Your frog will be happiest if he has a habitat that is most like his natural habitat in the wild. The terrarium your frog needs depends on the frog you purchase. There are four main types of terrariums: the aquatic habitat, the terrestrial habitat, the arboreal habitat and the half and half habitat. Read my other articles to find out more about each.
The Aquatic Habitat
The aquatic habitat is identical to a fish aquarium. It should only be used for an aquatic specie of frogs. Some aquatic frogs need oxygen from the air, not the water. Be sure to always allow 1-2 inches of space between the top of the habitat and the water for your frog to breathe.
The size of your habitat depends on what species of frogs you are housing and their sizes. The pet stores will usually tell you about 2 gallons per inch of frog. You can never make the mistake of too large an aquarium since in the wild, frogs have no limits on their space. You need the aquatic habitat that looks comfortable for the frog you are housing.
Your frog's aquatic habitat will need to be cleaned more frequently than a fish aquarium, since frogs shed. Cleaning the aquarium about once a week is acceptable with a thorough filter. Change the filter cartridges once a week. Filters are sized based on the aquarium they will be put in. You can purchase filters for as small as a 1 gallon aquarium and up. Know what size your aquarium is and be sure to provide the proper filter.
Another way to keep the aquatic frog's tank clean is to add goldfish to the mix, because goldfish eat the frog's skin. Still, some aquatic frogs will eat fish (and even other frogs) smaller than themselves (such as the African Dwarf frog and African Clawed frog). Read my article:
Common Species of Frogs to find out more about each specie of frogs.
The use of gravel in the frog's aquatic habitat is the most common for most aquariums and is the easiest to maintain. Some frogs are large enough to swallow gravel, and for any specie of frogs this is exactly why I recommend to NEVER use gravel! Use sand, marbles, etc. but never use gravel! I cannot put enough emphasis on this. If a frog swallows gravel, the frog will usually NOT live.
Do not leave aquatic frog aquariums in direct sunlight. Algae and bacteria will thrive in this sort of an environment. However, do allow your aquatic habitat to have some indirect sunlight (about 5 hours a day). If you want to incorporate electric lighting in your aquatic tank, the choice is yours, since aquatic aquatic frogs don't necessarily require lighting. Lighting can help frogs produce vitamin D3 but this vitamin is also found in their diets.
You always, no matter what animal is housed in the terrarium, want to have some sort of cover or lid over the habitat. Frogs can easily jump out of their habitats (all frogs, not just aquatic frogs). Some lids have built in lighting for extra convenience, but if the lid doesn't have good ventilation, don't purchase it. Frogs need a well-ventilated habitat. If you don't want to spend the extra money on a lid (which usually range from $20-$30), you can put some screen over your frog's habitat.
To decorate your aquatic habitat, you can use gravel, plastic and/or live plants and other decor. Give your frog plenty of places to hide and explore. Make sure the gravel and plants (if plastic) are well rinsed to rid them of any dust or dirt. Also, check and see if there are any sharp edges on any of your decor.
To heat your aquatic frog's aquarium, you can purchase an in-the-water heater, or you can use lid lighting. Lighting usually always comes with any aquarium lid.
Be sure to check this blog again soon for posts on the Terrestrial Habitat, the Half-and-Half habitat and the Arboreal Habitat!
