Gray Tree Frog
Hyla versicolor
The North American master of camouflage. Possesses the chameleonic ability to shift from moss green to ash gray. Features bright yellow/orange flash marks hidden on the inner thighs.
Ambiente
Terrestre
Umidade
50 - 70 %
Temperatura diurna
22 - 26 °C
Temperatura noturna
18 - 21 °C
Descrição da espécie
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widespread across deciduous forests, wooded swamps, and suburban areas of eastern and central North America (eastern US and southern Canada). They are arboreal and highly cold-tolerant, capable of surviving sub-zero winter temperatures by producing glycerol.
Taxonomy and Genetics: A stocky, robust tree frog reaching 4–5 cm in length, with large adhesive toe pads. Possesses rough, warty skin with chameleonic color-changing abilities, ranging from mottled ash-gray to lichen-green or brown. The inner thighs feature bright yellow-to-orange flash coloration.
Behavior and Habits: Strictly nocturnal and arboreal. During the day, they sleep camouflaged against tree bark. In spring and summer, males call from elevated branches near breeding pools, emitting a clear, musical trill.
Morphology: Females are larger and rounder. Males are slightly smaller and feature a dark grey-to-black throat area due to the presence of the inflatable vocal sac.
Cuidado, criação e companheiros de tanque
Terrarium Setup: A vertical enclosure (minimum 45x45x60 cm) is recommended. Provide rough-textured climbing branches, cork bark tubes, and dense foliage (such as Pothos). A wide, shallow water dish with dechlorinated water is essential.
Lighting and Heating: Keep daytime temperatures at 22–25°C. High heat above 28°C must be avoided. Nighttime temperatures should drop to 16–20°C. A cold winter brumation period is highly recommended. Provide a low-output (5%) UVB source.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity of 60–80%. Mist the enclosure thoroughly with dechlorinated water every evening. Ensure good ventilation to prevent stagnant air, which can lead to skin infections.
Feeding and Supplementation: Highly voracious insectivores. Feed live crickets, moths, and small roaches. Supplement food with calcium and D3 three times a week to prevent metabolic bone disease.
Compatibility: Completely peaceful and gregarious with similar-sized tree frogs. Never house with small cohabitants, as they will be eaten.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly sensitive to soaps and skin oils; handle only when necessary with wet, clean hands or vinyl gloves. Panicking can cause snout-rubbing injuries on glass. Stagnant conditions can lead to fatal bacterial red leg syndrome.
Origem e distribuição geográfica
Widespread across deciduous forests, wooded swamps, and suburban areas of eastern and central North America (eastern US and southern Canada). They are arboreal and highly cold-tolerant, capable of surviving sub-zero winter temperatures by producing glycerol.
Origem
Melhoramento seletivo e cultivaresExtra-Amazônica América do SulAmérica do Norte
Perfil anfíbio
- Dieta
- Insectivore
- The Gray treefrog is a voracious insectivore that feeds on a wide range of crawling and flying insects. Their diet includes moths, crickets, flies, ants, grasshoppers, and small beetles. They are agile hunters, often leaping impressive distances to catch airborne prey or ambushing insects from the branches. In captivity, a staple diet of appropriately sized, vitamin-dusted crickets and roaches provides excellent nutrition.
- Expectativa de vida
- 7-10 years
- Tamanho adulto
- 6 cm
- Estilo de vida/Microhabitat
- Arboreal
- The Gray treefrog leads a highly arboreal lifestyle in deciduous and mixed woodlands of eastern North America. They spend the vast majority of their lives in the canopy, often foraging high in the trees. Despite their preference for high altitudes, they will descend to lower shrubs or ground-level pools to breed. An ideal enclosure should emphasize vertical space with plenty of climbing branches and hiding spots to reflect this arboreal nature.
- Ciclo de atividades
- Nocturnal
- Activity is predominantly nocturnal, with frogs emerging at dusk to hunt and vocalize. During daylight hours, they tuck themselves tightly into crevices in tree bark or hide among thick foliage to sleep securely. On humid, overcast days or during rainstorms, they may occasionally become active or call during the day. Their activity cycle is closely tied to seasonal temperature changes, slowing down significantly as autumn approaches.
- Socialidade
- Solitary
- Gray treefrogs are renowned for their remarkable ability to change color, ranging from gray to green depending on background, temperature, and humidity. This adaptive camouflage allows them to blend perfectly with tree bark or lichen, rendering them virtually invisible to predators. They are primarily solitary and mostly sedentary outside of the active hunting and breeding periods. Though small, they are surprisingly acrobatic and excellent climbers thanks to their large toe pads.
- Reprodução
- Oviparous
- Breeding occurs in the spring and early summer when males migrate to shallow, fishless ponds and temporary woodland pools. The males emit a loud, musical trill to attract females, with choruses sometimes audible from great distances. Females lay loose clusters of several hundred eggs attached to vegetation near the water surface. The tadpoles develop quickly over the course of a few months, metamorphosing before the temporary pools dry up in late summer.
- Toxicidade
- Harmless
- When it comes to toxicity, this species is produces mild skin secretions that can irritate human eyes and mucous membranes. It is always best practice to wash hands before and after any interactions. This protects the frog from harmful oils and the keeper from potential irritation.
- Estágio de vida
- Metamorphosis
- Their development features aquatic larvae develop into tiny green froglets that gradually acquire adult camouflage. Providing the correct environmental parameters at each stage is vital for proper growth. Adult specimens can be incredibly rewarding to keep.
- Tolerância de tratamento
- Display only
- Handling should be handling causes stress and risks transferring toxic secretions to the keeper's face. Amphibians have delicate, permeable skin that is easily damaged by dry hands or chemicals. Whenever possible, observe them without direct physical contact.
- Brumação
- Obrigatório
- Regarding brumation, this species requires a significant cooling period (brumation) in winter to stimulate spring breeding. It is important to research the exact temperature gradients required for your specific animal. Improper temperature drops can lead to severe health issues.
- Muda
- Periodic
- The molting process is fascinating; it sheds its skin regularly, adopting a hunched posture and using its legs to push the skin forward into its mouth. High humidity is necessary to ensure the shed comes off cleanly without restricting toes or limbs. Retained shed is a sign of improper husbandry.
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