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Latin Name: Agalychnis callidryas
Native to: Central America
Maximum Length: Males 2 inches Females 3 inches
Approximate Life Span: 3-4 years
GENERAL INFORMATION
Red Eye Tree Frogs are one of the most commonly used frogs in magazine
and television advertisements, due to their bright green skin and ruby
red eyes. With a little care put into their environment, these
cartoonish looking frogs will do well, and even breed in captivity.
Provide them with plenty of cover and climbing branches. They will do
best in larger groups of 4 - 5 pairs in large well-planted terrariums.
Red Eyes are available as both field collected adults and captive bred
juveniles. Juveniles will grow rapidly, but must be fed daily. They
will reach maturity in 1 - 2 years. At almost twice the size females
are much larger than males.
ENCLOSURE
Any well-ventilated enclosure that can hold
water. Taller enclosures are recommended as red eyed tree frogs are
solely arboreal animals. A 10 gallon aquarium with a screen cover
should work fine for 1 pair, increasing the size by 10 gallons per
pair.
SUBSTRATE
Keep on a mixture of peat moss mixed with
top soil about 2 - 3 inches deep. Make sure both are pesticide free.
Change the substrate about every 3 - 5 weeks. A layer of Zoo Med REPTI
BARK™ and damp sphagnum moss may be added to help keep up the humidity
level. Broad leafed live plants over hanging water work well with these
exclusively arboreal frogs. The leaves will provide both cover and
possible sites for depositing eggs. Make sure the live plants have no
insecticide on them. Wash all leaves before use.
TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY
Red Eyed Tree Frogs are
from the lowland humid rainforests of Central America, so a humidity
level of 70 - 90% should be provided. Misting once or twice daily will
help keep the humidity level up. Always use de-chlorinated water.
However if water droplets form on the glass then your environment is
too humid. Breeding is stimulated by rains, so misting more frequently
after a dryer period will help this along. Daytime temperatures should
be in the mid to upper 70's, 76°f is the optimum temperature. Nighttime
temperatures should be in the lower 70's. Newly acquired adults are
usually a little under weight so keep them warmer during the day about
84 °f until they have acquired sufficient weight gain.
HEATING
If you feel the temperature needs to be raised
use an appropriately sized Zoo Med REPTITHERM® UNDER TANK HEATER
(U.T.H.). For easy heat control use the U.T.H. in conjunction with a
Zoo Med RHEOSTAT™. Do not turn the tank heater off. Leave it on 24
hours a day. To help provide the correct temperature gradient heat only
one half of the tank. Always use a thermometer and humidity gauge in
all reptile & amphibian enclosures.
LIGHTING
Red Eyed Tree Frogs do not like bright light.
A low wattage bulb should be fine. UVB light is not essential. All
reptiles and amphibians need a photo period (light cycle). A plug in
timer (for your lights only, do not use a timer for your heating
devices) works well to develop a regular photo period of 12 hours
light, and 12 hours dark. Nighttime lighting is important with Red Eyed
Tree Frogs, as they are a completely nocturnal frog. You must not use
any white light during the evening. Reptiles and amphibians cannot see
the red light spectrum, so a low wattage red bulb is ideal for night
time viewing of your Red Eyed Tree Frogs. They will only become active
and feed after dark. They spend all of their daylight hours under
cover, or clinging inactively to the side of the terrarium.
FOOD & WATER
Red Eyed Tree Frogs will eat a
variety of insects including crickets, flies, moths, spiders and
grasshoppers. The easiest are the commercially available crickets.
Always feed your crickets assorted fruit and vegetables or a prepared
commercial cricket diet 12 - 24 hours before feeding the crickets to
your pets. Once a week dust crickets with Zoo Med REPTIVITE® vitamins
just before you feed them off. Don't over-feed or feed a food item too
large! Small frogs have large appetites, feed them 1 - 2 week old
crickets daily, adults can be fed every 2 days. Always feed just after
the day time lights are turned off. Provide a shallow plastic water
dish sunk into the substrate that the frog can easily get in and out
of. The water should be no deeper than ½ the frogs height when at rest.
Water should be kept clean and free of obstacles. Frogs absorb water
through their skin, so the water should always be clean. Change water
at least every other day with de-chlorinated water. Change more often
if the water appears dirty.
NOTES
Always wash your hands before and immediately
after handling reptiles and amphibians. Never leave live food long term
with reptiles & amphibians. They can inflict severe harm, even kill
your pet. If your animals take some time to eat or you feed them at
night, leave a slice of potato, carrot or dry dog food for the live
food items to eat. Your local pet shop is an ideal source for reptile
and amphibian related books and supplies. Please make sure you read and
become familiar with any instructions provided with reptile support
products you may purchase.
For further information on reptiles and amphibians we
recommend you read REPTILES MAGAZINE and THE VIVARIUM. California
Zoological Supply hopes you have enjoyed reading this reference sheet
on Red Eyed Tree Frogs. We hope that our guidelines will assist you
with the care or possible purchase of your new pet.
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Amphibians 
