Learning about Frogs

The Species

There are 4,700 species of frogs in the world and 90 in the United States. Every species of frog is slightly different in what they eat depending on where they live, their taste preference, or what might make them less appealing to bigger predators. If you have a pet frog, their frog food might look like what they would find in the wild, but more likely it will be a hodgepodge of frog food for sale at a pet store.

Telling The Difference Between Frogs And Toads

Frogs and toads are difficult to separate because all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. True toads look and live differently than true frogs.

True frogs have:

• Slim bodies
• Long hind legs with webbed feet for swimming and jumping
• High-set round eyes
• Smooth or slimy skin that needs lots of moisture
• A need to live near water
• Lots of predators

True toads have:

• Rounder, wide bodies
• Short hind legs for short hops or running
• Lower-set football-shaped eyes
• Rough or bumpy skin
• Various living conditions
• Not as many predators because they are often poisonous or bitter

Choosing the right frog as a pet will depend on your preference. Many beginners prefer fully aquatic frogs like the African dwarf frog and African clawed frog. These are some of the most common live frogs for sale with fish in an aquatics store. Other good beginner frogs are white’s tree frog or the Pacman frog.

What do frogs eat?

Do you want to know what kind of food frogs eat? All frogs are carnivores that eat different kinds of bugs and meat; however, frogs do have favorite meals, and some species have become specialized eaters based on their size and skills.

• Small to medium size frogs usually eat insects like mosquitos, moths, dragon flies, flies, and other buzzing things. This is what garden frogs eat.
• Medium to large frogs eat larger bugs to fill them up, like worms, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, beetles, and larger flies. This is an example of what Pac-man frogs eat.
• Large frogs might eat a variety of things including bugs, small snakes, other frogs, little fish, mice, baby turtles, and anything moving that’s smaller than their mouths.

Frogs live primarily around fresh water. There are only two varieties of salt water frogs, the Florida Leopard frog and Crab-eating frog, and they can only stand sea water for a short period of time. Therefore, a frog food list consists of critters found in and around fresh water.

Hunting Habits

Frogs in the wild aren’t particularly picky about what they eat as long as it’s moving. They won’t eat dead bugs or animals, preferring their meals squirmy and fresh. To fill this wriggling order, frogs have tongues attached to front of their mouths to easily grab their prey.

When prey flies, swims, or crawls by, a frog shoots out his tongue, wraps it around the prey, and throws it down his throat. Frogs don’t have teeth for chewing (though they sometimes have enough teeth to draw blood when they bite), so they depend on their stomachs to do the digesting like snakes do.

For frogs to get close enough to their food they have to be able to stalk their prey quietly and wait for the right moment to strike. Camouflaging with their surroundings helps them close the distance.

Or they can skip the benefits of their skin coloring and go to places they know are filled with food. For example, the Cane frog likes to eat bees and finds beehives to raid, gorging itself on bees inside the hive. As you can see, what frogs eat is as varied as the frogs themselves.

How to Set Up a Pet Frog Habitat

If you are planning to keep frogs as pets, you first need to set up the right habitat.

1, Find out what kind of environment your frog needs: Depending on your frog or toad you may need a fully aquatic habitat, a land environment with water pools, an arboreal habitat for climbing tree frogs, or a dry habitat. Research what your frog likes in the wild and try to replicate it at home.
2, Place the tank in a good location: Your frog’s tank should never be placed somewhere that it will be in direct sunlight. This could make the habitat too hot and dry causing danger to your frog.
3. Add substrate: Substrate should always cover the bottom of your tank to provide a safe spot for jumping and walking. It also makes the tank easy to clean. The size of your substrate will depend on the size of your frog. Usually gravel is a good size.
4. Provide light and temperature control: Different frogs need different temperatures to be comfortable, though most do not require special heating lamps because they get enough vitamin D from their food. Research the proper temperature for your frog and add a thermostat and temperature control.

What should pet frogs eat?

Pet frog foods should be diverse like they would be in the wild. Pet frogs enjoy eating insects available at pet stores for feeding as live frog food, or you might be able to catch a few in and around your house—make sure they have not been sprayed with insecticide and are not poisonous to your frog before offering them.

Frog pets also require extra Calcium and Vitamin D3 in their food for strong bones. This can be accomplished by dusting live food in these vitamins, feeding the live food these vitamins before giving them to your frogs, or offering your pet frog HBH Frog & Tadpole Bites. HBH Frog and Tadpole Bites are also soft. Frogs have a thin esophageal lining and foods that are not soft can tear and irritate the lining.

HBH frog and tadpole food is specially formulated for good frog health. Frogs for pets need to be healthy if you want them to live long, happy lives. You might ask, “How long do frogs live?” And the answer can be anywhere from 2 to 40 years for a healthy frog, depending on the type.

When should pet frogs eat?

A feeding schedule for your pet frog can take time to figure out. You should first consider if your frog is nocturnal or not. Many frogs prefer to eat at the beginning of their active period, which may be just as you’re going to bed.

Many frogs also don’t need to eat every day. If your frog does not seem interested in eating one day, try to offer food the next day. Some frogs may not eat at all during hibernation. Research your frog’s eating habits, and then offer food at different times to figure out the best schedule for you.

Where to Buy Frog Food

Some people ask “do frogs eat fish food?” Frogs shouldn’t eat fish food because they require different nutrients to be healthy. However, your fish might try to eat your foods for frogs! You can find the right mix of vitamins in HBH frog food. Pisces Pros has the right HBH products and food for frogs including bulk frog food and frog food wholesale.

The best frog food available for tadpoles and young frogs to grow properly is HBH frog food bites. To order great frog food, hermit crab food, or betta fish food, check for HBH products in your local pet store, visit Piscespros.com, or contact us to order.