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Thread: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

  1. #1

    Default Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Hi,

    I read somewhere that a 10 gallon tank would be suitable for a Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor). So I was wondering if a regular 10 gallon aquarium converted into a vertical terrarium would be fine?.... and if the 10 gallon size is right in the first place.

    Since they only get to about half the size of a big leopard frog, I figure 10 gallon could potentially be alright. Is it a proper minimum? I think I read you could fit two in there, but that sounds like a stretch to me.

    Would the above idea be too narrow?

    Do you have any advice about what wood to put or avoid putting in the enclosure? I know for many amphibians using wood found outside can be an issue since some are bad for them. What species would you recommend? (I live in south-eastern Canada [south Quebec], so it would have to be species from south-eastern Canada / north-eastern United States.) Or would you recommend not using any wood from outside.

    I was also wondering if anyone knows if they are ok with lots of disturbance during the day (i.e., getting switched to a transport terrarium, traveling, having lots of kids look at it [without handling it, of course], etc.) even though they are mostly nocturnal.

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  3. #2

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Leopard View Post
    Hi,

    I read somewhere that a 10 gallon tank would be suitable for a Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor). So I was wondering if a regular 10 gallon aquarium converted into a vertical terrarium would be fine?.... and if the 10 gallon size is right in the first place.

    Since they only get to about half the size of a big leopard frog, I figure 10 gallon could potentially be alright. Is it a proper minimum? I think I read you could fit two in there, but that sounds like a stretch to me.

    Would the above idea be too narrow?

    Do you have any advice about what wood to put or avoid putting in the enclosure? I know for many amphibians using wood found outside can be an issue since some are bad for them. What species would you recommend? (I live in south-eastern Canada [south Quebec], so it would have to be species from south-eastern Canada / north-eastern United States.) Or would you recommend not using any wood from outside.

    I was also wondering if anyone knows if they are ok with lots of disturbance during the day (i.e., getting switched to a transport terrarium, traveling, having lots of kids look at it [without handling it, of course], etc.) even though they are mostly nocturnal.
    Id say a 10g standing upright would be fine

    Wood from evergreen trees or pinetrees arent good to use but bark from say, oak trees are okay. Just gotta bake em for a bit to kill any pests

    Mine was okay with disturbances, and he would be awake sometimes even during the day

  4. #3

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    I've kept mine in both a 10 gallon exoterra and a converted 10 gallon fish tank, and they seem pretty content with the size to me. When I bought the fish tank the guy at the store said 3 gray's would be fine, but I wouldn't keep more than 1 in a 10 gallon personally. With smaller tanks you might want to put extra thought into balancing the amount perching spots while still leaving room for them to jump around.
    Here's a picture of both tanks:


    The adult is always sleeping front and center, and is never fazed by visitors. She only wakes up if I throw a cricket in there or mess with her plants. They do move around occasionally during the day.
    They will probably hide a lot if you are frequently transporting them to tanks that they aren't familiar with, but they might get used to it and sleep in the open eventually, not sure on that really. You could end up with frogs that have a more relaxed personality =)

  5. #4
    Moderator LilyPad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    I would say to make sure there is only ONE in a vertical 10 gallon tank. You have to make sure there is enough ventilation, as in the photo in the previous post. They are big, active frogs and need their space. The females tend to get overweight if they can't do much moving around. Some frogs do not handle the small space well and will have issues such as nose rubs. I, personally, would never go less than a 20g, even for just one frog. Transporting depends on the frog. I have one grey that would probably handle it very well. She's chill and not easily disturbed. The other two would be highly stressed. You would have to learn the symptoms of stress to know whether or not your frog is handling things well.

    Any hardwoods would be okay. Just look up your tree and see what it is classified as. I bake them in the oven at 250 Degrees F for a half hour to make sure any pests or bacteria are killed.
    2.0.3 Hyla versicolor "Eastern Gray Tree Frogs"
    2.2.0 Agalychnis callidryas "Red Eyed Tree Frogs"

    0.0.3 Dendrobates auratus "Turquoise and Bronze"
    0.0.1 Anaxyrus fowleri "Fowler's Toad"



  6. #5

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Thanks for the replies.

    I will probably go with a converted 10 gallon as temporary tank, then take it from there. Same goes with the disturbances. If it can't handle it, it will stay at home. I have relatively high hopes because I have a leopard frog that handles that kind of disturbance (at least, when it's done on an irregular basis) fairly well even though, as a species, they are skittish.

    Amy, even though I'd read your post before I still felt weird for a fraction of a second when my eyes turned up from what I was writing about frogs and landed on "I bake them in the oven at 250 F", lol.

    Wriggles: Are those Pothoses in your tanks? This is slightly off topic, but are they ok for all frog species?

  7. #6
    Moderator LilyPad's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Haha, I have baked/boiled many items for my frog tanks. Just don't borrow someone's special canning kettle to boil driftwood...you may boil out the sap and spend the next week trying to get it off the pan.

