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.

Top Five Best Pet Frogs

What are the best pet frogs, you may be wondering? Backwater Reptiles offers many frogs for sale ranging from exotic, rare, and “specialty” frogs to more common “everyday” frogs. This list represents the top five frogs we think are best suited to be kept as pets, whether you’re a beginning hobbyist or an experienced herper.

#5 – Leopard Frog (Rana pipiens)

Top five best pet frogs

Leopard frogs are extremely common in America and have a wide habitat range. Although they are not as neon in color as some of their arboreal cousins, they are very easy to keep and make great beginner pets due to their minimal care requirements and hardy nature.

These frogs generally reach just over four inches in length when full-grown and are easy to breed in captivity. They are not picky eaters and can even live outdoors in a pond-like environment.

Leopard Frogs can be housed together, but make sure that the frogs are all of a similar size as Leopard frogs will strike at anything that moves and fits in their mouth, including smaller frogs.

Their life span is generally anywhere from four to six years.

Purchase your own Leopard frog today!

#4 – Clown Tree Frog (Hyla leucophyllata)

best pet frog

Clown tree frogs are certainly attractive pet frogs. With their orange feet and undersides and white spots, these mid-size frogs are vibrantly colored.

Clown tree frogs are arboreal and thus require a tank that is taller than it is wide. They should be provided with climbing branches, leaves, and moisture as they originate from a tropical environment.

Feeding Clown tree frogs is easy as they will consume any insect of an appropriate  size. Just be sure that the insects are dusted regularly and gut-loading them is also advised.

Purchase your own Clown tree frog today!

#3 – Pacman Frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli)

pet pacman frog

Pacman Frogs come in a variety of morphs ranging from albino to ornate, which is one of the endearing characteristics of this species, and a major reason they are so utterly popular with amphibian hobbyists.

While they start out small (not much bigger than a quarter), Pacman Frogs grow rapidly and are actually one of the biggest frogs in the world. They can reach lengths of up to seven inches and they can (and will!) get fat if you let them due to the fact that they have voracious appetites and will eat anything they can fit in their mouth. Suffice it to say that feeding time is always amusing when you have a Pacman.

These frogs don’t require a large enclosure as they spend most of their time burrowed into their substrate…that is, when they’re not eating. Just be sure that their enclosure has a water source and that the temperature doesn’t surpass 85 degrees and they will live for up to fifteen years.

Purchase your own Pacman frog today!

#2 – Glass Tree Frog (Hyla sp.)

glass tree frog

As their name suggests, Glass Tree Frogs have varying degrees of semi-transparent skin which allows you to see their innards. This is a unique feature and thus makes this group of frogs highly desirable.

Rarely reaching sizes larger than three inches, these frogs don’t need a large enclosure, however they are arboreal tropical frogs and will need a tank that is taller than it is wide. Their home should also be equipped with leafy branches because they like to climb but will also stick to the sides of their tank allowing you to see their gorgeous underbellies and their inner workings. Maintaining adequate humidity is key.

We have dedicated an entire blog entry to these fascinating little tree frogs, so click here if you want to learn more about them.

Purchase your own Glass tree frog today!

#1 – Whites Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea)

dumpy tree frog pet

Also known as Dumpy Frogs, these funny guys are popular pets because of their flabby form which often makes them look squished, fat and incredibly cute.

Dumpies are easy-going and don’t mind being handled, but like all tree frogs, they are incredible jumpers, so be mindful of this when they are outside of their enclosure.

These frogs also come in a blue-phase coloration which simply means that their skin has more of a blue-tint. They have the same care requirements and temperaments as the traditional green “Dumpies.”

Feeding Dumpy frogs is also very easy. They eat crickets, meal worms, and other insects and will also accept baby mice. Keep in mind that they can overeat and become rather fat, so be sure that they eat a varied but controlled diet.

They thrive in a glass-sided terrarium that contains peat or sphagnum moss as a substrate (which helps retain moisture) at a depth of perhaps 2-3 inches, a couple climbing branches, a water dish, and a screen top for ventilation. If you add live plants, the frogs will thank you for it. As with all frogs, please remember to keep the humidity up.

Purchase your own White’s tree frog today.