Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) terrarium

[Mr Leopard]

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.

[MantidBro]

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

[wriggles]

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 =)

[LilyPad]

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.

[Mr Leopard]

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?

[LilyPad]

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.