Hyla cinerea — Fact Sheet

Dryophytes cinereus · Hyla cinerea

Full care guide and sources

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

A tall terrarium is more important than a wide one. For a pair or a small group, many keepers start around 45 x 45 x 60 cm or larger, with additional height and planting being very useful.

🪨 Substrate and furnishings

The enclosure should include:

• Vertical branches and twigs
• Cork bark and resting tubes
• Broad leaves at different heights
• Dense live plants or robust artificial cover
• Easy-to-clean lower areas and a practical substrate system

Useful plants include pothos, Philodendron, small ficus, and other species that tolerate warmth and regular spraying. Frogs often choose elevated leaves as daytime resting sites, so upper-level cover matters as much as lower-level planting.

💡 Lighting

Dryophytes cinereus benefits from a clear day-night cycle. A normal photoperiod of about 10-12 hours works well for most of the year, with mild seasonal variation if the keeper prefers a more natural rhythm.

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

• Basking spot: 28-28 °C

• Daytime air: 24-28 °C

• Cool zone: 20-22 °C

• Night: 20-23 °C

• Clear gradient required; the animal must be able to move between warm, cool, and hidden zones

• Measure basking surfaces with an infrared thermometer and ambient zones with digital probes

• Avoid heat rocks and unguarded heat sources

💧 Humidity and water

Dryophytes cinereus does not need an aquarium-style water area, but water management inside the enclosure still matters. A shallow water bowl should always be available and must be changed often because frogs may soak in it or defecate in it.

Misting water should be dechlorinated or otherwise safe for amphibians. If the enclosure is planted and misted regularly, some kind of drainage layer or water-control system is helpful so the lower substrate does not turn sour.

Key points include:

• Replace bowl water frequently
• Avoid permanently waterlogged substrate
• Allow wet surfaces without creating stagnant puddles
• Remove dead feeder insects and waste promptly

These frogs tolerate moisture well, but they do poorly in dirty wet conditions. Skin health depends as much on cleanliness as on humidity.

Air humidity: 50–70%. Practical air-humidity range, not a physiological limit. Measure at animal height, away from wet surfaces and direct heat.

General humidity around 50–70% is usually suitable, provided the enclosure is allowed to fluctuate and breathe. These frogs do not need the permanently saturated, near-closed conditions used for many poison frog setups.

Good practice includes:

• One or two moderate mistings per day depending on ventilation
• Drying slightly between heavier sprays
• Constant access to clean dechlorinated water
• Moist resting leaves and branches without stale air

If the enclosure stays bone dry, shedding and hydration problems appear. If it stays dripping wet with no airflow, bacterial and fungal issues become more likely. The best result is a fresh, humid setup rather than a sealed wet box.

🪳 Feeding

Dryophytes cinereus is insectivorous and should be fed varied live prey of appropriate size. Suitable staples include crickets, small roaches, and similar feeder insects, with occasional variety from moths, flies, or other safe invertebrates where available.

Suitable food items include:

• Small crickets
• Small roach nymphs
• Houseflies or bottle flies
• Occasional waxworms or similar richer feeders only as treats

Juveniles usually do best with near-daily feeding because they are still growing. Adults are often fed every 2-3 days, adjusting the portion size to body condition and activity level.

Supplementation matters. Calcium should be used regularly, and a broader vitamin supplement should be used more sparingly according to the product schedule. Overfeeding is common in tree frogs that are easy to feed, so body condition should be monitored rather than assuming more food is always better.

🩺 Health — warning signs

The most common Dryophytes cinereus problems in captivity are dehydration, chronic stress from poor cover, obesity from overfeeding, and skin trouble caused by dirty wet conditions. Warning signs include:

• Weight loss or a thin body outline
• Refusal to feed
• Remaining dark in color for long periods
• Repeated poor sheds
• Reddened skin
• Lethargy outside normal daytime resting behavior

Skin infections and red-leg-type bacterial problems are more likely when hygiene is poor and the enclosure remains wet without proper cleaning. Mouth injuries can also happen if prey is too large or if frogs strike repeatedly at hard surfaces during feeding.

New animals should be quarantined before joining an established group. Any frog with persistent skin changes, swelling, prolonged refusal to feed, or abnormal posture should be seen by a veterinarian experienced with amphibians.