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Squirrel Tree Frog
Dryophytes squirellus
The Squirrel Tree Frog is a small, adaptable amphibian from the southeastern US, famous for its rapid color changes and chattering call.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Hylidae
Subfamily:Hylinae
Genus:Dryophytes
Species:Dryophytes squirellus
Formerly known as:Hyla squirella
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 80 %
Day temperature
22 - 28 °C
Night temperature
18 - 22 °C
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Hyla squirella is native to the southeastern United States, ranging from Texas to Virginia and throughout Florida. It thrives in humid habitats, including pine flatwoods, marshes, swamp edges, and suburban gardens.
Taxonomy and Genetics: First described by Louis Augustin Guillaume Bosc in 1800. It belongs to the Hylidae family. There are no subspecies, though populations show high morphological adaptability and genetic variations across their range.
Behavior and Habits: Chiefly nocturnal and highly arboreal. During the day, they shelter in moist, dark crevices, under bark, or within dense foliage. They become active at night, climbing through vegetation to forage for small invertebrates.
Morphology: A small tree frog, measuring between 2.5 and 4 cm in snout-vent length. They are masters of physiological color change, shifting from bright green to brown or grey within minutes. They often have a yellowish stripe on the upper lip.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A vertically oriented enclosure of 60 to 80 liters is suitable for a small group of 3-4 frogs. Substrate should be moisture-retentive, like coconut husk or organic topsoil, covered with leaf litter, branches, and live plants.
Lighting and Heating: Keep daytime temperatures between 22°C and 26°C. Provide a gentle thermal gradient but avoid high-wattage basking lights, which can dry out the frogs. A low-output 2% UVB lamp helps maintain healthy skin.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity levels between 60% and 80% through twice-daily misting with conditioned water. Provide a shallow, dechlorinated water dish for soaking, as frogs absorb moisture through their skin.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly insectivorous. Feed small live insects such as pinhead crickets, flightless fruit flies, and small roaches. Dust prey items with a high-quality calcium and D3 supplement twice a week.
Compatibility: Peaceful and communal. Can be safely housed with other individuals of the same species. Do not house with larger, aggressive frog species or reptiles that require dry desert conditions.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly susceptible to skin infections, toxic shock from water contamination, and chytridiomycosis. Always handle them with clean, wet hands or powder-free nitrile gloves to protect their sensitive skin.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Hyla squirella is native to the southeastern United States, ranging from Texas to Virginia and throughout Florida. It thrives in humid habitats, including pine flatwoods, marshes, swamp edges, and suburban gardens.
Origin
North 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.
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