Best Pet Frogs for Beginners

Frogs are fun, entertaining, cute, and overall extremely rewarding amphibians that make great pets. However, if you’re new to the reptile and amphibian hobbyist world, we recommend starting out with a species that is easy to care for, at least until you get used to your pet frog and fully understand meeting its needs.

Below you will find our list of the four best pet frogs for beginners. We chose these species for a variety of reasons, but mainly for their great track record as pets in captivity.

Budgetts Frog AKA Freddy Krueger Frog (Lepidobatrachus laevis)

Budgetts frogs are also commonly known by the nickname “Freddy Krueger frog” because they have unusually long fingers and can emit what is best described as a scream when stressed or provoked. However, we want you to know that this nickname shouldn’t intimidate you. Budgetts frogs are overall very calm, lazy, squishy frogs and they’d much rather be left to their own devices than scream at you.

Lepidobatrachus laevis
Although its legs make it appear stumpy, the Budgetts Frog is actually a really good swimmer.

Due to their highly aquatic nature, keeping a Budgetts frog is a lot like keeping a fish. This frog species will rarely emerge from water and is overall fairly secretive. We’d say that Budgetts are great pets for people who enjoy watching their pet frog and don’t plan on handling it or taking it out to play with. Budgetts are solidly built, but very awkward and blob-like on solid ground, so we recommend removing them from their enclosure only when necessary.

If you think a jelly-like Budgetts frog is for you, Backwater Reptiles has them for sale.

White’s Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)

White’s Tree Frogs, which are also commonly referred to as “Dumpy Frogs” due to their pudgy, wrinkled, and somewhat sleepy appearance, are very docile pet frogs.

Originating from Australia, Dumpies can be green or blueish in color. Some also have white spots. But all of them tend to be calm frogs that don’t mind being handled.

Dumpy frog
White’s tree frogs make amusing pet frogs.

Your dumpy frog shouldn’t grow larger than five inches long and can live anywhere from seven to twenty years! Frogs of a similar size can also be housed together as dumpy frogs are generally friendly toward one another.

A large part of the reason we’ve included White’s tree frog on our list is because they are very forgiving when it comes to their conditions in captivity. They don’t require much in terms of cage decor, but keep in mind that they are tree frogs, so be sure to provide them something to climb on and cling to. They also thrive in temperatures around 80 degrees, which means all they need in terms of heat is a small light or heat pad. They’re also not known to be picky eaters, so feeding time should never be a hassle as they’ll consume everything from crickets to roaches.

Interested in a pet Dumpy frog? We have blue-phase White’s tree frogs and normal White’s tree frogs for sale on our website.

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

We recommend bullfrogs as pets if you want to keep your frogs outdoors in a pond-like environment. Not only are bullfrogs very common North American frogs, but they are extremely adaptable and can thrive in an outdoor set up with little to no management.

Bullfrogs will do equally well indoors too, provided you give them a large enough enclosure. Most people tend to keep multiple frogs, so if this is the case, we recommend at least a 55 gallon tank. However, for a single frog, a 20 gallon will do just fine. Your bullfrog’s home will need to be set up for both aquatic and terrestrial living, which means a pond or swimming area coupled with a dry land area where the frog can emerge if it so chooses.

bullfrog
Bullfrogs are “classic” looking frogs – green with long jumping legs and round eyes.

Bullfrogs also have hearty appetites and will grow quite large if you let them. We feed ours a staple diet of crickets and mealworms, but they’re also fond of night crawlers, roaches, and reptiworms.

If you’re ready to start your own backyard frog pond, head to our website to purchase some healthy bullfrogs of your own.

Pixie Frog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)

The Pixie frog or Giant African Bullfrog tops our list of best pet frogs for beginners because it is one hefty beast of a frog. These gigantic frogs might start out tiny (think around the size of a quarter), but they are ravenous eaters and can attain weights of up to two pounds!

Pixie frog 2 weeks old
This baby Pixie frog is approximately two weeks old. It will grow rapidly and double its size in about two weeks!

Pixies tend to adapt to human interaction and handling relatively well. We’ve even heard that you can teach your Pixie to eat from your hand, although we recommend proceeding with caution if you attempt this feat because pixies can pack a punch when it comes to eating.

Of all the frog species on this list, Pixies are probably the most entertaining. Meal time for a pet Pixie is just fascinating and watching these piggy little frogs eat never gets old. Pixies will virtually never refuse food, so be prepared to watch your Pixie’s diet as they can and will get fat if you let them.

