White's Tree Frog Care: Habitat, Diet, Lifespan, and Facts
A White's tree frog can live well over a decade, and one in human care reached 24 years. It needs a tall, ventilated enclosure, warm days, cleaner water than you might expect, careful portions, and gentle, brief handling. Here are the care basics and facts.
The green frog on the branch has a wide mouth that seems to smile and a calm, sleepy look. It is easy to see why it became one of the most familiar pet frogs.
That easygoing look hides a long commitment. With good care, this frog can share your home for well over a decade.
This guide explains what a White's tree frog needs, where care sources agree and disagree, and the signs that mean something is wrong.
What is a White's tree frog?
A large, climbing tree frog from Australia and New Guinea. It is also called the Australian green tree frog. For decades it was known as Litoria caerulea, and some care guides list it as Ranoidea caerulea. Amphibian Species of the World, a reference maintained by the American Museum of Natural History, now places it in the genus Pelodryas, as Pelodryas caerulea, after a 2025 revision of Australian tree frogs. Older names are still common in care sheets and stores.
It is native to northern and eastern Australia and southern New Guinea, and it is often found near people, even in drainpipes and bathrooms. Small introduced populations exist in South Florida. The Australian Museum's FrogID project lists its conservation status as Least Concern.
The Australian Veterinary Association notes that Australia does not allow commercial export of its native amphibians, and LafeberVet notes that wild-caught frogs from Indonesia still enter the pet trade. A captive-bred frog is usually the better choice: ask the seller where the frog came from.
How big do White's tree frogs get, and how long do they live?
About 3 to 4.5 inches, and often more than 10 years. Smithsonian's National Zoo and VCA Animal Hospitals give an adult length of 3 to 4.5 inches (7 to 11.5 cm). Females are usually a little larger than males. LafeberVet says most adults weigh 50 to 90 grams.
Life span figures vary. Smithsonian's National Zoo gives an average of about 16 years and reports one frog that lived 21 years in human care. A 2002 report in the herpetology journal Salamandra documented a White's tree frog that reached 24 years in a terrarium. Those are upper limits, not promises, but plan for many years of care.
What kind of enclosure does a White's tree frog need?
A tall, secure, well-ventilated terrarium with sturdy perches. This is an arboreal frog, which means it lives off the ground and climbs.
- Size: the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital suggests a tall 15- to 20-gallon enclosure for one adult. LafeberVet says one to four frogs can live in a 20-gallon terrarium; more frogs need more space.
- Perches: branches of different lengths and thicknesses, at least as wide as the frog's body, plus plants for cover.
- Ventilation: the Merck Veterinary Manual recommends about one to two air changes per hour and a secure, ventilated top. These frogs are strong climbers.
- Substrate: Merck warns against cedar and pine, which contain toxic oils, and against gravel the frog could swallow.
Our care and habitats section covers common setup mistakes in more detail.
What temperature and humidity are right?
Warm days, slightly cooler nights, and moderate humidity, measured with gauges. Veterinary care sheets from LafeberVet, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), and the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital give similar ranges:
- Daytime: about 75°F to 85°F (24°C to 29°C).
- Warm spot: about 86°F to 90°F (30°C to 32°C). LafeberVet allows up to 95°F at a basking site; the Arizona sheet advises not exceeding 90°F.
- Night: not below about 65°F to 70°F (18°C to 21°C).
- Humidity: about 60% to 70% (LafeberVet and the RVC), measured with a hygrometer.
Place a thermometer at the warm spot and another at the cool end. If you use a heater, control it with a thermostat and keep it where the frog cannot touch it, since amphibian skin burns easily.
What water and lighting does it need?
Dechlorinated water in a shallow dish, and low-level UVB light. Amphibians absorb water and anything dissolved in it through their skin. Merck says water must be free of chlorine, ammonia, nitrite, pesticides, and heavy metals, and that chloramine, which many water systems use, needs a dechlorinating product. Do not use distilled water; Merck advises against it for amphibians.
The Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital recommends a water dish shallower than the frog sitting with its legs folded, cleaned daily.
On lighting, Merck's pet owner guidance says UVB is required to prevent metabolic bone disease in amphibians, and that bulbs should be replaced every 6 to 8 months or as the manufacturer directs. The RVC suggests a low-output UVB lamp for about 12 hours a day. Merck's professional guidance adds that glass reduces UVB, so the lamp should not shine through it.
