Clawed Frogs and Tree Frogs

Frogs have always been popular as exotic pets and Clawed Frogs and the various kinds of Tree Frogs are high up the list of all-time favourites. Representing two opposite ends of the froggy way of life, these two quite different types of amphibian make fascinating animals to keep.

Clawed Frogs

The most familiar species of Clawed Frogs is the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis), which principally owes its popularity to the fact that it was exported and bred in huge numbers for use in pregnancy testing in the days before home test kits were invented!

Originally often known as the Clawed Toad – though this name has largely fallen out of use – a quick look at the well developed webs on its hind feet tells you straight away that this flat bodied animal lives an entirely aquatic life. Growing to around 4 or 5 inches (10-12.5cm) – like most frogs, the males being a little smaller than the females – their common name comes from the three short, but surprisingly sharp, hind foot claws.

A range of related frogs are sometimes seen offered for sale, including other Xenopus species and dwarf varieties including Hymenochirus boettgeri and H. curtipes which are less than 2 inches (5cm) long when fully grown.

Tree Frogs

It would be hard to find less aquatic frogs than the various tree frog species of the world – a captivating, active and often remarkably vocal group of creatures, found in most of the warmer parts of the globe.

A number of varieties commonly find themselves on sale as pets – principally species of Hyla and Litoria. Amongst the most frequently seen are the likes of the European Tree Frog (Hyla arborea), the American Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea) and White’s Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) – an Australian species. Most Hyla species grow to around 2 inches (5cm), while White’s Tree Frog is often twice that size and proportionally chubbier, hence its alternative – and rather unflattering – common name of “Dumpy” Tree Frog.

Housing And Feeding Clawed Frogs

These aquatic frogs obviously need to be kept in an aquarium – the size of which depends on the species being kept. For example, a tank of around 2ft x 1ft x 1ft (60x30x30cm) will accommodate a pair of Xenopus laevis, while it would make a home for two or three pairs of a dwarf species.

Temperature requirements vary too; Xenopus laevis are happy around 20 degrees C (68F) and are often kept in an unheated tank in a warm room; other species like to be up to 5C (9F) warmer, so it’s important to check.

Gravel makes a good flooring material for these amphibians – but make sure that you pick a largish size to avoid the possibility of stones being ingested. An under-gravel or power filter will help keep the water in a good state and regular partial water changes are also a good idea, but it’s important to be aware that these frogs can be very sensitive to sudden temperature changes – so make sure you check the replacement water before adding it.

Although some people like to add plants to the aquarium, the activities of these rather clumsy amphibians often means they will get uprooted; there isn’t any particular need to plant your tank, so it really all comes down to personal taste.

Feeding Clawed frogs is seldom a problem, since most have amazing appetites. Youngsters can be fed on the likes of tubifex, whiteworm, bloodworm and small earthworms, while adults will take larger earthworms, maggots, insect larvae and slivers of raw fish.

Housing And Feeding Tree Frogs

Housing Tree Frogs, by contrast, calls for a terrarium. Hyla frogs tend to be agile and active, often jumping considerable distances with great accuracy – so their containers need to be fairly large for such a seemingly small creature and a fairly tall tank will be appreciated. Bark or sphagnum moss makes a good flooring material, and large bits of cork are ideal to provide the inhabitants with lots of places to perch and hide.

The tank should also have a small, shallow water bowl, which will also help maintain the humidity. Cleanliness is important, which means you’ll need to clean out the tank every three weeks or so, and keep a careful eye out for any signs of mould.

The daytime temperature should be around 25 degrees C (77F) dropping to 20C (68F) at night – and slightly warmer for Litoria – but be careful with heat lamps or ceramic heaters to make sure that they have an adequate guard to stop these acrobatic amphibians from burning themselves.

Most appropriately sized live foods will be eaten, including mealworms, crickets, garden insects and earthworms, and the more the variety, the better.

In the end, whether you opt for Tree Frogs or Clawed Frogs, you’ll be getting some really fascinating pets to enjoy.