1. An aquarium. Preferably a 20 gallon or more. I suggest
an arboreal vivarium, they are taller with
less floor space. Your tree frog would rather
have height than width.....hence the name
TREE frog. = ) It must have a secure lid.
Some TF's think it may be more exciting outside
their enclosure, and soon realize it's more
of a dangerous and possibly deadly adventure.
They will escape if they have the chance.
2. Substrate. I prefer to use organic soil without perlite.
I have live plants and the soil is good for
their growth. But you may use Bed-a-Beast
, or a type of substrate that does not contain
pebbles or sand. Sand can irritate the skin,
and any pebble sized substrate can be accidentally
swallowed and cause a blockage and then death.
3. Water bowl. Pick one that will be deep enough for your
frog to sprawl out, yet not too deep. It
should not contain enough water to cover
his head. Just enough to reach his back.
4. Accessories. Cork bark is a good choice for a more naturalistic
look. You can place it in the back of the
vivarium. Your frog will use it to hide and
also hop up onto it for a good view of food.
Plants are a good way to keep the cage realistic.
I like Pothos. They grow very easily, and
look nice. My frogs love to hang out on the
leaves. A "rock cliff" that attaches
to the glass of your vivarium is a good idea.
I have recently added one to my vivarium.....my
White's are on it every night.
5. Spray bottle. I will usually mist my vivarium once a day
or once every two days. In case the frog
does not get enough water from his bowl,
he can get it from the air. It's also good
for the plants.
6. Supplemental vitamins. I suggest that you get a bottle of "cricket
dust". It is shaken onto the insects
before feeding. With a non-wild diet the
frogs usually don't get a variety of foods
that have the vitamins they need. With the
dust, you can be sure that your herp gets
the extra vitamins. I would also get some
"gut load" to feed your insects
the night before feeding them to your frog.
This gives an extra boost to your feeder
insects.
7. Vivarium cleaner. It is always important to keep your frog's
home clean. Many illnesses and deaths are
due to poor husbandry. Get a terrarium cleaner
that is a non-toxic, safe cleaner designed
for herps. Be sure to read labels and make
sure it's OK for frogs! Some people use bleach
for cleaning. You MUST dilute! You'll want a 2% bleach solution....and rinse very, very,
well. Sometimes you can boil some of the
accessories (cork bark) to kill any pathogens.
8. Frog. After you set up your tank and feel you are
knowledgeable about the care of a White's
get out there and get one!