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AmphibianTerrestrialEasy
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American Green Tree Frog
Dryophytes cinereus
A timeless classic. The American green tree frog is hardy, highly vocal, and incredibly adaptable, featuring a distinctive white stripe along its flanks. A perfect choice for beginners.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Hylidae
Subfamily:Hylinae
Genus:Dryophytes
Species:Dryophytes cinereus
Formerly known as:Hyla cinerea
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 80 %
Day temperature
22 - 27 °C
Night temperature
16 - 20 °C
Ambient temperature
22 - 27 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 60 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widely distributed across the southeastern United States, including Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and the Carolinas. They inhabit warm, humid wetlands, swamps, lake shores, and sluggish rivers, often found clinging to tall reeds, cattails, and low shrubs near standing water.
Taxonomy and Genetics: A small, slender tree frog reaching an adult length of 5-6 cm. They belong to the Hylidae family. They exhibit a smooth, bright green skin that can range from lime green to olive green depending on light and temperature. Their most prominent feature is a crisp, cream or pale yellow stripe running along the side of the body from the jaw to the hind legs. Their toes end in large, sticky adhesive discs that allow them to climb smooth surfaces with ease.
Behavior and Habits: A highly active nocturnal and crepuscular species. During the day, they remain inactive, pressing their bodies flat against leaves or glass to camouflage themselves. At night, they become energetic climbers and leap long distances to catch flying insects. Males are very vocal and produce a loud, metallic calling sound during the breeding season.
Morphology: Sexual dimorphism is visible in adults. Females are generally larger, heavier, and appear rounder when carrying eggs. Males are smaller and possess a vocal sac under the throat, which appears as a wrinkled, slightly darker patch of skin when deflated.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a vertically oriented glass terrarium of at least 45x45x60 cm. Provide a network of climbing branches, bamboo poles, and broad-leafed plants (such as *Epipremnum aureum*) for climbing and hiding. A drainage layer of clay balls topped with a moisture-retaining soil substrate is recommended, along with a shallow water dish.
Lighting and Heating: Maintain a daytime temperature range of 24-28°C. A night drop of a few degrees is beneficial, and a winter cooling period around 18°C can be implemented. Install a low-intensity UVB light (2-5%) to support calcium absorption and maintain the vivid green coloration of their skin.
Humidity and Hydration: They require moderate to high humidity (70-80% at night, dropping to 50% during the day). Mist the terrarium daily with dechlorinated water. Provide a shallow water dish filled with clean, conditioned tap water; do not use pure reverse osmosis water as it lacks essential minerals.
Feeding and Supplementation: Voracious feeders. Offer 3-4 appropriately sized live insects (such as crickets, small roaches, or flies) every 2 days. Dust the insects with calcium twice a week and a multivitamin with D3 once a week. Use tongs for feeding to prevent the frogs from jumping and injuring their snouts against the glass.
Compatibility: Social with their own kind and can be kept in small groups or harems in a sufficiently large terrarium. Never house them with other amphibian or reptile species, as the chemical secretions from different species can be toxic and cause lethal stress.
Health and Common Diseases: Never clean the terrarium glass with household chemical cleaners, as their semi-permeable skin will absorb the toxins, leading to fatal poisoning. Snout rubbing (abrasions from jumping against the glass) is common and can lead to bacterial infections if untreated. Ensure good ventilation to prevent skin mold.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Widely distributed across the southeastern United States, including Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and the Carolinas. They inhabit warm, humid wetlands, swamps, lake shores, and sluggish rivers, often found clinging to tall reeds, cattails, and low shrubs near standing water.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsCentral America and CaribbeanNorth America
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- No verified data available
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
