Help! Found a frog in my home during winter!

[Jmyers152]

Hi, we I've never kept frogs as pets. We do not know how to care for them. But I found one in my basement, a baby frog, from pictures and locations of common frogs in Iowa it seems to be a plains leopard frog. What do I do? I don't think I can just release them into this blizzarding weather. Please help!

[Herpin Man]

No, you can't release it. My suggestion is that you try to keep it healthy until you can safely release it outside.
At bare minimum, you need an aquarium with an escape proof lid, some substrate for it to dig into (such as leaves, moss, or eco earth) and a large water dish. If you keep it in a cool basement, it probably won't expend many calories, and could survive without food until spring. If you feed it, they require live invertebrates, such as crickets or earthworms. You don't need to provide any special lighting or heat over the short term.
If you'd like to post clear photos, I could confirm species for you.