Want your own beastie Pixie frog? Backwater Reptiles sells captive bred babies ranging in size from two inches up.

Conclusion

We think that frogs make awesome pets and if you’re just venturing into the world of herpetoculture, we recommend starting with one of the frogs on this list.

Are you more of an experienced herper? Backwater Reptiles has all sorts of pet frogs for sale on our website.

Do Cuban Tree Frogs Make Good Pets?

Are you considering a pet frog but you’re unsure what species to go with? Do you want a large, hardy, and entertaining species? If you answered yes to these questions, we think a Cuban tree frog would make a great pet for you.

In this article, we’ll lay out the care guidelines for Cuban tree frogs as well as go into more detail on why we think these frogs are great for herp enthusiasts of all ages and levels of experience.

cuban tree frogs are good pets
We think Cuban tree frogs make great pets for herp hobbyists of all levels of experience.

Cuban tree frogs as pets

Originally, Cuban tree frogs come from Cuba, but nowadays, they are commonplace in states like Florida. Because they adapt so well, eat ravenously, grow to quite large sizes, and are so prevalent, they have come to be seen by many as an invasive species. These traits that make Cuban tree frogs so successful in the wild are also what make them very well suited to captivity.

Cuban Tree Frogs are actually the largest species of tree frog living in North America. Females can grow to be nearly six inches in length, while males will stay a bit smaller. Although they are long frogs, they stay quite slender with powerful hind legs designed for long jumps.

In general, Cuban tree frogs are a light brown, beige, or grey color, but can also be a darker brown or whitish color. They also possess the capability to slightly alter their color depending on their surroundings and temperament.

If you keep a Cuban tree frog for a pet, be prepared to feed it…lots. They have immense appetites and seem to prefer crickets in captivity. In addition to crickets, roaches, night crawlers, hornworms, and reptiworms make great treats and supplements. Fully matured, adult frogs have also been known to eat pinkie mice on occasion. We advise feeding pinkies in moderation because if consumed in excess or too frequently, your frog will become overweight. But the bottom line is – you will definitely enjoy watching your Cuban tree frog pig out at mealtime.

cuban tree frog
This photo shows that although Cuban tree frogs are large, they are still very slender of frame with long, powerful hind legs.

A single Cuban tree frog will thrive in a 15 or 20 gallon tank with plenty of foliage to climb on and hide in. You can keep males and females together, but make sure the frogs are of comparable size to one another. Larger Cuban tree frogs have been reported to eat smaller ones, so you don’t want them to cannibalize each other.

Good substrates for Cuban tree frogs are peat moss, potting soil, and coconut fiber. These all hold moisture well, but won’t necessarily become soggy. In addition to the plants (both real and fake are acceptable), you should provide a hide space such as a log or a coconut half that stays on the ground in the cage. While Cuban tree frogs are mostly arboreal, they do at times come down to the ground of their enclosure.

A water dish that is large enough for your frog to comfortably submerge itself should also be provided on the bottom of the cage. You can also put a small rock or platform inside the water dish so that it’s easier for the frog to get in and out of the water pool. Make sure that the water stays fresh because stagnant water can make your frog ill.

If you decide to keep a male with a female or two, expect to hear loud, barking noises during the mating season at night time. Cuban tree frogs are known for their noisy mating calls which have been described as sounding like small dog barks. If successful mating occurs, the female will deposit her eggs in the water dish.

Osteopilus septentrionalis
Cuban tree frogs have quite impressive appetites.

Conclusion

If you want a large frog with lots of personality and heart, we recommend getting a pet Cuban tree frog. Not only are these frogs large, but they are pretty easy to keep and will provide lots of entertainment at feeding time.

If you think you are ready to welcome a Cuban tree frog into your home, you can buy one (or a pair!) from Backwater Reptiles.

Top Four Biggest Pet Frogs

The absolute biggest frog in the entire world is the Goliath Frog (Conraua goliath). It can reach up to 12 and a half inches long (snout to vent) and weigh upwards of seven pounds! However, we’re not including this behemoth frog on our top four biggest pet frogs list because they are currently endangered and due to the strict exportation regulation of this species, we don’t recommend keeping them as pets.

So now that we’ve gotten the Goliath frog out of the way, read on to find out more about our top four biggest pet frog species.

