Even if a person is not very friendly to frogs, upon seeing this instance, he will completely change his original opinion. This small bright frog with huge red eyes will not leave anyone indifferent and has the name of a red-eyed tree frog. Photos of these wonderful amphibians are presented in the article. The frog is small in size, its length does not exceed 7.5 cm. Its color is usually bright green, and yellow-blue stripes on the sides. The eyes, due to which the frog got its name, can be from orange to ruby hues. In addition to red eyes, frogs also have bright orange paws with large pads on their fingers.
Habitat and lifestyle
In the wild, the red-eyed tree frog is found in tropical forests from southern Mexico to Panama inclusive. She leads a nocturnal lifestyle, prefers low-lying marshy places, nevertheless she was also seen in the foothills at an altitude of about one and a half kilometers above sea level. The camouflage rescues from predators the camouflage, as well as a bright color and very bright eyes, which somewhat confuse the predator, and at this time it retreats away from danger. Surprisingly, despite the brightness of its color, the red-eyed tree frog is not poisonous. Frogs hunt various insects; they can also eat small amphibians and amphibians. What can I say, especially large tree frogs will not disdain newborn mice, shrews and other small mammals.
Buy tree frog
To acquire tree frog is only necessary in captivity. Only then can you be completely sure that she is healthy. Features of the red-eyed tree frog born in captivity - it is less susceptible to stress, and it is much easier to care for. No need to acquire very young and small frogs. They are very gentle and can not tolerate the change of habitual conditions until the death of the animal. Therefore, purchase frogs whose length exceeds 2 cm. It is also not recommended to take already large and, possibly, old frogs. Unfortunately, acquiring a frog born in captivity is not always possible. Well, with due care, this option may also be acceptable. First, you need to carefully examine the frog for physical damage, abrasions on the skin, cones and growths. The skin should not have any extraneous stains, and its coloring is a uniform green color. You also need to look at how the frog behaves, and in the case of unusual elements of behavior (sleeping on the ground, active in the daytime), refrain from acquiring. The two main health problems of wild frogs are internal parasites and bacterial infections. Therefore, it will be optimal to withstand the newly acquired tree frog for at least a month in strict quarantine. At this time, you need to carefully monitor her, and if everything is in order with her behavior and condition, you can run into the general terrarium. In all other cases, you will have to consult a veterinarian.
Tree Frog House
These frogs are arboreal animals, they need a place to climb branches, so the red-eyed tree frog prefers content in a spacious terrarium of considerable height. A pair of adult frogs will feel more or less comfortable in a seventy-liter aquarium with a height of 40 cm. But this is already a minimum. It is better to purchase an aquarium more spacious.
To prevent the frogs from escaping, the aquarium must be tightly closed. The lid may be solid, but it is better to use partially mesh. Thus, it will be easier to maintain the required humidity level.
For the soil, you can use a special moistened foam rubber or coconut fiber. If necessary, even a paper towel moistened with water, folded in layers, is suitable. This option will be very appropriate for keeping young frogs or frogs quarantined. It is possible to equip a terrarium with real soil with live plants. True, the complexity of caring for such a terrarium increases significantly, but its beauty and naturalness completely compensate for the inconvenience. In addition to soil, the terrarium needs to be equipped with twigs and snags for climbing and relaxing. So that the frogs can hide and feel as natural as possible, you can add artificial or even living plants, grottoes and other decorative shelters.
Finally, it is worth paying attention that it is undesirable to use small pebbles and crushed bark to design a terrarium, since this material can harm the frog if it accidentally swallows it.
Conditions of detention
First of all, you need to remember that the red-eyed tree frog comes from the jungle, a tropical part of central America. Based on these climatic features, humidity with temperature should be appropriate. Temperatures up to 28 degrees during the day and up to 24 degrees at night. Humidity can range from 80 to 100 percent. A very good solution to maintain the required temperature would be to use a small infrared light bulb. By the way, in her light you can watch a frog at night, when it is most active.
To maintain the necessary humidity, you can simply spray the terrarium 2-3 times a day. You also need to remember the need for the constant availability of clean water in the drinker. Water is not recommended for use from a water supply system. Bottle bottled is best for this purpose.
Food
The red-eyed tree frog, like most other frogs, eats insects and other invertebrates. They are fed with crickets,
flour moth
worms , small silkworms, wax moth larvae. Flying insects and nocturnal moths can also be eaten. The main thing is to collect insects in places with no pesticides and herbicides. Still there are special minerals intended for reptiles. When feeding adult tree frogs, these minerals give every third to fourth feeding. And for young frogs, these additives are added to food all the time. This is done simply by sprinkling the main feed with mineral additives.
Reproduction of tree frogs in captivity
Red-eyed tree frog breeds in captivity reluctantly. It happens that you can not do without special chemical additives called chorionic gonadotropin. Also for breeding tree frogs, you must first create the illusion of a tropical winter. Humidity rises from 90%, and the temperature drops to 20-22 degrees. After one and a half to two months, it is time to raise the temperature to normal, and transfer the male and female to the terrarium for reproduction. This terrarium should be half water. Water should be at least 25-26 degrees. The life span of tree frogs in captivity is about ten years.