Frogs may seem like exotic pets that are better left in the wild, but there are actually a few species that make for great pets you can hold and interact with. If you’re looking for an unusual and interactive amphibian companion, read on to learn all about pet frogs you can hold.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The best pet frog species that you can hold and interact with include the African dwarf frog, pixie frog, and White’s tree frog.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover the top frog species that enjoy and tolerate regular human handling, their ideal habitat setup and care needs, what you’ll need to buy to get started, and tips for handling your pet frog safely and minimizing stress.
Best Frog Species for Handling
African Dwarf Frog
The African dwarf frog is one of the best pet frog species for handling. These small frogs only grow to about 2-3 inches in length, making them easy to hold in your hand. Their calm demeanor and tolerance of handling makes them a popular choice.
Some key things to know about handling African dwarf frogs:
- Always wash your hands before and after handling to prevent spreading bacteria or chemicals to the frog’s sensitive skin.
- Avoid wearing lotions, perfumes, or scented products when handling, as the fragrances may irritate the frog.
- Handle gently and be careful not to drop the frog, as falls can injure or even kill them.
- Never pick up the frog by its legs or squeeze too tightly, as this can harm their delicate bodies.
When picking up an African dwarf frog, slide your hands gently underneath its body for support. These small frogs can easily sit on one hand. Supervise young children when handling to prevent accidents.
Pixie Frog
Though the hefty pixie frog grows up to 6 inches long, its gentle disposition also makes it a surprisingly good pet frog for handling.
Key guidelines for handling pixie frogs include:
- Wash hands before and after.
- Scoop up the frog gently from underneath, providing full support for its body weight on both hands.
- Hold the frog loosely to avoid injuring its sensitive skin with tight squeezes.
- Only handle briefly (under 10 minutes at a time) as these frogs prefer limited handling.
Pixie frogs will often close their eyes and relax while being held, signaling their tolerance. Their calm nature allows them to be one of the best medium-sized pet frogs for handling.
White’s Tree Frog
White’s tree frogs are docile, slow-moving frogs that can become quite comfortable with careful human handling over time. Their larger size (up to 5 inches long) makes them easy to grasp gently.
Tips for proper White’s tree frog handling include:
- Approach slowly and avoid making sudden movements to scoop up the frog.
- Cup the frog ever-so-gently in both hands to prevent it from jumping free.
- Never squeeze or tightly grasp White’s tree frogs, as their skin and bones are fragile.
- Limit handling sessions to about 10 minutes, allowing the frog to rest in between.
- Take cues from the frog’s behavior – if it struggles excessively, release it promptly back into its habitat.
With regular respectful handling, White’s tree frogs can make quite mellow and interactive pets. Their growing popularity highlights their status as one of the best medium-sized pet frogs suitable for handling.
Habitat Setup and Care
Providing the proper habitat setup and care is crucial for the health and happiness of pet frogs. From enclosure size to heating and humidity, every detail matters. Follow these tips to create an ideal home for your new amphibious friend.
Enclosure
Select an aquarium or terrarium at least 10 gallons in size for one small frog. Add 5-10 gallons per additional frog. Glass tanks allow for easy viewing and work well for arboreal tree frogs. For terrestrial or burrowing frogs, choose a tank with more height than width.
Provide plenty of plants, logs, and hides to make your frog feel secure.
Substrate
Use a natural substrate like non-fertilized potting soil, sphagnum moss, or coconut fiber. Avoid gravel, sand, or particle substrates that could be accidentally ingested. The substrate should hold some moisture while allowing drainage to prevent standing water.
Plants and Hiding Places
Live or silk plants help recreate a rainforest environment. Pothos, bromeliads, and creeping fig work well. Position plants to provide hiding spots and climbing surfaces. Include cork rounds, logs, coconut huts, and leaf litter for additional refuge and enrichment.
Heating and Lighting
Daytime temperatures of 75-85°F suit most pet frogs. Use an incandescent bulb, ceramic heat emitter, or under tank heater regulated by a thermostat. Provide 8-12 hours of light daily. For tropical tree frogs, use a full spectrum lighting.
No special lighting is needed for nocturnal or crepuscular species.
Humidity and Water
Proper humidity varies by species, but generally should range from 50-80%. Increase humidity by misting the tank several times per day. Provide a large, shallow water dish that the frog can soak in. Clean and refresh the water daily.
Cleaning the Tank
Spot clean waste and uneaten food daily. Every 1-2 months, completely empty the tank to wash the enclosure, plants, decor items, and substrate. Replace about 25% of the substrate monthly. Thorough cleaning prevents dangerous ammonia and bacteria accumulation.
With the right enclosure setup and care regimen, pet frogs can thrive for years. Monitor your frog’s behavior and habitat conditions closely, and adapt as needed to support their health and happiness in captivity.
Diet and Feeding
Providing the proper diet is critical for keeping pet frogs healthy and happy. Most pet frog species are insectivores, meaning insects make up the bulk of their diet. However, there are some key things to consider when it comes to feeding your frog.
Insects and Feeders
Crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and fruit flies are common feeder insects for pet frogs. It’s important to gut load these insects before feeding by providing them nutrient-rich foods like vegetables and grain. This passes more nutrients on to your frog.
The size of the feeders is also important. They should be no bigger than the space between your frog’s eyes to prevent choking. For small frogs like tomato frogs, fruit flies and pinhead crickets are a good staple. Larger pacman frogs can handle adult crickets and occasional mice!