Gladiator Tree Frog (Hypsiboas boans)

This is a frog known by many names – the giant tree frog, the rusty tree frog, the giant gladiator tree frog – to name a few.

The Gladiator grows to around 4 inches long snout to vent. It gets its name because the males possess a bony spike on their hands that they use in combat with other males when it comes to defending territory or fighting for a mate.

Gladiator tree frog
This photo shows a Gladiator tree frog next to a quarter to show scale.

Gladiators can be grey or brown in color. They possess stripes, bars or blotches on their backs. Their feet have a lot of webbing and oversized toe pads.

Like all tree frogs, the Gladiator is arboreal and as such its enclosure should support its climbing habits. These frogs are also fond of adhering to the glass walls of their tanks, giving their owners a view of their underbellies.

Cuban Tree Frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis)

The Cuban tree frog makes our list at number three because it is commonly known to be the largest tree frog in North America.

Although these frogs might not be the largest in terms of weight or girth, they are definitely the longest tree frog in North America, reaching over five inches long from snout to vent when fully grown.

Most frogs that grow to be this long will also grow in diameter (i.e. their bellies will bulge and they will be quite wide animals), but the Cuban tree frog is actually very slender for a frog of its size. This is probably because they spend a lot of time in trees and weighing too much would make it tough for them to cling to a perch or leaf while being so high off the ground.

Cuban tree frog
Cuban tree frogs are slender, but very long.

Cuban tree frogs are originally from Cuba, as their name suggests, but have become an invasive species in the U.S. They are sometimes considered a nuisance in their natural habitat because the males actually bark very loudly in the mating season.

A single Cuban tree frog can be housed comfortably in a 15 to 20 gallon tank. Due to their arboreal lifestyle, the tank should be able to accommodate vertical space (i.e. be taller than it is wide) because your Cuban tree frog won’t spend a lot of time on the ground.

Pacman Frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli)

Pacman frogs are commonly sold as babies that are no larger than a quarter, but boy, do they grow fast! Pacmans have almost insatiable appetites and will not only expand in terms of length, but girth as well. In fact, many Pacman frog owners have to watch their frog’s weight and feed them a low-fat diet because these frogs can and will overeat if they’re not watched.

When fully grown, female Pacman frogs can be around four to seven inches long. Male frogs are slightly smaller, maxing out at around four inches.

Baby Pacman Frog
This baby Pacman frog is pictured next to a nickel. They start out tiny but grow into very massive frogs.

Pacman frogs are very popular pets not only because they are very appreciative eaters and put on a show at meal time, but because they are bred to be a variety of different colors. Captive breeding has produced some truly colorful Pacman frog morphs.

Because Pacmans are not picky eaters, we feed ours crickets as their staple food, and supplement with meal worms, night crawlers, and roaches. Occasional wax worms or horn worms are nice juicy treats, but just be sure to feed these to your Pacman in moderation.

Pixie Frog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)

Pixie frogs (AKA Giant African Bullfrogs) are true behemoths. These frogs not only grow long, but they grow hefty. It’s not unheard of for them to be large enough to eat adult mice!

large Pixie frog (Pyxicephalus adsperus)
Here’s a juvenile Pixie frog, perhaps four months old.

Male Pixies can reach lengths up to ten inches, while females will get to around five inches long, which is still impressive! Males have been recorded to weigh as much as two pounds, which might not seem like much, but in terms of frogs, this is really heavy!

Baby Pixie Frog
You can fit several baby Pixies in your hand at once!

Pixies are burrowers, so we recommend  substrate that holds moisture and allows for this behavior. Coconut fiber is ideal. They will probably hide most of the time, but you better believe that when its lunch or dinner time, the Pixie comes running…or rather, hopping. We feed ours low-fat diets that include crickets, mealworms, and roaches since it’s so easy for these frogs to become obese.

Pyxicephalus adspersus
This is a Pixie frog at a healthy weight. This frog is clearly well-fed, but not obese and that is key to keeping these behemoths healthy.

Conclusion

All large frogs have complimentary large appetites which makes feeding time a fun and entertaining experience.

We would highly recommend any of these frogs for a pet. If you think you’re prepared to adopt any of these great frog species, Backwater Reptiles has many large frog species for sale.

Do Bullfrogs Make Good Pets?

