Description

Hyla cinerea – American Green Tree Frog

Hyla cinerea, now also listed as Dryophytes cinereus, is a beautiful North American tree frog known for its bright green colour, cream side stripe and loud evening call. These frogs are hardy, attractive and well suited to planted, vertically arranged vivariums.

They are mostly active in the evening and overnight, spending the day resting on leaves, cork bark, branches and glass before waking up to hunt. Their calm nature and straightforward care make them a popular choice for both newer keepers and experienced amphibian enthusiasts.

Care at a Glance

• Adult size: around 4–6.5cm
• Temperature: 24–28°C daytime, with a slight night drop
• Humidity: around 60–80%
• Vivarium style: tall, planted and well ventilated
• Diet: crickets, flies, small roaches and other suitable live insects
• Temperament: generally calm, visible and easy to observe

Vivarium Setup

American green tree frogs do best in a planted arboreal setup with plenty of climbing space. Use strong plants, cork bark, branches and broad leaves to create resting spots at different heights. A shallow water dish should always be available, along with regular misting to maintain humidity.

For a natural planted setup, pair them with a suitable bioactive vivarium plant bundle, tropical springtails and tropical white woodlice to help keep the enclosure clean and stable.

Feeding

Feed a varied diet of appropriately sized live insects. Juveniles can take smaller feeders, while adults will manage suitably sized crickets, roaches and locusts. Feeders should be gut-loaded and dusted with a quality supplement such as FrogFather All-in-1 Dust.

Lighting and Heating

Low-level UVB is recommended, alongside a steady day and night light cycle. A warm upper area with cooler lower areas allows the frogs to choose their preferred temperature. Avoid overheating and always provide good ventilation.

Important Notes

These frogs are best kept as display animals rather than pets to handle. Handling should be avoided unless necessary, as amphibian skin is delicate and easily affected by oils, soaps or residues on human hands.

Live animal delivery is arranged using suitable specialist courier services where available, or collection from Nottingham may be possible. Please contact us before ordering if you need help planning your setup.

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