night cycle, about 12 hours a day and 12 hours a night.UVB light is only needed for the health of the live plants in your incubator. To understand this more clearly, it is important to know that high UVB levels can be harmful to reptiles. 

Heating:

The temperature needs of American green tree frogs are comparable to those of humans; it thrives best in temperatures ranging from seventy to seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit. Because these organisms cannot regulate their own blood temperature, they have to move to regulate their body temperature so they can cool or warm. Provide a temperature difference or thermal gradient across the incubator. You can do this by placing a ceramic heat emitter on a corner or edge of the enclosure. The temperature in the hot spot should not exceed 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Substrate:

Substrate is the bedding or lining on the bottom of your pet’s cage. The safest, easiest, and cheapest options are a reptile carpet or a coir mat. They are easily washable and safe because your frog can’t accidentally eat them. However, you can also use other substrates such as cypress mulch, organic soil, moss, cork bark, or smooth concrete.

You can try cleaning small concrete every week, but it needs to be boiled to clean it properly, so it’s best to replace it completely every week. If your American green tree frog appears to be eating the substrate along with its insect meal, consider using a reptile carpet or coir mat to prevent health problems.

Humidity:

The American green tree frogs has special moisture requirements. The humidity level should be between fifty percent and sixty percent during the day, and it can reach eighty percent to one hundred percent at night. Humidity should never be less than fifty percent. If you cannot provide daily hydration with a water bottle, automatic spray devices or misting devices can be used. Adequate humidity levels are essential for frog health and happiness. 

Breeding of Green Tree Frogs:

Female American green tree frogs breed once a year. Their breeding season starts from April to August, and a single female can lay up to four hundred eggs. The start of the breeding season depends on temperature, rainfall, and day length. It is your responsibility to replicate these elements in captivity so that the frogs can experience the rainy season. Male frogs have smaller and looser-sounding glands that are yellow in color than females. You can identify a male frog by vocalization at night because his vocal sac is swollen.

When frogs breed, the male grabs the female’s body and enters an amplexus with her. Eggs are fertilized outside the female’s body. In the wild, eggs are laid among moss, logs, or twigs, but in captivity, eggs are laid underwater or on container walls. The eggs hatch in about seven days. For captive breeding, you should mist water more frequently, increase the day length, and raise the temperature slightly to mimic the rainy season.

Common Health Problems of Green Tree Frogs:

American green tree frogs and other amphibians are commonly infected with skin and eye diseases. Symptoms of the disease may include pus (which can sometimes look like cheese), swelling, or redness. Although respiratory diseases are less common in frogs than in other reptiles or amphibians, high or low humidity in their cage can develop. Shortness of breath, sputum, and a general lethargy are symptoms of respiratory illness.

A parasite infection might be causing your frog not to eat well and not show any other symptoms. This is typically diagnosed by a reptile and amphibian vet. Frogs should be seen by a veterinarian every year to take a sample of your frog’s feces to check for any unusual parasites. Also, pet frogs can sometimes not survive ammonia poisoning of the mouth, a potentially lethal condition when waste accumulates in the animal’s cage. Regular weekly cleaning prevents ammonia excess.

Early diagnosis of these diseases enables a qualified veterinarian to treat these diseases and improve the frog’s health.

Conclusion:

American green tree frogs are found in areas of the southeastern United States, from Florida to Virginia. As their name suggests, they are bright green in color, which helps them to hide among the forest vegetation. These little frogs are shy and do not like to be held or touched; They squirm and try to avoid it. Some frogs, kept in captivity for long periods of time, may gradually adapt to this habit, but like most frogs their skin is delicate, and constant handling can damage their skin.

They often have golden spots on their backs, and their undersides are white or cream in color. They have a creamy or white stripe extending from the eye to the side of the body. The depth of green on their bodies varies with the amount of light and temperature.