American Green Tree Frog

The American Green Tree Frog originates from south-eastern North America. It is an absolutely beautiful frog that inhabits meadows and grasslands. It particularly likes ponds and lakes.

As the name would suggest, it is a bright green (like a grass green) frog, but this can change depending on its surroundings to yellow, brown or a brownish-greyish colour. It has a light stripe that starts at the upper jaw and along the side of a lovely slender body.

The male American Green Tree Frog has a more wrinkled throat than the female of the species, and it can also be slightly darker.

These frogs have toe-pads that allow the to climb very well and efficiently! If you are lucky enough to have one, it should be kept in a tall arboreal-type vivarium (that is resembling a tall tree!) A vivarium is a glass container that is used to house the amphibian. An arboreal set-up means that it is planted with tall plants for these frogs that like to climb! The conditions should be moist and during the summer kept at a daytime temperature of 20-25 degrees centigrade. This can drop during night time to 18 degrees centigrade. You will usually find that normal room temperature is adequate even during the cooler months.

In terms of lighting, natural spectrum fluorescent tubes are very beneficial for the frogs and you might find that they actually sunbathe under the light during the day! Don't use spotlights or incandescent bulbs in a vivarium. The reason for this is that if the frog jumped and landed on the bulb - ouch! It would burn and hurt the little frog.

The high level of humidity that is required, should also be compensated with good ventilation. A water bowl should be provided. In fact it would be even better if the base of the vivarium could be divided into sections that that a quarter of it contained water.

To make the vivarium appealing and nice to look at, it could be decorated with tree branches and live plants. To create a 'land area' use peat covered over with a thin layer of moss or dead leaves.

The American Green Tree frog is mostly nocturnal and actually prefer walking around instead of jumping. Having said that, they like the occasional leap and pounce especially when trying to catch a nice juicy fly or even a cricket!

These frogs are fairly delicate and are extremely fast jumpers. For that reason it is best not to handle them, and if you do need to handle, then keep them safe in moist cupped hands!

The American Green Tree Frog settles well into captivity.