Squirrel Treefrog

Question
I recently purchased a Squirrel Treefrog and i was not given much information from the owner. i was curious what you could fill me in on as far as how often to feed, what type of real plants can i put in his tank, if sand is ok to put in the tank (besides all moss which is what i have it filled with now) and how many frogs i could put into a 20 gal tank.  i read tha you can also put apples in the tank and other treats but did not think that it was true. there are so many wrong answers on websites it is hard to know what to go by. i was considering getting 2 more but wanted to wait. any websites or books would be a great help.

thanks
-Chris

Answer
Hi,
do a search in Google with "Hyla squirella" and you'll find some good websites that describe the frog and his natural habitat, which is always good to know when setting up a tank.

All frogs will eat as much as the can, but shouldn't be fed more than two or three times a week. Make sure the size of the insects fit's the size of the frog, they have to be a bit smaller than the frog's mouth. Frogs will swallow insects that are much bigger but there's the danger of suffocating. Feed the frog about 3,4 medium crickets or small locusts each time. You can also feed him every day, then give him only one cricket, sometimes two (this is more the more natural way of feeding).

You can also feed him small roaches (there are a lot of species that won't survive in the house, look for Green Roaches) and flies. Yyou can buy fly maggots at shops that sell fishing supplies, put some of them in a box in a warm flies and in one week or so you'll have flies. Keep the maggots in your fridge, they'll last for two months. Three minutes in the fridge will make the fies slow and easier to handle. You'll need a vitamin supplement to dust the insects with, with a calcium : phosphorus ratio of 2:1.

You can put any kind of plant in the tank that has sturdy leaves and likes the humid atmosphere. Trrefrogs need a tall tank, so the plants can be a bit bigger, like Spathyphillum , Philodendron or Dieffenbachia. The frog will need some branches to climb and Pothos Ivy looks very nice entwined around those (and it's nearly indestructible).

Sand as substrate is not a good idea because it can cause impaction when swallowed (it will clog up the frog's intestines). The moss is a good idea. If you want live plants, I suggest a layer of expanded clay (semiramis) as drainage, a layer of coconut fiber substrate like Eco Earth or Forest Bedding and a layer of moss.

Since Hyla squirella is a very small frog, you could house about four of them in a tall (!) twenty gallon. But to make sure they are not crowded, I'd get only a pair.

As for the apple as a treat: you're right, that's nonsense. No species of frogs anywhere eats vegetables or fruits. It's a good idea to place a slice of apple in the tank if you suspect that some crickets were not eaten because crickets can nibble sleeping frogs and hurt them.
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer