Tree frogs are always considered as one of the best choices to keep as pet frogs. They are easy to be taken care of. And for that reason, many frog keepers believe that it’d be quite easy to keep multiple tree frogs inside a captive. But there are some serious controversies in the frog owners’ community on whether you can keep them together or not.
Some tree frog species can live together while some can’t. However, multiple tree frogs of the same species can be kept together.
To know further, read the article below.
When Is It Possible To Keep Tree Frogs Together?
It’s a great idea to create a colony of different frogs. But make sure they can reside together. There are several things to keep in mind before putting multiple tree frogs in one terrarium. The Factors are:
- Understanding which species can live together.
- Size of the frogs and Cannibalism.
- Difference in care
- Conflicting temperature, lighting, humidity requirements.
- Frog poisons.
- Dietary differences.
- Breeding.
Which Species Of Tree Frogs Can Live Together?
Before making a communal tank, you need to know about tree frog species that can live together. Some Tree frog species are so friendly and can live with other friendly species in harmony.
Some species like can live together with other species when they are young. But you need to shift them to another tank after they grow up.
Here’s a list of frogs that can live together happily in a communal tank:
- American Green Tree Frog.
- Barking Tree Frogs.
- Grey Tree Frogs.
- Red-eyed tree frogs.
- White Lipped Tree Frogs.
But that doesn’t mean they can live together irrespective of situations. There is still a lot to keep in mind. Many people put Big-eyed Tree Frogs with these species. That’s one terrible mistake. Big-eyed Tree frogs are usually smaller in size and cannot live with other species.
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Sizes Of The Frogs And Cannibalism
Frogs possess cannibalism. They can even eat their own tadpoles. So it’ll come as a great shock for you to see your Green Tree frog, eating your big-eyed tree frog. They can literally fit everything inside their mouth.
So even though some species can live together, their size plays an important role here. Frogs that are 4 inches or above should be kept separate from those sized less than 3 inches.
Difference In Care
Before putting multiple tree frogs together make sure they need the same amount of care and effort. Many Tree frogs require different types of care than others. That is what makes it so tough to keep multiple tree frogs together.
You have to know about the husbandry needs of those species. Many tree frogs require more lights, more water, and more food, while others are nocturnal and don’t require much water and food.
Many tree frog species are more swift, aggressive, and powerful than the others. It has a direct effect on their dietary habits. It doesn’t allow the proper distribution of food inside the tank. This will lead to malnutrition and physical weakness in the smaller ones.
Different Needs Inside The Terrarium
Many tree frog owners believe that making one big terrarium for all their frogs instead of an individual enclosure is an easy choice. But this is never an easy choice. Making a terrarium suitable for multiple tree frog species requires a lot of knowledge and money.
The reason it’s so hard is that while addressing all the facilities inside one enclosure, you may harm other inhabitants.
Temperature is one key factor here. Many tree frogs require a colder temperature than the others. So you have to keep an optimum temperature for both frog species.
Some tree frogs require UVB lighting while others don’t. So while making a terrarium, make sure that you’re providing a UVB light source and not covering the tank top with solid glass.
Here’s a chart showing the different needs of two different tree frog species:
| Aspects | Green Tree Frog | Whites Dumpy Tree Frog |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Not Below 70 Degrees | 68-77 degrees |
| Humidity | 50 to 100% | 50-70% |
| Lighting | Not necessary | Fluorescent UVB lighting |
| Size | 2 and ½ inches | 4-6 inches |
You can clearly see the differences between these two species. So it’ll be extremely difficult to maintain both of these criteria.
Frog Poisons
You have probably heard about this. Frogs secret some kind of poisonous substances from their skin. This poison differs from species to species. When they come in contact with predators, humans, and other frog species.
We know that frogs are Amphibians. They absorb almost everything through their skin. So, whenever a frog secret poisons to harm another frog, it absorbs the poison unknowingly. There might not be an immediate effect, but it slowly disrupts the normal physiological activities inside a frog.
A frog usually lives for roughly around 16-25 years. But the absorption of other tree frog’s poison will gradually decrease it. The frog will become weaker and will probably stop eating.
So, before putting multiple tree frog species together, make sure their poisons do not harm each other.
Problems In Breeding While Keeping Multiple Tree Frogs
If you are looking forward to breeding your tree frog pair, you should never keep other tree frogs in that terrarium. Male frogs have a tendency to compete with each other to attract female mates.
So if you keep multiple male frogs inside an enclosure, you will experience extreme croaking. Besides, male tree frogs try to force their dominance on each other. So it is wise to not keep more than one male tree frog inside a gallon.
Tree frogs or frogs, in general, do not show parental behaviors after their eggs are hatched. They may eat their own tadpoles. So keeping an extra frog will increase the risk even more.
Can You Keep Multiple Tree Frogs Of The Same Species Together?
YES, but not always. Some tree frog species prefer living alone. Tree frog species like Green tree frogs and whites Dumpy tree frogs can live together with a community.
It’s a better choice than keeping multiple species together. Frogs of the same species require the same environmental setup, same enclosure, same care, and dietary habit.
Keep Observing
Here’s the deal. Keeping multiple frog species together is always risky for your frogs. But, if you want to go for it, make sure you’re observing them every day. See whether they are stressed due to the presence of other frogs. Stress in frogs can lead to severe problems and even death.
Keep a vigilant eye on their diet, behavior, physical appearance, color change, and croaking.
Will Tree Frogs Eat Each Other?
Generally, tree frogs are insectivores. It’s a pretty obvious thing for all species of frogs to eat other frogs when they fit in their mouth. So, tree frogs aren’t an exception to cannibalism.
Tree frogs will eat each other if food is scarce. Sometimes, the larger species of tree frogs tend to consume smaller species of tree frogs. Moreover, it’s pretty common for adult tree frogs to consume their tadpoles and frog eggs.
For example, Cuban tree frogs show their cannibalistic trait by eating other tree frogs that fit in their mouth. The same thing goes for other larger tree frog species like the White’s Tree frog.
How Many White Tree Frogs Can Live Together?
White tree frogs are popular tree frog species that can reach up to 4 inches. Since White’s tree frogs are communal, these frogs do well in groups.
You can house 3-4 White tree frogs together in an enclosure. But, you should remain concerned about their size. These frogs do not hesitate to gobble up their species of frog when it fits in their mouth. Hence, you should keep together White’s tree frogs of similar size.
Conclusion
In my opinion, keeping multiple tree frogs together is something that an expert should do only. Because of the amount of time, effort, and money it requires. Besides, the process includes a lot of risk factors for your frogs.
So, it is wiser to keep tree frogs individually in different gallons. It will save both your money and time and also ensure a happy, uncomplicated journey.
