White’s tree frog, also known as the dumpy tree frog, is native to Indonesia, New Guinea and parts of Australia. It is larger than most frogs at about four to five inches; males are slightly smaller than females and possess a vocal sac. Adult frogs will have a fatty ridge above the eyes, which gives it a tired expression.
The frog’s colors range from green to a light blue-green. Some may have white spots on the head and back. Their skin is thicker than other frogs with a waxy coating that allows it to survive in harsher environments.
The white’s tree frog is nocturnal and has an average life span of 12 to 15 years. It can be quite docile and will tolerate handling, making it an excellent choice for beginners. However, it has sensitive skin that can be damaged from the natural oils and salts found on human skin; be sure to wash and rinse your hands thoroughly of any soap or lotion before handling.
Use a minimum 10-gallon terrarium, though 20-gallon or larger is preferred. White’s tree frogs like to climb, so a taller terrarium is a good idea. A tight-fitting, ventilated lid is essential, as a lack of adequate airflow can cause respiratory problems.
Provide lots of climbing opportunities: cork bark, branches, vines and plants (live or plastic). Make sure everything is sturdy and secure enough to support the frog’s weight. Plant cover should be dense in some areas to help with hiding; the leaves should be slightly larger than the body. You could also use a large vertical piece of cork bark against the back of the cage with a gap of two to three inches for a hiding spot.
Humidity should be about 50 to 60 percent. Mist the terrarium daily or as needed. Use only bottled drinking water or dechlorinated tap water when misting; avoid distilled or untreated tap water.
When it comes to the substrate, it should be organic soil, coconut fiber or larger pieces of bark. Cover the substrate with moss-like sphagnum, which helps retain moisture and maintain high humidity. Avoid small bark that may be accidentally ingested.
The white tree frog, also known as the dumpy tree frog is a delightful and unique pet. With proper care and feeding these frogs can live 15-20 years. As the owner of a white tree frog, it’s important to feed them a varied, nutritious diet to maintain their health. This complete guide will teach you everything you need to know about the white tree frog diet and how to properly feed them.
An Overview of the White Tree Frog Natural Diet
In the wild, white tree frogs are opportunistic feeders. They eat a wide variety of small prey including insects, spiders, small rodents, and even other smaller frogs. Their favored foods include:
- Crickets
- Roaches
- Moths
- Beetles
- Grasshoppers
- Earthworms
- Small rodents like mice or baby rats
White tree frogs have a very wide diet that allows them to gain all the protein, vitamins, and minerals they need. As pet owners, we need to try to mimic this diverse diet as much as possible.
The Importance of Gut Loading Insects
The mainstay of the pet white tree frog diet will be insects like crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, and waxworms It’s critical that you properly gut load any insects you plan to feed to your frog.
Gut loading refers to feeding the insects a nutritious diet before offering them to your pet. The nutrients the insects ingest will then be passed on to your frog when they eat them. Some great gut load foods include:
- High calcium vegetables like kale, mustard greens, turnip greens
- Fruits like oranges, mangos, bananas
- High protein foods like almonds, walnuts, fish flakes
Feed your insects a varied gut load diet for 24-48 hours before feeding to your frog. This will maximize the nutrition they receive.
Feeder Insects for White Tree Frogs
Here are some of the best feeder insect options for white tree frogs
Crickets
Crickets should make up the bulk of your white tree frog’s diet. They are nutritious, contain lots of protein, and are simple to keep. Offer appropriately sized crickets at every feeding.
Roaches
Roaches like dubia or Turkistan roaches are excellent feeders. They are higher in protein and calcium than crickets. Plus they can’t climb smooth surfaces, so they’re easy to contain. Use them to add variety to your frog’s diet.
Mealworms
Mealworms are soft-bodied grubs that make a good treat feeder a few times a month. They have a great calcium to phosphorus ratio. However, use them sparingly as they are higher in fat.
Waxworms
Waxworms are high in fat so only use them 1-2 times a month. But they have an irresistible wiggling motion that will entice picky frogs to eat. They make the perfect occasional treat.
Hornworms
Hornworms have a great calcium content and their bright green color triggers a feeding response in many frogs. They add nice variety to the diet when available.
Supplementation Is Critical
In captivity, white tree frogs won’t get as broad a nutrient profile as they would in the wild. We need to make up for this through supplementation. Here are the supplements you need:
Calcium
Dust insects with plain calcium powder at every feeding for growing frogs, and at every other feeding for adults. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and nerves.
Vitamin D3
Dust insects with calcium plus D3 supplement 1-2 times a month. Vitamin D3 helps frogs absorb and utilize calcium properly.
Multivitamin
Use a reptile multivitamin to dust insects 1-2 times a month. This provides balanced nutrition.
Rotate these supplements to give your frog the vitamins and minerals they require.
