If you’re looking to add some vibrant color to your vivarium, red eyed tree frogs may come to mind. With their bright green bodies and signature red eyes, these tropical amphibians can certainly liven up a terrarium. But can you safely keep more than one red eyed tree frog together?
Getting the answer to this question is key before bringing home these exotic pets.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Red eyed tree frogs can live together peacefully if provided with an adequately sized enclosure, proper humidity and temperature, and ample places to hide and climb.
However, they are not social animals and do not require companionship. So housing red eyed tree frogs together is possible but not necessary.
The Solitary Nature of Red Eyed Tree Frogs
Red eyed tree frogs are not social animals
Red eyed tree frogs are highly solitary creatures and do not form social groups or communities with other frogs. Here are some key reasons why these vibrant green amphibians prefer to live alone:
- Territoriality – Male red eyed tree frogs are highly territorial and will defend an area of around 25 square meters against other males. They use aggressive behaviors like wrestling and vocal displays to protect their territory.
- No parental care – Red eyed tree frog parents do not look after their eggs or young. The eggs are laid on leaves above water and once hatched, the tadpoles drop into the water below where they fend for themselves. This lack of parental bonding means social groups don’t form.
- Solitary hunters – Red eyed tree frogs hunt alone for prey like insects, spiders and smaller frogs. They are ambush predators who sit camouflaged on leaves and branches waiting for victims to come past.
- Shelter sites – Suitable shelter sites like bromeliads and rolled up leaves are limited in the canopy. Red eyed tree frogs prefer not to share these retreats with other frogs.
These factors all contribute to the solitary, asocial lifestyle of the stunning red eyed tree frog. While they may congregate around breeding ponds, they do not form lasting social bonds or communities.
Risks of cohabitation
Housing red eyed tree frogs together can pose a number of risks and issues:
- Stress – Red eyed tree frogs forced to live together may become stressed by invasion of their territory and lack of personal space.
- Aggression and injury – Aggressive behaviors like wrestling can turn nasty in captivity, resulting in serious injuries. Eyes are particularly vulnerable.
- Poor feeding – Dominant frogs may monopolize food resources, preventing subordinate animals from getting proper nutrition.
- Spread of disease – Close contact facilitates transmission of bacteria, parasites and fungi between frogs.
- Reproductive issues – Males may attempt to amplex females continuously, preventing them from feeding and causing exhaustion.
While the occasional dispute may be harmless, prolonged cohabitation of red eyed tree frogs is fraught with risks. It is best to house these frogs separately to avoid conflict and ensure their health and wellbeing. An exception is made for breeding pairs temporarily put together for reproduction.
Providing Proper Housing for Multiple Frogs
Enclosure Size
Red-eyed tree frogs are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. In the wild, their territory may cover a large area as they hunt for food at night. When keeping multiple frogs together, it’s important to provide them with adequate space to thrive.
For 2-4 red-eyed tree frogs, aim for a minimum enclosure size of 20 gallons, with dimensions around 20″ x 20″ x 30″ (length x width x height). This allows room for multiple perches, plants, and a water feature. Larger groups may need an even bigger terrarium closer to 40-60 gallons.
Enclosure Setup
Red-eyed tree frogs love to climb and perch! Provide plenty of opportunities with branches, vines, live or artificial plants, and cork bark. Position perches at various heights and orientations. Having a range of perch sizes and textures is ideal so each frog can find their own comfortable spot.
Substrate options include eco earth, sphagnum moss, or ABG mix to help maintain humidity. Add a large, shallow water dish that the frogs can soak in if desired. Include plenty of foliage for hiding spots and to block lines of sight between frogs.
Maintaining Proper Temperature and Humidity
Red-eyed tree frogs are native to tropical regions and require higher heat and moisture levels. For multiple frogs, aim for:
- Temperature around 75-85°F during the day, dropping to 70-75°F at night.
- Humidity between 70-100%. Aim for the higher end of this range.
Achieve proper heat with a low-wattage incandescent or ceramic heat emitter bulb over part of the enclosure. Cooler areas should be available for frogs to thermoregulate. Use a thermometer and hygrometer to monitor conditions.
To boost humidity, use a misting system on a timer. Hand misting 1-2 times a day also helps. Place the water dish under the heat source so evaporation occurs. And limit ventilation to retain moisture while still permitting air exchange.
With the right setup, multiple red-eyed tree frogs can thrive together! Just be sure to quarantine new frogs and watch for any signs of aggression or stress. With adequate space, climbing spots, hiding areas, heat, and humidity, these colorful frogs can make fascinating pets.
