Can you keep North American Green Frog and salamander as pet in a terrarium?

[Lucas Buchanan]

Hello!

My kids caught some green frogs ( Reptiles and Amphibians of Ontario | A New Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas | Species | Protect | Ontario Nature ) and a salamander (Reptiles and Amphibians of Ontario | A New Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas | Species | Protect | Ontario Nature) ... and want to keep them as pets. We are in canada, ontario.

Having had my own terrarium as a kid, I dont want to tell them no but I cannot find any material on the web about keeping such wild amphibians as pets - what to feed them, any disseases to worry about ( I hard that some frogs cary salmonella) what to expect in general etc. I also know these frogs hibernate so I dont know if this plays a part in this.

I am going to the pet store to ask but I would rather get an answer from experts or enthusiasts in this field.

Many thanks!

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF Lucas! Unfortunately, mixing frogs with other amphibians not their own species, is a gamble that usually ends bad .

For the Rana; most do well in a large tank with more bottom area than height. For a 2 in. frog a 20L will do; if 3 in. a 30 gal.; and if it reaches 4 in. maybe a 55G. You want to divide tank as 2/3 water, 1/3 land set-up or similar.

Water must be dechlorinated and a filter on the water side will help keep it clean. Change 25% of water daily and if using filter (recommended) once it's cycled (30 days) you can then do 25-50% water change on a weekly basis. Do clean filter media during water change with tank water.

Unless room has extreme temps, frogs will do OK at room temps. A light is only needed for observation and you can use any daylight type bulb including UVBs 2.0 fluorescents compacts or even LEDs.

Can feed crickets sized same as distance between frog eyes and also try with night crawlers around same length as frog. Dust feeders with CA/D3 2X and vitamins 1X weekly on different days with skip day in between.

Although this care article is for the Leopard Frog; it requires similar care and reading it will also help you set-up a proper enclosure: Frog Forum - Leopard Frog Care - Rana pipiens (Schreber, 1782) and R. sphenocephala (1886) . Hope this helps and good luck !

[Lucas Buchanan]

thanks Carlos!

So i've read the crickets and such are the way to feed them... that is a bit of a problem for me ... feeding them any dry food would not work i assume?

[Mentat]

thanks Carlos!

So i've read the crickets and such are the way to feed them... that is a bit of a problem for me ... feeding them any dry food would not work i assume?

Sorry but no. If dry feeding is only method available; recommend release them where you found them and maybe set-up a 10 gallon tank with some African Dwarf Frogs for kids .