AmphibianTerrestrialAdvanced
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White-lipped bright-eyed frog
Boophis albilabris
A large Malagasy tree frog featuring copper gold eyes and a white line running across its upper lip.
Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
75 - 90 %
Day temperature
23 °C
Night temperature
18 - 20 °C
Ambient temperature
23 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Boophis albilabris is a large tree frog endemic to Madagascar. It is distributed throughout the eastern primary rainforests and humid montane forests of the island. It lives primarily in the forest canopy and understory vegetation along fast-flowing rivers and streams, at altitudes between 100 and 1000 meters.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belonging to the family Mantellidae and subfamily Boophinae. It is one of the largest species in the genus Boophis, commonly known as bright-eyed frogs. Its genetics and biology highlight Madagascar's unique evolutionary isolation, adapted specifically for high-humidity canopy life.
Behavior and Habits: Strictly nocturnal and arboreal. During the daytime, it rests motionless on leaves, blending perfectly with the foliage, while at night it descends to lower branches near streams to hunt and mate. Males produce distinct, loud vocalizations to attract females during the rainy season.
Morphology: Features a robust body with large, prominent eyes with golden or reddish irises. Females are significantly larger than males, reaching lengths of 7 to 8 centimeters compared to 5 to 6 centimeters for males. The skin is bright green or brownish, marked by a distinctive white or cream stripe along the upper lip.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A tall, well-ventilated vertical terrarium (minimum 50x50x80 cm for a pair) is necessary to prevent stagnant air. The setup must include numerous climbing branches of varying thicknesses, moisture-loving live plants (e.g., Philodendron, bromeliads), and a natural drainage layer beneath the soil substrate.
Lighting and Heating: Maintain daytime temperatures between 22°C and 26°C. Nighttime temperatures should drop to a cooler 18-20°C, mimicking the Malagasy forest nights. Provide a low-intensity UVB light (2.0 or 5.0) for 10-12 hours per day to simulate dappled sunlight through the canopy.
Humidity and Hydration: High humidity of 75% to 90% is essential for this rainforest species. Mist the terrarium 2-3 times daily with purified or RO water, or use an automatic misting system. A shallow water dish filled with fresh, dechlorinated water must be provided and cleaned daily.
Feeding and Supplementation: Insectivorous. Feed a varied diet of live insects, including gut-loaded crickets, roaches, moths, and flies. Dust prey items with high-quality calcium and multivitamin supplements at every feeding for juveniles, and twice a week for adults to prevent deficiencies.
Compatibility: Best housed in a single-species setup. A small group of similar-sized individuals can coexist if the enclosure is large enough. Avoid mixing with smaller species that could be eaten, or highly active terrarium animals that might cause stress to this nocturnal frog.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly sensitive to poor ventilation, which can trigger bacterial skin infections and respiratory diseases. Stagnant, waterlogged substrates promote fungal growth. Adequate calcium and D3 supplementation is crucial to avoid metabolic bone disease (MBD).
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Boophis albilabris is a large tree frog endemic to Madagascar. It is distributed throughout the eastern primary rainforests and humid montane forests of the island. It lives primarily in the forest canopy and understory vegetation along fast-flowing rivers and streams, at altitudes between 100 and 1000 meters.
Origin
Africa and Madagascar
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- Carnivore
- This species is primarily insectivorous, consuming a wide variety of small invertebrates like crickets, flies, and roaches in the wild. In captivity, a similar varied diet should be provided, dusted regularly with calcium and multivitamin supplements. Appropriately sized live food is essential to trigger their natural feeding response.
- Life expectancy
- 6-8 years
- With proper care, the indicative life expectancy is 6-8 years.
- Adult size
- 8.1 cm
- The catalog's scalar value is 8.1 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 9.3 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- Arboreal
- Depending on their morphology, they may live exclusively in trees, on the forest floor, or near bodies of water. A properly designed vivarium must provide the correct balance of humidity, temperature, and specific microhabitats. Ample vertical climbing space or deep substrate should be provided accordingly.
- Activity cycle
- Nocturnal
- Most are strictly nocturnal, becoming active at dusk to hunt and vocalize under the cover of darkness. This pattern helps them avoid diurnal predators and prevents desiccation from the heat of the sun. During daylight hours, they remain motionless in hidden spots to conserve energy and retain moisture.
- Sociality
- Solitary
- They exhibit fascinating behaviors that vary depending on their exact habitat, often relying on camouflage to avoid predators. Many display remarkable agility and jumping prowess when startled or while hunting. Social interactions are generally limited to breeding seasons when males become highly territorial.
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- Breeding typically occurs following heavy rainfall or during the wet season. Males attract females with distinctive vocalizations from specific calling sites near water. Depending on the exact species, eggs may be laid in water, on foliage overhanging water, or in specialized foam nests.
- Toxicity
- Harmless
- Like many tree frogs, they do not produce any dangerous venom or toxic skin secretions. They rely primarily on their camouflage and their ability to leap away quickly to escape predators. They have very delicate, permeable skin, so handling should be kept to an absolute minimum to avoid damaging them with natural skin oils.
- Life stage
- Neotenic
- They begin life as fully aquatic tadpoles that graze on algae and detritus in forested streams. As they develop, they grow robust hind legs and gradually absorb their tails before climbing out of the water. Adult frogs are characterized by their large, prominent eyes, extensively webbed feet, and the distinctive white stripe running along their upper lip.
- Handling tolerance
- Display only
- Display only. Handling is highly stressful for them and risks damaging their delicate skin, which can easily absorb human oils and salts. They are swift jumpers when panicked, creating a high risk of injury.
- Brumation
- Not required
- Endemic to the warm, tropical eastern rainforests of Madagascar, they do not experience true brumation. They require a stable, warm environment year-round without drastic temperature drops.
- Molting
- Periodic
- Like other arboreal frogs, they shed their skin periodically and ingest it. This delicate process necessitates high ambient humidity and frequent misting so the skin remains pliable and peels away easily.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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