you can look at green tree frogs,grey tree frogs,red belly toads,wood frogs if the humidity isn't going to be extremily high

if you are planning on high humidity you can look atred eyed tree frogs and dart frogs

all the frogs will need to have an area or water

go to the forums at kingsnake.com for more info on frogs and lizards

Mike, I have a green tree frog and three green Anoles in mine. They have been in there for a little more than 6 months and still look and act great. The humidity will usually stay around 80% and the temp about the same. I check them frequently and so far no fungus. I didn't buy them, they came from my yard except for the tree frog, he came as a freebie in an orchid.

Anna

IF you are doing research, then you are doing the right thing. for easy frogs, I would recommend white's tree frog (also known as a dumpy frog) or a fire-belly toad (which is actually a frog). Red-eyed tree frogs and the like are generally considered a little more difficult to keep. They also prefer taller (as opposed to shorter and longer) vivaria. I personally am starting out with a fire-belly toad. They are more brightly coloured than White's Treefrog, and while white's has a cute smile, they also have a tendency to get fat. Poison dart frogs are gorgeous, but expensive and challenging. they are my future goal. Fire-belly toads do prefer more water than most frogs, however, so you would have to have a significant pond area, but not one that is too deep (deeper than 6" is too deep), or your frogs may drown. It is also not advisable to mix different kinds of frogs, as they are very territorial (often towards their own kind as well) and the biggest frog will eat the smaller ones. Your temps. and humidity should not be a problem. Frogs drink through their skin, so they like it humid. You need a pond so that they can sit in it and drink. Oh yeah, fire-belly toads have very toxic skin, so if you do not change your water once a week, they will sicken themselves with their own poison. they are also not for touching and playing with (but I'm sure you knew that).

Now I see what type of frogs you keep, Sahoyaref! I am quite biased towards dart frogs, as they are diurnal (active during the daytime) as opposed to most tree frogs, which are nocturnal. Additionally, I just like the colors of dart frogs.

Some good beginner darts are Dendrobates auratus (green or bronze and black) and Dendrobates leucomelas (the yellow and black banded dart frog--my personal suggestion for a great beginner frog that is bold and beautiful) both of these can usually be found for $25-$45 each. Dendrobates azureus (THE blue frog most people know) is also easy, but usually sells for $60 each. I would highly suggest buying from a reputable breeder if you are considering buying them, as most pet shops just stress them out and get them good and ready to die. Where do you live? I might be able to recommend a good breeder you could locally pick up from.

Anyway, I also have a Gray Tree Frog that thinks he's diurnal as well, but I really don't know much about other frogs. If you want to know more about them, check out Kingsnake's arrow frog forum, or e-mail me for some good links. I'm always available for advice if you have patience with me.

Patience? LOL I grow over 1200 orchids and just look at my name.LOL

OK. I would love to have dart frogs but I have dogs and the thought of one getting out and my dog eating it is not a good one. My kids would be fine as my daughter is a snake fiend and is smart about things like tthat as well as having absolutely no fear of any snake or amphibian. Gotta love her. She catches bugs along the river while I fly fish.

anyway, I have heard that captive bread dart frogs are not that poisonous because they are not eating the natural prey that makes them so. True? Exactly how poisonous do they get?

I've actually heard, and I bet Homer or someone else will verify, that in captivity they become totally non-toxic. I wouldn't eat one...but I think they can be safely handled if required.

and you're right...it's all about their diet. They don't develop toxicity from eating Purina frog chow. But I wonder what would happen if you kept some stinky bulbos in with them!!! yikes!!

do you grow Dracs in your greenhouse? I can't recall seeing you post pics of any but I would think they'd like it there. Dracs and masdies are one ...two...of the main reasons I want to construct a big ol' viv. waitaminute...what forum am I on....LOL

LOL I do grow Dracs in the GH but they are cooler growing and I keep them with some species of Pleurothallis I have. i want the Viv I build to be on the warmer side and anything that's over 75f consistently will most likely kill Dracs.

I have read that captive-bred dart frogs are not COMPLETELY non-toxic, but way less toxic than they are in the wild. I don't know if it's been bred out of them or if it relates to what they eat, but I think your dog would instantly spit out any frog that it got in its mouth! Most frogs are poisonous to some degree, and the animals that try to eat them can taste it right away. If you have to handle a frog, you must have clean, wet hands (no soap residue!) to avoid damaging their skin, and their poison may irritate your skin a bit, but you're not supposed to be playing with them all the time anyways. I have very sensitive skin, so I wouldn't want to be touching my (future) froggies too often.

Yes, it's true, "poison dart frogs" in captivity are not toxic. While scientists haven't yet pinpointed the exact chemical pathway by which it occurs, Dendrobatids (poison dart frogs) produce a toxin by converting alkyloids present in insects endemic to their environment. The insects get the alkyloids from the plants they eat, etc, etc.

So, when you bring a frog into captivity and feed it the wingless fruit flies dusted in vitamin powder, there are no alkyloids to chemically alter to create a dendrotoxin. While it is true that they should not be handled for the sake of the frogs, I can attest to the fact that I have had no reaction whatsoever to holding or touching any of my frogs.

As for the temperatures and heating elements mentioned somewhere around in one of these posts, it should be noted that poison dart frogs really don't need to have a heater. In fact, most do best in temps that range between 68-75 degrees F, and can actually be harmed by prolonged temps above 80 . . . so there are some dracs and masde's that can be kept with pdf's (from what I have been told by others). Restrepias seem like another natural choice, as well as other orchids from the pleurothallid alliance that are intermediate growers that love high humidity (80%+ at all times). Anyway, my point is that room temps are best for darts, and you will probably have to plan to ensure that your light setup doesn't overheat the terrarium and stress them.

As for other frogs that do well in the 80 degree range, I have read that others find milk frogs (in my opinion, one of the cooler looking tree frogs) need temps in the 80's to thrive.

Anyway, I feel like I'm rambling now, so I'll just stop.

If you don't mind having a larger species go with the White's tree frog, aka "Dumpy frog". Heck, get 'im a buddy, my two love to hang out. Very cool frogs, mind you also very lax...about anything and everything, except maybe when it comes to food. But personable, and they don't mind (at least mine don't) the occasional gentle handling.

purina makes frog chow??!!!!!!!!!!

Where did you read that? Sounds interesting, provided that it gives the frogs what they need nutritionaly, and is better than Pinkies and/or crickets...BUT this means you have to hand feed, as my frogs don't eat anything that doesn't move, or I don't tickle their mouths with. But that'd be fine with me, I enjoy "bonding" with my two Whites. I want to go hold one now!

J & S: you shouldn't really handle your frogs just for fun. They have very delicate skin that can be easily damaged, especially by the natural oils on human skin. So you shouldn't 'bond' physically with your frogs, for their own good. Just because they don't show obvious damage doesn't mean that they don't have any. Frogs and all other reptiles and amphibians, with few exceptions, should be handled only when neccessary. Please take this in the spirit in which it was given! =)

Try looking up monkey frogs (Phylomedusa sauvagi). I have had these in the past in desert terrariums, but they can live in a more humid environment if they have a warm basking spot. They look like aliens and move around by walking slowly.