Where to Get a Frog?

[blackberry16199]

1. Pet stores:
Most likely pet store employees are looking to make some extra money, or first-job teenagers that really don't know a lot about the animals. The problem is, they provide so many animals, that it's unlikely that they're a complete expert on each specific animals they sell. So, your frog is probably not as high-quality and healthy as it could be; most are also wild caught and highly distressed during transport, since many exotics come from out of the country. This isn't true with all pet stores, but it is with nearly all of them that I've seen. What's good about a pet store though is you can observe to see of they do seem healthy and choose your exact one you want, unlike with some breeders.

2. Breeders:
Most breeders are experienced, knowledgeable people with plenty of info to share with you. You can be assured that the frog is captive bred (which wild caught individuals aren't always an issue, unless the frog is severely stressed, sick, parasite infested, not eating, etc.) they're also more likely t adapt better if they're captive bred, (though baby/froglet wild caughts are usually adaptable most of the time.) Breeders usually offer healthy, happy frogs. The bad thing is they may need to be shipped very long distances in unsuitable conditions, which can put stress on your frog. Plus, I'm sure that some breeders aren't very good, so read lots of reviews and ask lots of people before you get a frog from someone.

3. Rescue/Shelters
I really don't know much about frog shelter/rescue groups, but it would be worth looking into. Most are probably wild-caught adults, though, I suspect. Which is a down side, considering adult frogs have been in the wild their whole life and then pit into captivity, even after rescue, it could be hard on them to adapt. But like I said, I don't know hardly anything about frog rescues, so I would see what it's all about anyway; it's probably a good cause I've just never really seen one. Definitely a consideration to keep in mind, though.

4. Online Sources
Unless its an experienced online breeder, many online sources advertise frogs, but these are sometimes not healthy or happy if you don't really know what you're getting. You can contact the person, and if they're reputable which they may be, this could be a consideration. But if people for example are just catching frogs and selling them online, this is really bad. I would generally avoid suspicious Craigslist, etc. advertisements just in case.

5. The Wild
If you have your heart set on an RETF and you don't live in the rainforest, this isn't necessarily an option. But I'm telling you, depending on your region, there are probably many natives that are good for beginners to keep and easy to accommodate. For example, grey tree frogs, which I have a froglet I found on my porch, are very fascinating, and very easy to take care of. They even change colors. But I do understand when you have your heart set on a specific thing, it's hard to consider any other animal, but really do look into the greys. I love mine, and like I said if you live in a region with them, I'd try to get either a tadpole or a this-year-generation froglet, because wild caught adults of any frog type don't always adapt well to captivity after spending most of their lives in the wild. They'll probably also take a little longer to warm up to you. Raising a tadpole or searching for a wild froglet can be quite rewarding, but I believe catching adults is a little inhumane. But I'm sure lots of people do it with success, I just wouldn't suggest it. But do consider an easy to care for native frog if you already haven't.
Otherwise, good luck with the RETF!!
Here's my little grey tree frog, Keylime:


And have a look at some of these grey tree frogs too, just so you can see what they look like: