American Green Tree Frog
Hyla cinerea
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.
Ambiente
Terrestre
Umidade
60 - 80 %
Temperatura diurna
22 - 27 °C
Temperatura noturna
16 - 20 °C
Temperatura ambiente
22 - 27 °C
Gabinete mínimo
>= 60 L
Descrição da espécie
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.
Cuidado, criação e companheiros de tanque
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.
Origem e distribuição geográfica
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.
Origem
Melhoramento seletivo e cultivaresAmérica Central e CaribeAmérica do Norte
Perfil anfíbio
- Dieta
- Insectivore
- The diet of Dryophytes cinereus must be carefully managed to ensure optimal health and longevity. In its natural habitat, Dryophytes cinereus typically consumes a variety of specific prey items or plant matter. Captive specimens require a similarly balanced intake, often supplemented with essential vitamins and calcium. It is important to offer food that is appropriately sized to avoid choking or digestive issues. Regular monitoring of their feeding response helps in identifying any potential health problems early.
- Expectativa de vida
- 2-6 years
- Tamanho adulto
- 5 cm
- Estilo de vida/Microhabitat
- Arboreal
- The lifestyle of Dryophytes cinereus varies greatly depending on whether they are terrestrial, arboreal, aquatic, or semi-aquatic. Designing an enclosure that accommodates their specific mode of living is essential for their physical and mental health. This includes providing the right substrate, climbing branches, or water features as needed. A proper setup allows Dryophytes cinereus to exercise, hide, and thermoregulate effectively. Understanding their lifestyle choices helps in creating a thriving captive environment.
- Ciclo de atividades
- Nocturnal
- The activity pattern of Dryophytes cinereus typically dictates when they feed, explore, and rest. Depending on their biology, they may be predominantly active during the day, night, or twilight hours. Replicating appropriate lighting and temperature cycles is crucial for maintaining their natural rhythm. Disruptions to this schedule can lead to stress and a decline in the health of Dryophytes cinereus. Keepers should try to interact with them during their most active periods to minimize disturbance.
- Socialidade
- Solitary
- The behavior of Dryophytes cinereus is deeply influenced by its natural instincts and environment. These creatures exhibit unique social and territorial behaviors that must be respected in captivity. Providing a habitat that mimics their wild surroundings can greatly reduce stress and encourage natural activities. Dryophytes cinereus may show specific defensive or communicative displays when interacting with its environment. Observing these behaviors is key to understanding their overall well-being and comfort.
- Reprodução
- Oviparous
- Reproduction in Dryophytes cinereus requires specific environmental triggers such as temperature and humidity changes. Breeding these animals in captivity can be challenging and often demands a dedicated setup. Once successful mating occurs, careful attention must be given to the incubation of eggs or the care of live young. The offspring of Dryophytes cinereus are usually fragile and require highly specific conditions to thrive. Keepers must thoroughly research their reproductive cycle to achieve positive breeding results.
- Toxicidade
- Harmless
- The American green tree frog is entirely non-toxic and possesses no chemical defenses against predators. It relies primarily on its excellent camouflage and agility to evade capture in the wild. As they do not produce any venom or poison, they are completely safe to keep and handle, though handling should be minimized to protect their delicate skin.
- Estágio de vida
- Metamorphosis
- The eggs hatch into aquatic tadpoles within a few days and immediately begin grazing on algae and detritus. The tadpole stage lasts for roughly one to two months, depending on the water temperature and food availability. Once metamorphosis is complete, the tiny froglets leave the water and move into the surrounding vegetation to hunt.
- Tolerância de tratamento
- Display only
- Like most amphibians, handling damages their fragile slime coat. They are also prone to panic-jumping, which often results in traumatic injuries to the frog.
- Brumação
- In northern parts of their range, they undergo a winter brumation period hiding under bark or logs. In captivity, a slight temperature drop is sufficient.
- Muda
- Periodic
- They shed regularly, using their back legs to help pull the skin forward towards their mouths. A properly humid enclosure is required to prevent incomplete sheds.
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