Bullfrogs as pets

Even though bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) are one of the most common and widespread frogs in North America, the Backwater Reptiles crew thinks they make awesome pets. We think they’re great natural accents if you have a decorative pond in your backyard, and they also make amusing indoor family pets.

Bullfrogs are an olive green base color with grayish brown mottling, although they can also have plain green skin. Their bellies are off-white or yellowish. Males are larger than females, but both genders have large, brown eyes with horizontal, almond-shaped pupils.

Both genders possess eardrums or tympanums behind their eyes, but the male’s tympanum is markedly larger than his eyes, while the female’s is about the same size as her eyes.

Pet Bullfrog
An olive-green female bullfrog with a yellow underbelly and speckles. A wonderful pet frog species for amphibian hobbyists.

Why a pet bullfrog?

Bullfrogs are “classic” frogs. What we mean by this is that they possess traditional green skin, are strong jumpers, and live semi-aquatic life styles. In other words, bullfrogs epitomize what most people visualize when they think of a pet frog. We think this works in their favor and makes them sort of the “All-American Frog.”

As we previously mentioned, bullfrogs are wonderful animals to have living in your backyard if you have a man-made pond. This is actually an ideal living situation for them. Because they will have access to natural day and night cycles, natural seasonal weather shifts, and natural food sources, you really won’t have much work to do as far as maintaining their health is concerned.

Outdoor pond life will allow your bullfrogs to reproduce, hibernate, and enjoy a natural life cycle. They will happily croak out the classic frog mating call during the appropriate season, engage in mating rituals, and eventually fill your outdoor pond with tadpoles and froglets.

Bullfrog
Bullfrogs can thrive outdoors in a manmade, backyard pond, but will also do well in an indoor tank.

We did mention that when kept outdoors, bullfrogs will essentially care for themselves as far as food is concerned, but we didn’t explain how this is beneficial to you as a homeowner. Most of us don’t particularly enjoy having bugs and other small pests in our yards, right?

Well, a backyard full of bullfrogs will certainly help keep that pest population under control. Bullfrogs will happily eat crickets, dragonflies, flies, spiders, and any other bug that you might consider troublesome to have in your yard.

In addition to being nice additions to your yard, bullfrogs are also great classroom pets for kids and will do just fine living an indoor life in an aquarium.

How do I care for my bullfrog in captivity?

If you are going the route of keeping your bullfrog indoors in a tank or aquarium, we recommend that you have a 55-gallon tank at minimum to house your mature frog or frog pair. Bullfrogs are very active frogs – they enjoy having room to swim, completely submerge themselves, and some area on land where they can bask. Bullfrogs are also very sizeable animals. Males can reach up to eight inches in length and need room to stretch their legs, so the larger the tank, the better.

Your tank set up should include both aquatic and land plants. Bullfrogs do like to hide and the plants, whether living or fake, will help replicate their natural environment. Your tank will also need a full-spectrum UV light and heat light set up as well as a secure lid. Bullfrogs have very strong legs and are incredible jumpers, so the cage top will ensure they don’t escape.

Rana catesbeiana
Bullfrogs are not picky eaters. Feeding time is never dull with a bullfrog.

In the wild, bullfrogs are opportunistic predators. They will sit and wait for prey to cross their path and then ambush. In the wild, bullfrogs will mostly eat invertebrates, and the same holds true in captivity. We recommend feeding your bullfrog a varied diet of insects such as crickets, mealworms, reptiworms, night crawlers, and silk worm larvae. They’re not really picky eaters and getting your bullfrog to eat should not be an issue.

If you should choose to keep your pet bullfrogs outdoors in your backyard, we highly recommend an enclosure or fence around your yard or pond. Bullfrogs are great escape artists and they can and will invade surrounding habitats and drive out the native species.

Conclusion

Bullfrogs can make rewarding and fascinating pets. They will positively thrive in an outdoor environment that replicates their natural home, but will also happily live in an indoor aquarium.

Backwater Reptiles has very affordable bullfrogs for sale if you are interested in owning a few or starting a colony in your backyard.

Freddy Krueger Frog Care

Have you heard of the “Freddy Krueger” frog? If you haven’t, we bet you’ll always remember them after reading this blog article. These frogs are bizarre and entertaining which makes them not only memorable, but delightful pets. We’re going to focus on how to care for Freddy Krueger frogs.

Freddy krueger frog care
The Budgett’s frog (aka Freddy Krueger frog) is flat and “blob-like,” which makes them fun aquarium subjects. They are easy to care for when setup correctly.