    I would keep the frog for a few months before introducing any disturbances. Without doing that first, you will not know what "normal" behavior is for that frog.

    Pothos are just fine for frogs. I had one tank that had pothos in it for a good 3-4 years. I know they pose a risk to people and furries if they eat them, but I've never heard of anyone having an issue with them when it comes to frogs. I even root them in my fish tank.
    2.0.3 Hyla versicolor "Eastern Gray Tree Frogs"
    2.2.0 Agalychnis callidryas "Red Eyed Tree Frogs"

    0.0.3 Dendrobates auratus "Turquoise and Bronze"
    0.0.1 Anaxyrus fowleri "Fowler's Toad"



  8. #7

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    I got my gray tree frog much sooner than I expected so I've started converting my 10 gallon terrarium (I was hoping to be able to do this in the revers order, sigh). I'll have a few questions very shortly and I have a quick one now. The care sheet recommends top soil as the substrate, but how do you make sure there are no additives in it? When I set up my snake terrarium I bought a bag of organic top soil at a dedicated gardening center, but even they couldn't assure me that it did not contain organic additives (like manure), which I figure wouldn't be too bad for a snake, but I have doubts about how amphibians would react.

  9. #8

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Gray tree frogs are now my favorite frogs!!! They're so awesome!

    I almost wish I could pet it.

    Which brings to mind another question. I've seen a lot of pictures of tree frogs in hands, on arms, etc. Which is a big no-no in my book, when it comes to other frogs, unless you take precautions, keep the handling time at a minimum and don't handle them too often. Can tree frogs / gray tree frogs handle being handled better than other amphibians?

  10. #9

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Ok, so, while the silicone is curing, I have a few questions regarding how I'm going to set up the terrarium. I've included pictures, but, keep in mind that none of the wood in there is what's going to be in the final one. It's just there for reference, to see how much ground space will be left if I use pieces of similar size. I'm thinking of putting a fairly thick branch or piece of small trunk in at least one of the corners, from bottom to top (or almost), to act a little bit as tree trunk. I'll also try to find a medium size branch with smaller branches, to provide perches. I'll put in some pothoses and maybe I'll stick a few fake plants on the sides. I'm also thinking about putting some pieces of moss or fake moss bedding at the bottom (and maybe hang some from the branches).

    I'll look at what's available backing-wise at my pet store, but for the moment I'll probably just go with a green piece of cardboard stuck to the back of the terrarium (outside).

    There may end up being two plant pots, but the soil will be almost level with them, so they shouldn't take too much away from the ground space.

    The glass bowl will be the water bowl.

    I'm trying to do something that will look good and be good for the frog, but I have a very limited budget (which explains some of the questions below), and I'm trying to do something that will provide the frog some privacy, while being easy to clean and making it easy to remove the frog from there when I need to.

    Here are my questions:

    Do gray tree frogs need any ground space (and how much of it)?
    I have aquarium gravel, which I could put in the water bowl. Is there a chance it might accidentally swallow some even though (I'm assuming) it won't be feeding in there?
    My preferred option for the water bowl would be to use pebbles instead, but do I need to buy the (expensive) aquarium-safe pebbles found in pet stores or am I ok with the decorative pebbles found at dollar stores, hardware stores / gardening centers, etc.?
    Do you guys have any tips to add perches/mini balconies to the terrarium's side?

  11. #10
    100+ Post Member elly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    They are awesome!

    And I think the answer to that is "probably maybe." I know that White's are able to cope with limited handling better than other frogs because 1. their skin isn't as fragile as some other frogs and 2. they're pretty laid back.

    I think grays maaay have slightly tougher skin than some frogs since they're tree frogs. It seems logical that most tree frogs would be able to withstand rough bark and being in dry air for a few minutes. (Not so much with rainforest frogs maybe since their environment is so humid.)

    But I don't think they're as laid-back as White's so you'd probably be better off with only *very* limited handling. So you don't stress them out.

  12. #11
    100+ Post Member elly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    One thing about frogs and leaves- my frog has tried to eat the tips of pothos leaves, but has never managed to tear off a single leaf, not even the dead ones. You're probably fine.

    Do gray tree frogs need any ground space (and how much of it)?
    I have aquarium gravel, which I could put in the water bowl. Is there a chance it might accidentally swallow some even though (I'm assuming) it won't be feeding in there?
    My preferred option for the water bowl would be to use pebbles instead, but do I need to buy the (expensive) aquarium-safe pebbles found in pet stores or am I ok with the decorative pebbles found at dollar stores, hardware stores / gardening centers, etc.?
    Do you guys have any tips to add perches/mini balconies to the terrarium's side?
    Gray tree frogs do spend time on the ground, but I don't know that they need it, not if there are resting places large enough for them.

    I wouldn't risk it. My frog has tried to eat bubbles in the water-bowl before.

    they should maybe be okay if they're washed really well? IDK As long as they're made of ordinary stone it should be fine.

    I don't have any real tips, but don't trust heavy things attached to suction cups!

