Green Tree Frog - Hyla cinerea
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General Information

Distribution — Southeastern U.S. including Virginia south to Florida and East to Louisiana

Habitat — Green tree frogs are found in forested areas near swamps, marshes, and lakes

Adult Size — Adults attain snout-vent lengths of between 4.5-6 cm (1.75-2.25 inches).

Temperament — Green tree frogs are small and agile frogs.  They do not tolerate handling but make nice additions to a naturally planted vivarium.

Longevity — This species lives to be between 5 and 8 years old in captivity.

Captive Care

Rating: 2 — Green tree frogs are hardy and easy to care for; however, they receive a 2 rating because most specimens are wild caught.  Wild caught reptiles and amphibians should not be purchased as pets.

Diet: Juveniles - crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and other insects; Adults - crickets, meal worms, and wax worms.

Temperature: 20oC to 25oC (68o-77oF) during the day and 20oC (68o) at night.

Space: Two or three adults can be housed a 15 gallon terrarium. Do not keep with larger or smaller forgs - you'll end up with one if you do!  Most frogs will consume anything they can cram into their mouths including smaller cage mates.

Breeding: Captive breeding of this species is most successful in outdoor enclosures in areas where they are found naturally.  Breeding indoors requires mimicking natural seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation - cooling in September and October down to 13oC-15oC (55-59oF) warming up gradually to 20oC (68oF) in April or May.  Warming should be accompanied by plenty of feeding and precipitation.  Finally, you will need a relatively large group of frogs to ensure a good chorus of males. 

Special Requirements: As with all amphibians, care should be taken to ensure that hands are clean and free of chemicals before handling.

Sources (Suggested Reading):

Bartlett, R.D. 1996. Frogs, Toads, and Treefrogs. Barron’s Educational Series Inc., New York. Pp. 104.

Mattison, Chris. 1993. Keeping and Breeding Amphibians. Cassell Publishing, London, UK. Pp. 224.

Staniszewski, Marc. 1995. Amphibians in Captivity. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune, New Jersey. Pp. 544.

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