Ranoidea caerulea
White's Tree Frog
White's tree frogs are one of the hardier, more approachable pet frog species, tolerating occasional gentle handling and modest husbandry mistakes better than most amphibians, though their nocturnal croaking can surprise unprepared owners.
PelodryadidaeLifespan 10–16 yearsCare complexity 3/5Suitable for beginners
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Ranoidea caerulea
- Family
- Pelodryadidae
- Origin
- Woodland and wetland edges of northern and eastern Australia and southern New Guinea
- Lifespan
- 10–16 years
- Adult size
- 8–12 cm
- Weight
- 50–100 g
- Temperament
- Docile and tolerant of gentle handling by amphibian standards
- Activity level
- Low to moderate; nocturnal with long daytime resting periods
- Social needs
- Can be housed in small compatible groups of similar size
- Intelligence
- Basic learned feeding-cue association
- Noise
- Loud, resonant croaking, mainly at night, particularly from males
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Vertically oriented vivarium at least 45 x 45 x 60 cm with sturdy branches and a water dish large enough to soak in
- Space requirement
- Height for climbing more important than floor area
- Temperature
- 24–28°C
- Humidity
- 50–70%, with daily misting
- Exercise
- Vertical climbing space and floor area for occasional foraging
- Grooming
- Not applicable; skin should be kept free of shedding debris
Diet and feeding
Appropriately sized crickets, roaches and occasional pinky mice for large adults, dusted with supplement
Behaviour and compatibility
Nocturnal foraging, water-soaking, deep resonant croaking call from males, skin secretion for defence
- With children
- Reasonably tolerant of brief, damp-handed, supervised handling, though frequent handling should still be avoided
- With other animals
- Keep only with similarly sized, compatible tree frogs
- Training difficulty
- Not applicable
Health
- Chytrid fungus
- Obesity from overfeeding
- Bacterial skin infections from poor water hygiene
Needs an amphibian-experienced reptile vet; always wash and rinse hands before handling to avoid transferring residues to sensitive skin
Special care requirements
Handle with clean, damp hands only, as dry skin contact and residues such as soap or lotion can harm the frog's permeable skin