If you find a lot of frogs in your yard or around your house, you might be interested in catching one and keeping it. Although wild frogs are not suitable as pets in the long term, they are very cheap to care for and caring for them is quite a fun activity. By knowing how to catch, keep, and feed frogs, you will have a happy frog as a pet.
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Method 1 of 3: Saving the Frog
Step 1. Keep your frog in a 57 L aquarium tank
Frogs need enough space to jump when kept as pets. Purchase a 57 L aquarium from a pet store or online store to keep your frogs. This item must be at least 30 cm high and 30 cm wide for the frog to feel comfortable.
- Choose a tank that has a net or cloth over the top to keep the frogs from escaping. This cover will prevent the frog from jumping out of the tank, but make sure the top is made of mesh or cloth for good ventilation.
- Frogs can live comfortably in normal temperature rooms or during the day. Therefore, there is no need to buy heaters or lamps for them.
- Keep the aquarium out of direct sunlight, as too intense light can hurt your frog.
- If you want to keep more than one frog, you will need a larger tank. For each additional frog you wish to keep, your tank should have an extra 19 L of space. However, keeping more than 4 or 5 frogs requires a very large tank or they will start breeding uncontrollably.
Step 2. Add substrate material such as coconut husk or marsh soil to the aquarium
Substrate is a mud-like material that can be placed at the bottom of the aquarium to absorb frog droppings and provide them with an area to burrow. Purchase coconut husks, marsh soil, or leaf debris and pour 8 to 10 cm of the material into the bottom of the tank.
- You can also purchase a special substrate material at a pet store to make your frog extra comfortable.
- Do not use a material that is too hard, such as gravel or sand as a substrate. The material can injure frogs if swallowed.
- To make it easier for the frog to dig into the substrate material, moisten the material with a spray bottle or non-chlorinated water every few days.
Step 3. Provide a bowl of non-chlorinated water for the frog to soak in
Even though frogs don't drink a lot of water, they need to spend a lot of time soaking in water to stay hydrated. Keep a large bowl or small pool of non-chlorinated water in the tank for the frogs to soak in. Make sure the bowl is no higher than your frog or it could sink.
- Use dechlorinating tablets to remove chlorine from tap water or fill a bowl with bottled water. Do not use distilled water because frogs need a lot of nutrients to survive.
- Even a small amount of chlorine in tap water can harm frogs. Therefore, use water that has been filtered, bottled, or dechlorinated.
- If the water seems cloudy, you will need to replace it. This needs to be done at least once a day to keep the frog comfortable.
- The water should be shallow enough for the frogs to sit up, but not too shallow for them to fully submerge. Try to add water to half of your frog's height.
Step 4. Add some hiding locations in the aquarium
Frogs like to be in hidden places that can be used as burrows. So, add some decorations in the aquarium to make them even more happy. Place a stick of wood, some large rocks, and a few types of plants so that the frog feels like he is in his natural habitat.
- Be sure not to put anything in the tank that could fall and injure the frog. Use objects that are low and wide instead of tall objects.
- Collect some plants, rocks, or branches from the frog-catching location to make them more comfortable. Anything that looks natural should be safe to use, while foreign objects can stress the frog.
Step 5. Don't touch the frog too often
Even if frogs seem to enjoy living in an aquarium, it's best not to take them as toys. Watch your frog jump and enjoy your company, but don't touch it too often.
In addition to making the frog feel uncomfortable or scared, the oil on your skin can also injure the frog
Step 6. Clean the aquarium once a month with clean water
Remove the frog from the tank and place it in a safe place. Remove the substrate material and all objects in the tank. Use a cloth dampened with clean water to scrub the bottom of the tank and the glass. Wash the cloth if it looks dirty. Dry the walls of the aquarium with a dry cloth, then add the substrate material and other objects. Next, put the frog back into the tank.
Keep the frogs in a small tank or special cage while you are cleaning the main tank. Make sure to add some water to keep the frog comfortable
Method 2 of 3: Feeding the Frogs
Step 1. Buy live insects to feed the frogs
Wild frogs are used to hunting for food, so they will not be attracted to food that is not moving. Purchase live worms and crickets from your nearest pet store and carefully place them in the tank. You can also feed the frogs with insects that you catch yourself outdoors.
