Pet Keen advocates for adopting before shopping. We understand there are many reasons for seeking a breeder, though, so we encourage it to be done the right way. Learn more.
Out of all the tree frogs out there, red-eyed tree frogs are probably among the most recognizable. While they are brightly colored, they are not poisonous. Therefore, they are often kept as pets.
That said, these frogs aren’t the most common pets out there. Finding a high-quality red-eyed tree frog can be challenging.
Red-Eyed Tree Frog Breeders
Luckily, there are quite a few red-eyed tree frog breeders across the world, including many in the United States. If you’re considering purchasing one of these frogs, we highly recommend going through a breeder.
Not only do breeders often produce higher quality frogs, but they also usually take better care of their frogs. Many breeders will ship, so you may be able to get a frog sent to your door if there aren’t any local breeders.
Red-Eyed Tree Frog Breeders Near Me
There aren’t many marketplaces that regularly have red-eyed tree frogs. Morph Market may occasionally have some for sale, though whether they are near you or not is another question.
The frogs on Morph Market vary. Some of them are quite expensive due to rare morphs, while others are much cheaper.
Red-Eyed Tree Frog Breeders That Ship
Josh’s Frogs sells red-eyed tree frogs most of the time. This breeder does have a few rare morphs, though they are not always in stock. Instead, they tend to only stock regular red-eyed tree frogs at an affordable price.
Backwater Reptiles typically also has a red-eyed tree frog or two available. Compared to other breeders, they are quite inexpensive. However, they don’t carry any morphs.
Another breeder that ships is Underground Reptiles. They provide a live arrival guarantee on all their animals and usually have red-eyed tree frogs available.
How Much Does a Red-Eyed Tree Frog Cost?
Red-eyed tree frogs usually cost just as much as other frogs on the market, about $50 for a standard frog from a breeder or local pet store. Their low price makes them great starter pets.
However, if you’re looking to purchase a rare morph or something of that sort, you’ll likely need to up your budget a bit. Rarer morphs can easily cost around $100, but it isn’t odd to see them cost as much as $150.
For a frog, this is exceedingly expensive. However, it’s the price that you can expect to pay when you’re purchasing a rarer frog.
Of course, different breeders have different prices. Sometimes, you can find a normal red-eyed tree frog for as little as $30.
Things to Ask a Red-Eyed Tree Frog Breeder
When you’re purchasing a red-eyed tree frog, you should be particularly concerned about where you’re purchasing them from. After all, you don’t want to end up with a subpar, sickly frog, and you don’t want to support a breeder that engages in poor breeding practices.
Therefore, it is essential to ask questions of all sorts. It’s often the only way to separate the subpar breeders from the great ones.
Before purchasing an animal, you should ask questions about that frog’s routine and schedule. Ask about the frog’s last meal and what they typically eat. You should also ask if the frog has recently stopped eating or shown any new behaviors (as these can be signs of illness). If the breeder doesn’t know when the frog last ate, it’s a serious red flag.
Not only will asking questions give you a glimpse into the breeder’s practices, but it will also help you keep things at home as similar as possible if you do adopt the frog.
Ask about the frog’s enclosure. Often, breeders keep their animals in small enclosures, which usually isn’t a huge issue. However, it will help you adjust the tank size to the animal, helping it ease into your new home easier.
We also recommend that you ask about any past health problems. While the animal may not be sick now, knowing their health history can help you care for the animal in the future. Plus, it will give you a clue as to how the animal was previously cared for.
4 Things to Know Before Buying a Red-Eyed Tree Frog
1. Their Color Changes According To Their Mood.
Red-eyed tree frogs range in color depending on their mood. They can be anything from bright green to reddish-brown. The color that you see at first likely won’t remain their color when they are brought home.
After interacting with these frogs enough, you can often tell their health and mood based on their coloration.
2. Red-eyed Tree Frogs Don’t Need UVB.
These animals are nocturnal, so they typically aren’t outside during the day. Therefore, they don’t need UVB light. That’s one less thing to worry about when setting up their tank.
However, they do need a day/night cycle. Otherwise, they won’t know when to wake up and when to sleep. For this reason, you’ll need to install a light, even though these frogs will sleep while it is on.
3. You’ll Need To Use A Water Conditioner.
When adopting these frogs, it is essential that you use a proper water conditioner. Otherwise, these frogs will absorb chemicals and other substances from the water, causing significant problems down the line. Some of these chemicals can make the frog sick, potentially even to the point of death.
You’ll need to provide a shallow dish of water for your frog. Be sure to only use safe water and change it as it becomes dirty.
4. They Need Daily Misting.
These frogs don’t require much work, but they do need daily misting. You will need to invest in a hygrometer to keep track of the humidity. You should aim to keep the humidity around 50% at all times, but you should heavily mist the tank enough to raise it to above 90%.
While this misting doesn’t take a huge amount of time, it does require daily interaction with the frogs. If you don’t have the time to put in this amount of work daily, then you may want to consider a different animal.
That said, most frogs require some sort of regular misting, so this isn’t a unique need of this frog.
Conclusion
Red-eyed tree frogs are a common first-time pet. They’re easy to take care of and have a striking appearance. However, they aren’t as easy to find as some other frog species. Therefore, you often have to do a bit of searching before you can locate these frogs.
We included many different links to different breeders around the USA. Many of these breeders ship, so you should be able to have a frog mailed straight to your door.
You may also be able to find local breeders on platforms like Morph Market and similar marketplaces.
Featured Image Credit: 12019, Pixabay