Also known as Budgett’s Frogs (Lepidobatrachus laevis), the Freddy Krueger frog’s physical appearance is reminiscent of a blob of green, olive, or yellow-colored Jello. They are flat, fat, and sort of jiggly when at rest. They have tiny but protuberant eyes that sit atop their head as well as pretty long fingers…at least as far as frog fingers are concerned. We imagine that’s partially where they get their Krueger moniker.

When stressed, threatened, or upset, a Budgett’s Frog will puff itself up, rear up on its hind legs, open its big mouth as wide as possible, and emit what can best be described as a scream. The frog’s mouth is toothless with the exception of two tiny sharp protrusions on their lower jaw that make them look like they have tiny fangs. What an interesting and strange defense mechanism.

Screaming Budgetts Frog
This is an angry Freddy Krueger Frog. He is puffed up, screaming, and showing off his two little “fangs.”

We actually sell quite a few of these unique blob-frogs at Backwater Reptiles. We think this is not only due to their comical appearance and screaming capabilities, but because they are great pet frogs overall.

Although their body shape might suggest otherwise, Budgett’s Frogs are mainly aquatic and prefer to stay in the water rather than to be on land. Their arms are quite strong making them adept swimmers. Because their eyes sit directly on top of their head, they can easily submerge themselves completely in the water and just leave their eyes poking out of the surface to see.

When kept in captivity, the Freddy Krueger Frog’s type of watery environment should be replicated as closely as possible. For a single, solitary, full-grown frog, we recommend a tank that is at least 12 inches wide and 24 inches long. Make sure the water you put in the tank is dechlorinated and in the range of six to nine inches deep. Although your Budgett’s Frog might not actually leave the water of its own accord, it is always recommended that a platform or place where the frog can escape the water completely and be on dry land is provided.

Freddy Krueger Frog
This top view of the Budgets Frog shows how its eyes sit directly on top of its head, making it easy for the frog to see when submerged in water.

The water temperature for a Budgett’s Frog is also important. In order for the frog to thrive, the water should stay in the temperature range of 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be acheived by using a thermometer or thermostat and a small tank water heater. Because Budgetts frogs are hefty and can dislodge water heaters, we recommend a mounted heater that has a safety cut out, just in case.

It also should be noted that Budgett’s Frogs create a lot of waste for a frog. Their tank should have a filtration system in place, unless you want to change the water every few days. A good rule of thumb when it comes to water filtration systems is that you do get what you pay for. Depending on the frequency you want to change the frog’s water, it might make sense to purchase a pricier unit that filters better so you don’t have to change the water too often.

Because Budgett’s Frogs are such hearty eaters and therefore produce a lot of waste, we don’t usually line their tank bottoms with any kind of substrate. It makes it easier to handle the frequent water changes and also ensures that the frog doesn’t accidentally ingest anything it shouldn’t.

We recommend aquarium decor that is minimal as well as functional. Items that provide good hiding spaces and are aesthetically pleasing such as decorative caves purchased from a pet store, terra cotta pots, or similar items are all good options. Just make sure that whatever decor you do choose is too large for the frog to eat because they really are voraciously hungry and will try to ingest items you wouldn’t imagine they would.

No Budgett’s frog care sheet would be complete without mentioning their feeding habits. Due to their hefty appetites, you should feed your young Budgett’s frog as much as it will consume in a single sitting on a daily basis. Adults don’t require feeding quite as often – every other day is fine for a mature frog.

Lepidobatrachus laevis
Although its legs make it appear stumpy, the Budgets Frog is actually a really good swimmer.

Budgett’s Frogs will eat invertebrates like nightcrawlers, crickets, roaches, and wax worms. They will also happily eat small feeder fish and de-shelled land snails. You can feed them in the water or place the food on their land platform. Because these frogs are not picky eaters, they will usually take whatever you offer them and feeding time is quite an entertaining event.

Budgett’s frogs grow quite large and will reach lengths of up to six inches, although three and a half to five inches is more common. They can live 15 to 20 years.

Freddy Krueger frog care – conclusion

We very highly recommend Budgett’s Frogs as pets. Not only are they visually interesting and appealing, they are also quite interactive and great eaters, sometimes even jumping out of the water to attack prey. If you’re ready to spring for a Freddy Krueger frog of your own, Backwater Reptiles has Budgetts Frogs for sale.