SERIOUS FROG STUFF
"Here are some tips on caring for us". (Millie)
The tips found here are the result of my many years of frog tending. What you will find is advice based on my experience, books on frog care and various publications. I've listed some in the Bibliography. Talking to other frog lovers and my "frog doctor" helped immensely. A lot is common sense and a sense of humor. Maybe some of these sometimes humorous tips will prove helpful to other frog lovers who want to give their frog a good home. (Millie's human)
Handling your frog
The frog's home
Keeping your frog clean
Feeding your frog
A healthy frog
Like any other pet, keeping a frog is serious stuff. Be sure you know what is involved before bringing an unsuspecting amphibian home. Let's face it. He is at your mercy so be kind to him (or her as the case may be) and know your frog's needs so when you get him home, he feels at home too. Well, as much as a frog can be at first. Remember. As potential princes and princesses, frogs want to think of their new habitats as the castles they expect.
General frog care:
Although your frog will be your pet of course, unlike furry pets, most frogs dislike being handled very much. In fact, you may notice that they squirm and yes, even wet on you, especially initially when you are trying to get to know your frog better. This wetting is your frog's way of telling you this stresses him. Make sure he gets to bathe after you've handled him so he can replenish the water he has lost during this getting acquainted session. Some frogs will always act this way. Plain and simple, they do not want to be handled. Some frogs, on the other hand, will at least
"tolerate" you after they settle into their new environment since maybe they realize it's merely an annoyance and not a real threat. After all, you do feed them and perhaps on some level, they figured this out. In any case, observing your frog will be fun enough (at least for the frog) but when you do handle him, which of course you will on occasion in order to tend to him, wash your hands before and after. Before, because the salt on your hands is irritating to him and after, because despite the fact that your frog will bathe regularly, it's still the sanitary thing to do. And one last thing. Be careful picking them up. Should they squirm and you're not prepared to hold him firmly but gently, the frog could fall, hurt himself and you will feel lower than pond scum.
The cute little frog you discovered in your neighborhood pet store could grow up to gigantic proportions! Plan accordingly as he grows. A plain old fish tank without all the pumps and filters etc will do quite nicely for a frog. And sometimes bargains can be had on leaking tanks which obviously won't work well for fish but will be just fine for a frog. Baby frogs will be happy in a small tank, 5 or 10 gallon size but will need to be transferred to larger quarters as they grow because of the great job you will be doing feeding them regularly. A screen for the frog's tank will be a necessity for
jumping or climbing frogs or else you may find them exploring your home instead of their own. This is not good because it could be dangerous for the frog and not very hygienic for you. Which is why it is a good idea to provide a screen (in most cases) to prevent your charges from escaping. Also, it's not a bad idea to give your frog a light so he will be warm in the winter and the UV type to give him the benefits of sunlight he doesn't get in his tank. Unless of course, you plan to take him regularly outside to bask in the sun. If you do, take him in his tank and let him get about 20 minutes every other day. This is not always convenient so in the end, a light is usually the better choice.
All frogs regardless of type, can be accommodated with some sort of indoor outdoor carpeting (can be found in pet stores) or paper toweling, a bowl (appropriate to the frog's size) to bathe in and a house of some type (like a half of a flower pot for example) to hide from you now and then, depending on the frog of course. Frogs are by nature shy so they need a hiding place or they become stressed. How would you like to be stared at constantly?