- Feed frogs with insects that fit in their mouths; otherwise, the frog may choke.
- Frogs are carnivorous animals that get most of their body's nutrients from insects. If you are not comfortable feeding them live insects, raising frogs is not the right activity for you.
Step 2. Feed the frogs one or two insects each day
Your frog doesn't need to eat a lot to stay healthy and comfortable, but it should be fed regularly. Give one or two insects every day. Feed more if the frog seems to be getting thinner.
If you're feeding small insects like ants or ladybugs, you'll need to feed the frogs twice as much or twice as often as usual to keep them healthy
Step 3. Add calcium powder supplements to the frog's diet several times a week
To keep frogs healthy, supplement their nutritional intake with calcium powder or vitamins once or twice a week. Sprinkle a small amount of special frog supplements to the food you want to give.
- Supplement powders made specifically to keep frogs healthy can be found at your local pet store or online.
- In the wild, sunlight will help frogs absorb calcium more effectively. When kept in tanks or indoors, they need supplements instead of sunlight to stay healthy.
Method 3 of 3: Catching Frogs
Step 1. Find the frog in a dark, damp place
Frogs need lots of water and little sunlight to live comfortably. So, they usually spend time in the shade that has a lot of water. Look for dark, damp areas of the yard for frogs to catch. It's best to look for frogs in the afternoon, especially after it rains.
- Look in, around, and into bushes or logs when looking for your potential pet. Frogs can burn in direct sunlight, so you should look for them in hidden places.
- In the spring, male frogs will sit in puddles and make loud noises looking for a mate. Listen for a loud cracking sound or search a puddle for frogs.
- If you can't find a frog hiding place, create a small area that seems comfortable for them. Make a small puddle, add some hiding places, and decorate the place to attract frogs.
Step 2. Move slowly to catch the frog by hand
You are much bigger than a frog, so move slowly, quietly and carefully to catch the frogs by hand without scaring them off. Kneel slowly in front of the frog and hold it with your hands. Lift the frog off the ground and hold it carefully so it doesn't jump suddenly.
- If your hands suddenly feel wet, don't panic. Frogs only release water from their bladders, not pee on you.
- If the frog jumps out of your hand, it may injure itself if it lands too hard on the ground.
- Don't hold the frogs too long, as the oil on the skin on your hands can injure them. Transfer the frog to a closed container as quickly as possible.
Step 3. Act quickly to catch the frogs using the net
Not only do you have to approach the frog slowly and silently, you also have to catch it in the net in one sweeping motion. Place the beetle net in front of the frog so it jumps into it. Once inside, take the net and twist the top so the frog can't jump out.
- You have to aim the net just right! If you miss and hit the frog with the rim of the tool, it could hurt him.
- Don't keep the frog in the net for too long, because it will feel uncomfortable!
Step 4. Store the frog in a place that has plenty of water when moving it
Frogs need lots of water to soak and feel comfortable. Bring a small tank, closed container, or special cage when hunting frogs. Fill the container with 1.5 cm of non-chlorinated water so that the frog is comfortable moving into its new home.
- Most tap water contains chlorine, which can injure frogs. Use tap water that has been sterilized with dechlorinated or filtered tablets, or bottled water to keep frogs healthy while transporting them.
- Try not to shake the water in the container so that the frog doesn't get stressed.
Step 5. Move the frog into its new home
Move the container, tank, or cage with the frogs closer to the aquarium. Open the lid, then quickly take the frog out of the container and put it into its new home. After a day or two, the frogs should get used to living there and be able to jump around agilely.
- If your tank is large enough, you can also put a container with frogs in it. Not the lid on the container so the frog can jump out when it's comfortable.
- Be sure to change the cover of the aquarium once the frog has entered it.
- If your frog seems to be struggling to adapt and isn't agile, you should release it back into the wild. Look for other frogs that seem easier to care for.
Tips
- Change the substrate material in the tank every two months to keep it clean and fresh.
- Keep frogs away from other pets that could prey on or scare them.
Warning
- Check the laws in your area to ensure that it is legal to catch and raise frogs.
- Wash your hands thoroughly after handling frogs as their skin may contain bacteria or toxins that are harmful to humans.
- Wash your hands after handling frogs because the skin may contain a small amount of poison that can be harmful if inhaled.