What do White's tree frogs eat, and how often?
A variety of gut-loaded insects, in careful portions. Smithsonian's National Zoo feeds crickets and cockroaches. The RVC lists crickets, cockroaches, and locusts.
- Juveniles: daily.
- Adults: two to three times a week (LafeberVet). The RVC says every other day; the Arizona sheet says twice weekly.
- Prey size: the RVC advises that an insect should never be bigger than the distance between the frog's eyes.
- Supplements: LafeberVet suggests dusting prey with a vitamin and mineral supplement twice a week for juveniles and once a week for adults. Ask your veterinarian which products to use.
The RVC warns that overfeeding is a common problem in these frogs, and Merck describes obesity in amphibians as a disease. Never feed fireflies: in 1999, Cornell biologists cited an owner's report of White's tree frogs that died after eating them. Our feeding section explains gut-loading and dusting.
Can you handle a White's tree frog?
Briefly and gently, with clean, rinsed hands or moistened gloves. VCA lists the White's tree frog as one of the few pet frogs that tolerate some handling. Still, a frog's skin is delicate, and Merck advises handling amphibians as little as possible.
Amphibian skin absorbs chemicals easily. A University of Windsor animal care guide tells handlers not to have insect repellent, perfume, lotion, or other potentially toxic products on their hands. Merck recommends powder-free disposable gloves moistened with dechlorinated water; its professional guidance prefers vinyl over latex.
The CDC warns that amphibians can carry Salmonella even when they look healthy. Children under 5 should not touch frogs or their habitats. Adults over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are also more likely to get sick, and everyone should wash hands with soap and water after contact and never clean the habitat in a food preparation area.
Which health signs need a veterinarian?
Changes in appetite, skin, eyes, or belly. LafeberVet lists chytrid fungus, parasites, metabolic bone disease, obesity, and a bacterial infection called red leg among the common problems in this species. Contact a veterinarian who treats amphibians for:
- Poor appetite, weight loss, or little or no stool.
- Redness on the legs or belly, or pinpoint bleeding in the skin, which can point to red leg.
- Excessive shedding or pale or grayish skin, which Merck lists among the signs of chytrid infection.
- A soft or misshapen lower jaw, broken bones, or a curved spine, signs of metabolic bone disease.
- Cloudy eyes, a swollen belly, or difficulty breathing.
The Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital notes that amphibians can become very ill quickly without prompt care. Do not apply creams or medications to the frog's skin without veterinary advice.
Quick facts: scientific name Pelodryas caerulea (formerly Litoria caerulea); family Pelodryadidae; native to Australia and southern New Guinea; arboreal; insectivore; adult length 3 to 4.5 inches; Least Concern.
The bottom line
A White's tree frog is a calm, climbing pet that can live for many years. Give it a tall, ventilated enclosure, warm days and slightly cooler nights, humidity around 60% to 70%, a clean shallow dish of dechlorinated water, and low-level UVB.
Feed a variety of gut-loaded, properly sized insects without overdoing it, keep handling short, and wash your hands afterward. If its appetite, skin, or eyes change, see an amphibian veterinarian promptly.
Sources & further reading
- LafeberVet — Basic Information Sheet: White's Tree Frog
- Royal Veterinary College (RVC) Exotics Service — White's Tree Frog Care Sheet
- VCA Animal Hospitals — Frogs as Pets
- Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital — White's Tree Frog Care
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute — White's Tree Frog
- American Museum of Natural History, Amphibian Species of the World — Pelodryas caerulea
- Kwet, Buob and Schlüter, Salamandra 38 (2002) — Bemerkenswertes Höchstalter für den Korallenfingerlaubfrosch, Litoria caerulea: 24 Jahre im Terrarium (in German)
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Housing for Amphibians
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Environment and Husbandry for Amphibians
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Introduction to Amphibians
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Clinical Techniques in Amphibians
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Common Infectious Diseases of Amphibians
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Noninfectious Disorders of Amphibians
- Australian Museum FrogID — Green Tree Frog
- Australian Veterinary Association — Exotic Pet and Wildlife Trade (policy)
- University of Windsor Animal Care Committee — Module 13, Care and Use of Amphibians
- Cornell Chronicle (1999) — Poisonous North American Fireflies Are Killing Exotic Zoo and Pet Lizards, Cornell Biologists Warn
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — Reptiles and Amphibians