Red-Eyed Tree Frog — Fact Sheet

Agalychnis callidryas · Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Full care guide and sources

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• Adult enclosure: 45 × 45 × 60 cm (length × width × height).

Planning example for one adult, with usable climbing routes and broad leaves for daytime shelter. For a compatible group of 3–5 similarly sized adults, plan around 60 × 45 × 90 cm or larger, with separate resting and feeding opportunities. These are layout examples, not experimentally established stocking limits. Monitor each frog and separate animals if feeding competition or persistent disturbance occurs; do not add frogs merely because the enclosure has spare height.

🪨 Substrate and furnishings

A tall, well-planted enclosure is the foundation of good care for this species. Floor space matters far less than vertical height and climbing structure.

Live plants such as Philodendron, Epipremnum, Ficus pumila, bromeliads, and broad-leaved tropical species provide cover, help maintain humidity, and give the frogs realistic perching surfaces. Bioactive setups with a drainage layer, tropical substrate, and springtails and isopods for cleanup are well suited to this species.

💡 Lighting

Agalychnis callidryas is nocturnal and does not bask. Strong overhead heat and intense light during the day cause the frog to remain compressed and motionless against a leaf surface as a stress response, not a sign of contentment.

For UV planning, treat this species as Ferguson Zone 1. Aim for about UVI 0.5-1.0 in the upper exposed area, while leaving retreats and a gradient down to shaded areas near zero UVI. This usually points to a low-output UVB tube such as a ShadeDweller-style or 2-7% T5, chosen for the enclosure height; measure with a Solarmeter 6.5 when possible, because reflector, mesh, distance, and lamp age change the real exposure.

🌡️ Temperature

• Daytime air: 24-28 °C

• Night: 18-22 °C

• Measure air temperature at animal level and check sheltered areas separately. Avoid direct hot spots; use room heating or cooling where practical and control any heater with a thermostat.

💧 Humidity and water

Air humidity: 60–70%. Routine air around resting leaves; humidity can rise temporarily after evening misting and at night. Measure with a digital hygrometer away from the spray jet. This working range follows Josh’s Frogs’ captive-care guidance; do not maintain the whole enclosure near saturation all day.

Mist at dusk, adding a lighter morning mist only if needed. Keep drainage and ventilation working so leaves can dry between sprays while the deeper substrate stays moist. Frogs must retain access to sheltered, moist resting places.

Provide a shallow, easily exited water dish and change the water daily. Use amphibian-safe water treated for chlorine and chloramine, or suitable spring water. Unremineralized reverse-osmosis water should not be the sole water in the soaking dish.

🪳 Feeding

Agalychnis callidryas is an insectivore. Feeding should happen at dusk or shortly after the lights go off, when the frogs become active and begin searching for prey.

Suitable staple prey items:

• Crickets (appropriately sized, no wider than the frog’s head)
• Small roaches
• Waxworms as occasional variety
• Small moths where available

Adults can be fed every 2–3 days. Juveniles and subadults benefit from daily or every-other-day feeding while growing. Prey that is too large causes stress and may lead to regurgitation.

Wild-caught insects should not be used because of pesticide and parasite risks. Prey should be gut-loaded before feeding to improve nutritional value. Calcium supplementation by dusting is important at most feedings. A broader multivitamin supplement can be offered once weekly or less often, according to product guidance.

These frogs strike quickly and accurately in low light. Prey left uneaten overnight should be removed before it disturbs resting frogs during the day.

🩺 Health — warning signs

The most common problems in captive red-eyed tree frogs are linked to inadequate temperature cycling, poor humidity, dehydration, and low-quality or infrequent feeding. Warning signs include:

• Weight loss or visible thinning around the hips and spine
• Dull skin or incomplete shedding
• Lethargy extending into the normal active period at night
• Reddened or inflamed skin on the belly or legs (red-leg syndrome)
• Cloudy or swollen eyes
• Obvious bloating or asymmetric swelling
• Prolonged refusal to eat

Red-leg syndrome is a common bacterial infection linked to poor hygiene and inadequate water quality. If skin redness appears, the first checks should be water quality, enclosure cleanliness, and whether the frogs have consistent access to clean wet surfaces.

Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) is a serious pathogen affecting amphibians globally. New animals should be quarantined for at least 6 weeks before introduction to an established group, and any animals showing skin abnormalities or lethargy should be examined by a veterinarian experienced with amphibians.

Shedding problems are usually a sign of low humidity or dehydration. A healthy frog sheds regularly and typically eats the shed.