Good hygiene is necessary for frogs just like it is for us. Since they cannot manipulate the faucets in your home to bathe regularly, as they are prone to do, you must provide suitable bathing facilities in their home. Actually, a frog will utilize his bath tub for drinking too. All frogs drink through their skin so they need clean (preferably de-chlorinated) water available to them when they feel the need to bathe or drink. They will sit in their "ponds" and soak up water which
they usually do at night. The water bowl must be changed at least every day because they often leave debris behind which is pretty nice of them when you think about it. If the debris is in the bowl (easily discarded), then carpeting won't have to be washed as often or paper toweling changed as much. Very few frogs are housebroken. I personally have never met a frog who was, so their droppings must be removed regularly. Let's face it. You wouldn't want to sit around your house with frog droppings all over either. Besides, it's healthier for them too because frogs can get sick from unsanitary conditions which can breed nasty bacteria. Keeping your frog's home simple will make it easier for you to provide a clean healthy environment for which your frog will thank you. Trust me. He will, even if he doesn't actually say so. You will know because he will thrive.
Frogs are not fond of veggies and you can't buy frog food at the grocery store. A frog prefers live food or food he thinks is alive. Most frogs enjoy crickets and many pet stores sell crickets. Gathering them in your back yard is not a good idea since the outdoor cricket is prone to pest sprays and no self respecting frog wants to eat a chemical laden cricket! Besides, it's not healthy for your frog not to mention that your neighbors will wonder what you're up to. Frogs will also eat worms, flies and other assorted bugs and crawly things but I doubt you'll find too many pet stores supplying a variety of bugs. Earth worms can be found in some pet stores and certainly at fishing supply stores. Remember to dust the crickets with Calcium every day. You can use Calcium with Vitamin D3 but not too often. According to my vet, the D3 can cause the Calcium to be absorbed too much and is not good for your frog. But you can dust the crickets with it maybe every other week or once a month but in general, just dust with plain old Calcium. And to make sure your frog (or toad) gets proper nutrition from their food, grind up some dry dog food for them to eat before you feed the crickets to your amphibian. The nutrition in the
dog food will be in the cricket when your frog eats it.
Larger frogs will simply adore a mouse now and then. Not too often because even frogs can get fat and its not healthy for them anymore than it is for you. Frozen mice (much more humane) are available at many pet stores too. Naturally the frog will want you to defrost it first! Hot water for a short time works fine. Since the mouse is dead, you will need to wiggle it around a bit, tricking the frog into thinking it's alive. Use a wooden spoon (for example) to move the mouse since a hungry frog could mistake your fingers for a tasty morsel and bite you instead of the intended mouse. Try not to put rocks in your frogs home since he may inadvertently eat one along with his crickets which will create dire circumstances for your frog!
Feeding schedules can be trial and error. Sometimes your frog will catch his food immediately and other times he seems not at all interested. Just like us. Give him a few crickets and see how he responds. If he gobbles them up, give him a few more and so on. Don't throw massive amounts of food at your frog or he could be overwhelmed and lose his appetite. After you've had your frog for a while, you'll get to know how much and how often. Some frogs will tend to "hibernate" in the winter months and during this time will refuse to eat or eat very little.
Your frog is your pet like a cat or dog or bird would be, and his health should be as important to you. Sometimes captivity is hard on a frog and he also could be prone to ailments not found in his native habitat. Some frogs will never adapt but most frogs will thrive with your tender loving care. Getting to know your frog's habits and observing him regularly will alert you to any problems he may have. A sick or injured frog should be attended to promptly since frogs have a habit of going "downhill" rather quickly. It is in the best interest of your frog to have a "frog doctor" who you can call on for just these situations. Some veterinarians will treat frogs and some specialize in exotic pets which a frog is considered to be. After bringing your frog home, ask your frog doctor if he wants to examine him. No, he won't get
shots like puppies and kittens but he can be tested for parasites (very common) and de-wormed just like puppies and kittens.
Prior to putting a new frog into a tank with frogs already residing there, it's a good idea to isolate the new frog in another tank for about 2 weeks to make sure he is healthy and won't infect the others with some nasty disease. Taking your frog to the vet can of course be an expense you weren't planning on when you brought your frog home. But if you want a happy healthy frog who will amuse you for many years, it's not that costly to keep your frog well.
Here is where we can tell
you about taking care
of different kinds of frogs. Like me. (Millie)
To care of specific frogs