Other Dietary Components
While insects and supplementation form the core of good white tree frog nutrition, there are other dietary components that provide variety and enrichment. Here are some options:
Baby Mice
An adult white tree frog can occasionally be offered a pinky mice as a treat. This mimics the small rodents they eat in the wild. Only use hairless pinky mice, as fur can cause impaction. And feed mice sparingly, as they are high in fat.
Worms
Worms like nightcrawlers, red wigglers, or phoenix worms provide beneficial nutrition and variety. They contain lots of good fat and protein. You can offer worms 1-2 times a month.
Frozen/Thawed Frog Legs
As odd as it sounds, supplementing with frozen/thawed frog legs can give variety. Use hormone/antibiotic free frog legs from the pet store 1-2 times a month. This provides enrichment.
Feeder Fish
Small feeder fish like guppies or minnows are an occasional treat that mimics wild food sources. Feeder fish are high in thiamine. Feed just one fish per frog, a few times yearly.
Feeding Techniques and Schedules
Now that you know what to feed, let’s discuss how and when to feed your white tree frog:
- Baby frogs should get daily feedings of 4-6 appropriately sized insects per frog
- Juvenile frogs can eat daily or every other day, with 6-8 insects per frog
- Adult frogs do best with feedings 2-3 times a week of 8-10 insects per frog
Always feed at night when frogs are most active. Remove any uneaten insects within 15-20 minutes.
Use feeding tongs to hold insects for your frog to grab. Or place insects in a small dish in the enclosure. Never drop insects loose in the tank, as loose insects may hide and pester your frog later.
Soak your frog’s food in water before feeding, or mist the enclosure to provide drinking water. Frogs eat to hydrate.
Ideal Diet Summary
Here is a quick summary of the ideal white tree frog diet:
- Staples: Gut loaded crickets, dubia roaches, worms
- Supplements: Calcium, vitamin D3, multivitamins
- Treats: Waxworms, hornworms, pinkies, fish, frog legs
- Feed babies daily, juveniles daily/every other day, adults 2-3 times per week
- Always gut load and dust insects with supplements
White’s Tree Frog Heating and Lighting
A basking light or heat pad attached to the side of the terrarium can create a daytime temperature range of 80 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Drop the nighttime temperatures to about 72 to 76 degrees. This can be done automatically with a digital thermostat, especially to help prevent burns on the frog’s belly and feet.
Be mindful of incandescent light bulbs, as they can overheat and rapidly dry the environment. Start with a lower wattage bulb and work up to a higher wattage until the correct temperature is found. Always use a thermostat to confirm temperatures.
As white’s tree frogs are nocturnal, UV exposure is not necessary, but it may benefit the frog. If you do include a UV bulb, make sure it is a lower output, such as 2.0 or 5.0 UV, and keep it on a 10- to 12-hour life cycle. Make sure to provide plenty of hiding spots if you use a UV bulb.
White’s tree frogs like to bathe in their water dishes to rehydrate. The water dish should be big enough to fit the frog yet shallow enough to sit with the head exposed above the waterline. Never use distilled water or fresh tap water, as the added chlorine or chloramines will irritate the skin and eyes. Use a declorinator or bottled drinking water.
Change the water every day or two and clean the water dish thoroughly. Never use soap or other chemicals to clean the frog’s equipment.
A White’s Tree Frog Care Guide for Beginners (Dumpy Frogs)
FAQ
What should I feed my white tree frog?
White’s tree frogs typically display a tremendous appetite. They will eagerly accept crickets, earth worms, wax worms, mealworms, silkworms, slugs, moths, and cockroaches.
What do white tree frogs need in their tank?
- Size: A minimum 10-gallon terrarium is recommended, but larger is always better.
- Ventilation: A tight-fitting, ventilated lid is essential for airflow.
- Climbing: Provide plenty of climbing opportunities with branches, vines, and plants.
- Substrate: Use a substrate like coconut fiber, organic soil, or larger pieces of bark, covered with damp sphagnum moss to maintain humidity.
- Water Dish: Provide a shallow water dish for the frog to soak in.
- Hiding Spots: Include dense plant cover or large pieces of cork bark for hiding.
- Backdrop: Consider covering the back of the tank with dark paper to help the frog find a secluded area to sleep.
How to fatten up a white tree frog?
Waxworms are good fatteners. Pet stores often have them and some Walmart stores actually sell them to be used as fish bait. They’re just regular old waxworms still tho. Superworms are also pretty nutrient packed feeders.
Can you keep just one white tree frog?
Personally, I would only get one until you’re comfortable with all aspects of keeping frogs. Having two means double the feeding and you want to make sure both frogs are getting adequate nutrition and care. That can get hard to keep track of compared to just one. I have a solo whites and he does just fine!