  13. #12

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    I forgot: does the size of the water bowl look alright to you guys?

    Let me know if anything I said about my terrarium plans sound bad!

    Also, here are the (very basic) pictures:
    http://s736.photobucket.com/user/sim...45jb3.jpg.html
    http://s736.photobucket.com/user/sim...y6ba9.jpg.html
    http://s736.photobucket.com/user/sim...d3ycf.jpg.html

    Also, while I'm still figuring out whether or not I can afford not to get another roommate. It will either be :

    -in my room on a rolling piece of furniture that shouldn't get moved too often in any given week and where it will be cooler during the warm months, but where it will have to listen to the air conditioner, my music (my room doubles as my office), and my often awful signing, or
    -in my living room, where it's warmer and the terrarium will have to be moved more often, but it will be left more alone for the greater part of most days and only sporadically be subjected to music and my awful signing...although, when I'm in my living room I move/walk faster than in my (smaller) bedroom.

    Both spots are not in front of window or anything like that. Does one of them sound better than the other?

    Elly: That's a good point, but I'm also concerned about how much the frog absorbs stuff through its skin. Most (if not all) aquatic frogs, salamanders, etc. can suffer greatly from being handled for the following reasons: they can absorb soap residues, regular skin oil can block their pores and hinder water absorption, our warmth can cause them to dehydrate... and that's not even counting the dangers of hand lotions, mosquito repellent residues, sunscreen residues, etc. But since, as you pointed out, they have to have tougher skin and be a bit more dehydration resistant, maybe they can tolerate handling a bit more.

    Thanks or the tips, too.

    I have a feeling that dollar store / garden center pebbles are probably alright, and just haven't been "approved" for use in aquariums. But it's hard to know, because some stones can react with elements in the water (or just leach stuff into it) with unfortunate results for animals that are stuck with that stone in a limited volume of water.

  14. #13

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Looks like those links also show the pictures of my wounded leopard frog. It's doing much better now, although the nose is still a bit swollen/discolored.

  15. #14
    100+ Post Member elly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Elly: That's a good point, but I'm also concerned about how much the frog absorbs stuff through its skin. Most (if not all) aquatic frogs, salamanders, etc. can suffer greatly from being handled for the following reasons: they can absorb soap residues, regular skin oil can block their pores and hinder water absorption, our warmth can cause them to dehydrate... and that's not even counting the dangers of hand lotions, mosquito repellent residues, sunscreen residues, etc. But since, as you pointed out, they have to have tougher skin and be a bit more dehydration resistant, maybe they can tolerate handling a bit more.
    Personally I just use gloves. I'm paranoid about residues.

  16. #15

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Quick question while I'm sawing away at my pieces of wood. Do you guys do anything to prevent them from rotting? Especially where they're touching the substrate? I was thinking about, maybe, applying a coat of aquarium grade silicone on those areas...

    Does the silicone need to reach full cure before you put everything in the terrarium, including the frog? Or is it ok as soon as it's dry to the touch?

  17. #16

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    I'm not sure what species all of the pieces I have are from (some don't have any bark), but I took them from a place where there weren't any conifers around. So I imagine they're safe.

    Edit: I'm starting another tread on this issue.

  18. #17
    100+ Post Member elly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    If you use a hardwood, rotting shouldn't be much of an issue. There may be a little.

    Silicone does indeed need to be fully cured! The fumes are bad for frogs.

  19. #18

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Thanks. I wasn't sure if it still emits fumes after its dry to the touch.

    I'm using hardwood, but I like to keep things I like for the longest possible time. I want to the terrarium to be ready as soon as possible though. But, since you say it shouldn't be much of an issue, I'll do it without and I'll see how long these pieces last.

    If you have any advice about choosing the wood, here's the thread I started about the pieces I brought home: http://www.frogforum.net/showthread.php?t=35358

  20. #19

    Default Re: Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

    Here's a link to some photos of my, as yet unnamed, female gray tree frog. Does she look healthy to you? Is she fat? On at least one of those pictures, she looks like she might be...she also has a hard time holding on to the terrarium's sides.

    http://s736.photobucket.com/user/sim...tml?sort=3&o=0

    I've also included a few pictures of the terrarium as it now is.

    The plan is to add branches, but I'm waiting for confirmation that the ones I have are ok, so for the moment I only put the bark less pieces in. (I went with someone else's assumption that if it's been sitting on the forest floor long enough for the bark to peel off/rot completely off, it's probably been there long enough for any chemicals to leach out.)

    The substrate is a half/half mix of ExoTerra coconut fibre and natural top soil.

    The smaller of the wood pieces is a temporary replacement for another one on which I used aquarium grade silicone to seal some holes and cracks (because it would be hard to clean mold out of there) and to glue pieces of fake moss.

    I used a bit of fake moss on the ground, but if that means I can't feed the frog in its terrarium, or if it makes cleaning harder, I might get rid of it.

    P.S. Do you guys have any idea how old she might be? She's not quite a the maximum size for this species, but close.

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