Supplementation
In captivity, pet frogs need supplementation to thrive. Dust insects with calcium plus vitamins at every other feeding. This provides essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D3 that frogs need for strong bones and health that they may not get from feeders alone.
Using supplements prevents issues like metabolic bone disease.
Feeding Technique
Most frogs eagerly hunt down live insects, which provides enrichment. Place feeders directly into their enclosure and watch your frog spring into action to catch its prey!
For picky eaters, try putting insects in a small bowl or feeding dish instead of loose in the tank. This contains them so the frog can easily find them. Just monitor to make sure the frog is eating.
Food Variety
In addition to staple feeders like crickets and worms, provide food variety whenever possible. Feeder roaches, silkworms, snails, and even frozen/thawed rodents can give balanced nutrition. Vegetable scraps can also supplement, but research first to see if your frog species can safely eat plants.
Feeding Schedule
Most small pet frog species only need to be fed every 2-3 days. Large pacman frogs may only eat 2-3 times per week. Observe your individual frog’s appetite and body condition and adjust amounts accordingly. The general rule is to feed them what they will eat in 10-15 minutes.
Overfeeding can cause obesity and undigested insect buildup, leading to health issues. An underweight frog may need more frequent feedings. Finding the right feeding rhythm for your frog’s age and species is important.
By following these diet and feeding tips, your new pet frog is sure to thrive under your care. Just remember to fully research proper nutrition for your frog species.
Handling Tips
Get Your Frog Used to Being Held
Pet frogs can become stressed when first handled, so it’s important to get them accustomed to human contact gradually. Start by placing your hand inside the tank so your frog can crawl onto it. Do this for 5-10 minutes daily, offering a small food reward when your frog steps onto your hand.
Over a week or two, gently scoop up your frog for short periods before returning it to the tank. Increase handling time as your frog relaxes. With patience, regular short sessions will get most frogs used to being handled.
Support Their Body Properly
Frogs have delicate bones and skin, so hold your pet gently but firmly. Cradle smaller frogs in both hands, supporting the belly and hind legs. Larger frogs can be handled in one hand, with fingers and thumb cradling the body.
Always support the full weight of the frog’s body – never grasp a leg or tail. Their powerful hind legs will likely kick out when nervous, so keep your hold steady and secure.
Keep Sessions Brief
Limit handling to 5-10 minutes at a time, even once your frog is comfortable being picked up. Longer sessions can cause stress. Return your frog to its tank if it starts wriggling to escape. Give it a break before handling again. Pay attention to signs of stress like bulging eyes or odd breathing.
Some placid individuals will tolerate 20-30 minutes of attention.
Avoid Lotion and Scented Products Before Handling
Frogs absorb substances through their moist skin, so avoid using lotions, perfumes, bug spray or sunscreen right before handling your pet. Wash your hands with plain water to remove any residue. The oils, fragrance and chemicals in these products can irritate sensitive frog skin or make your hands slippery and hard for the frog to cling to.
What You Need to Buy to Get Started
Getting started with pet frogs requires some key supplies and equipment. Here is an overview of the essential items you’ll need to purchase and set up for your new amphibian friend:
Habitat
An appropriate habitat is crucial for keeping pet frogs healthy and happy. Most pet frog species do well in a 10-20 gallon aquarium tank. Be sure to get a tank with a secure, ventilated lid to prevent escape.
You’ll need substrate material like coconut fiber, moss, or reptile carpet for the floor of the tank. Add hiding spots like logs, plants, and rocks for your frog to enjoy.
Heat and Lighting
Most pet frogs require a warm, humid, tropical environment. A low-wattage incandescent or fluorescent bulb over part of the tank will provide both heat and light on a 10-12 hour cycle. Use an aquarium heater or heat mat regulated with a thermostat to keep water at the appropriate temperature if your frog species needs it.
Hygrometers and thermometers will help monitor humidity and temps.
Water
A water area is vital for all frogs. Use a shallow water dish big enough for your frog to soak in. Aquatic frog species will need much larger water areas. Dechlorinate tap water before using. Partial water changes help keep the habitat clean.
Food
Crickets, worms, flies, and other small insects make up the diet of most pet frogs. Canned or freeze-dried versions are readily available. Use calcium and vitamin supplements as needed for your frog’s health. Feeding tweezers or tongs allow neat, mess-free feeding.
Accessories
Plastic plants, driftwood, and rocks add visual interest to the vivarium. Digital or analog hygrometers and thermometers are essential for monitoring conditions. Automatic misters or hand spray bottles help maintain humidity. Water treatments prevent chlorine buildup.
Vitamin supplements in powder or liquid form provide nutrition.
With the right habitat setup and care, pet frogs can make fascinating, low-maintenance animal companions. Investing in the proper supplies will give your new frog the best start in your home.
Conclusion
Frogs may not be as cuddly as other pets, but the right species can become comfortable perching on your hand and interacting with you. By providing the proper habitat setup and gently handling your frog daily, you can have a unique amphibian companion.
Just be sure to do your research and meet all the care requirements for whichever frog species you choose.
With their low maintenance needs, unique behaviors, and appealing colors and textures, pet frogs offer a rewarding interactive experience unlike any other pet. Now that you know which frogs enjoy handling and how to care for them properly, you can decide if one of these fascinating amphibians is the right fit for you.