Feeding Multiple Red Eyed Tree Frogs
Crickets
Crickets are an excellent staple feeder insect for red eyed tree frogs. When feeding multiple frogs, it’s best to provide approximately 4-5 appropriately sized crickets per frog every other day as an adult frog will eat 3-4 crickets per feeding (Josh’s Frogs, 2024).
The crickets should be no bigger than the space between the frog’s eyes to prevent choking hazards. Gut load the crickets with nutritious fruits and vegetables before feeding for maximum nutrition.
Crickets should be coated lightly in calcium + vitamin D3 supplement powder just prior to feeding to prevent deficiencies leading to metabolic bone disease. This is especially important when housing multiple frogs together as competition may prevent some individuals from getting adequate supplements (Reptile Guide, 2024).
Provide crickets in a shallow dish for easier access.
Waxworms
Waxworms are high in fat and should only be fed as occasional treats to red eyed tree frogs. When housing multiple frogs, waxworms can lead to obesity and related health issues if provided too often as the fat content is roughly 20 times higher than crickets (The Spruce Pets, 2019).
Still, they can be useful for adding weight to underweight frogs.
Limit waxworm feedings to once per week for adult frogs. Hatchling and juvenile frogs have higher energy requirements and can handle more frequent waxworm feedings 2-3 times per week. Only provide 1-2 waxworms per frog in a shallow dish.
Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are essential when raising multiple red eyed tree frog hatchlings as they will not be able to eat crickets initially. Hatchlings and frogs under 3 months old require springtails and fruit flies as tiny, slow moving insects are easier for them to capture and digest (The Spruce Pets, 2017).
Once able to eat small crickets, juvenile frogs should still be offered flightless fruit flies as a nutritious supplementary feeder insect a few times per week. Provide approximately 20-30 fruit flies per froglet at each feeding.
Breeding Behaviors
Mating habits
Red eyed tree frogs are promiscuous breeders and do not form long-term pair bonds. During the breeding season, the frogs gather near water sources and form large mating aggregations. Males will call to attract females and compete with other males through vocalizations and occasionally wrestling.
When a female approaches, the male will grasp her and initiate amplexus, which can last up to 3 days until the female is ready to lay eggs.
Males clasp onto the female just above her hind legs, squeezing her underbelly to stimulate ovulation and fertilization. A clutch contains around 40 eggs, though females may mate with multiple males, resulting in a highly variable paternity within one clutch.
The external fertilization takes place as the female lays the eggs, allowing the male to simultaneously release sperm.
Red eyed tree frogs breed continuously between May and October in the wild, corresponding with the rainy season. In captivity, breeding can occur year-round if conditions are favorable. The most important factors for stimulating breeding are high humidity, increased misting, warmer temperatures around 78-82°F, and a rainy season simulated with drizzles or showers.
Egg laying and care
After amplexus, the female will deposit her eggs on leaves or branches overhanging still or slow-moving fresh water. She may return to lay additional clutches, depositing around 10-40 eggs at a time. The gelatinous clutches stick to the vegetation, protecting the eggs from drying out.
The parents provide no direct care for their offspring, leaving the eggs unattended after laying. Some research suggests the jelly coating around the egg cluster may contain anti-microbial compounds to help ward off bacteria and fungi during embryonic development.
Within 1-2 weeks, the eggs hatch into tadpoles which drop into the water below. These aquatic tadpoles undergo metamorphosis over 60-90 days, gradually developing limbs and lungs and absorbing their tails.
The tiny juvenile frogs, only half an inch long, will then emerge onto land and reach maturity in 1-2 years.
In captivity, eggs can be moved into a nursery tank with shallow, dechlorinated water. Aquarium filtration helps keep the water clean but should be gentle enough to avoid damaging the delicate tadpoles. Tadpoles can be fed finely crushed fish flakes, spirulina powder, or algae wafers.
Within 2-3 months they will morph into tiny replicas of the adults and can be moved into a terrestrial juvenile setup.
Conclusion
While red eyed tree frogs are solitary by nature, housing them together can work well if their habitat requirements are met. By providing ample space, climbing areas, hiding spots, proper temperatures, and adequate food sources, red eyed tree frogs can coexist without issue.
However, take care to watch for signs of aggression or stress. Their wellbeing should always come first. With the right setup and care, the vibrant colors and intriguing behaviors of these tropical amphibians can certainly liven up any terrarium.
