red eyeds

They are beautiful frogs, I had a pair but never successfully breed them... They need to be kept well fed and moist... misters are readily available... I suggest spending the money and getting a decent humidity controller... frogs are tricky if their environment isn't right... here is some acurate husbandry info... good luck with them!!! Wish I could find some here in South Africa!

Physical Description
A. callidryas are one of the most common treefrogs kept in captivity, perhaps because of their vivid colors and overall beauty. A. callidryas are medium sized treefrogs, with females reaching around 3.5 inches in length, and males around 3 inches. The most notable characteristic is the huge, red eyes that seem to bulge out of the heads of these frogs. The huge, red eyes are used as a defense mechanism. When sleeping, the frog closes a transparent lid over the eyes, and then abruptly opens the huge, red eyes when disturbed. This is called "startle coloration", as the maneuver usually results in startling the intruder, thus giving the frog a brief moment to leap away. The dorsal coloration changes from bright, almost fluorescent green, to darker, forest green during different times of the day, and in response to temperature and mood changes. The sides have stripes of blue and yellowish coloration, thought to be a form of aposematic coloration. When sleeping, the bright colored stripes are covered by the legs, but are abruptly displayed when disturbed. This, along with the startling eyes, is enough to confuse many wild predators, giving the frog a window to leap away. The feet are large, consisting of typical toe pads that aid in attaching to leaves. Juvenile morphs are brownish green, and change to bright green as they mature.

In the wild, and in captivity, these nocturnal frogs typically spend their days attached to green leaves, sometimes in small groups. They position themselves in such a way so as to disguise every colorful part of their body in an attempt to blend into the leaves. They do this so well, that they are often difficult to find even in a small home enclosure. The photo at right shows an adult in the typical resting position.

Distribution & Natural Habitat of A. callidryas

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A. callidryas are found from Veracruz and Oaxaca, Mexico, into central Panama and Costa Rica, and farther south into Columbia, South America. They inhabit tropical rainforests, namely lowland forests and surrounding hills, usually close to a water source. Temperatures in the wild range from 75°F - 90°F degrees during the summer and 60%-100% humidity, and 65°F - 75°F during the winter months. Their environment is rather warm year-round, but experiences increased rain during the winter season. A. callidryas are quite a common site for locals and tourists in some regions, and often invade public areas close to the forests.
Predators & Prey

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The red eyed treefrog's habitats in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America are crawling with potential predators, including snakes, birds, small mammals, insects, lizards, etc. Agalychnis callidryas are not toxic, and so rely heavily on camouflage and discretion to avoid predation in the wild. During the day light hours, these frogs spend their time sleeping on the undersides of green leaves, for which they blend into nicely. While resting, the brightly colored sides are covered by the rear limbs, and the eyes are covered with a mesh-like membrane, so that the frogs are almost entirely camouflaged green. This may work well in most cases, however, predators are not always fooled. If disturbed while resting, A. callidryas may abruptly open their enormous, red eyes, and move the legs out to show the bright coloration, in an attempt to startle the intruder. By confusing predators in this way, the frogs may gain a split second to leap or climb away. While awake, A. callidryas is at higher risk of predation than when sleeping camouflaged against green leaves. The bright colors of found in sides of these frogs are often referred to as "flash colors", as they are flashed to potential predators. This may throw off those predators that rely mainly on visual prey detection, such as snakes and birds, by leaving a "ghost image" in place of the escaped frog. This is similar to the effects of gazing at a bright light or object for a period of time, resulting in the image being "burned" into the eyes when you look away. Still, despite their unique defense methods, A. callidryas are preyed upon regularly. The photo at left shows a red eyed treefrog being consumed by a Parrot Snake (Leptophis ahaetulla).
Red eyed treefrog's are also hunters, consuming large numbers of insects in the wild. In captivity, adults can subsist on a diet of bite-sized invertebrates, including crickets, moths, flies, beetles, etc. Most individuals are strictly nocturnal, and will only feed at night. Juveniles can be fed smaller invertebrates, such as pinhead crickets, fruit flies, flout beetles, etc. The following table lists some store-bought foods that are commonly available at many pet stores.

Breeding Behavior

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Like many tropical frogs, A. callidryas enter breeding mode during the rainy season. At this time, the males will croak incessantly to attract females, and will wrestle other males in the near vicinity. Amplexus consists of the male grasping a gravid female around the abdomen, a position they may maintain for several hours, sometimes days, as the photo at left shows. The male will fertilize the eggs as they are deposited by the female onto top or bottom of leaves. The female chooses leaves hanging above a water source so that when the eggs hatch, the larvae fall directly into the water, where they will continue to develop. The female will deposit several "clutches" during a single breeding session. Between each clutch, she must re-fill her bladder with water, otherwise, the following eggs will desiccate. To do this, she must leave the leaf she is holding onto and enter the water, usually with the male still attached to her back, and then re-attach herself to the leaf again. During this time, it is not uncommon for another male to wrestle the current male off of the females back. The whole breeding cycle is very arduous for both males and females.
In addition to croaking, males are known to "quiver" during the breeding season. This occurs at the peak of a croak, while facing another male. During this staring contest, any sign of movement from one frog prompts a wrestling match between the males.

A. callidryas in Captivity

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A. callidryas are arboreal frogs, and should be housed in a large enclosure with many live plants, and ample territory. They are not necessarily great leapers, but should be housed in large, natural vivarium type setups. These frogs are more comfortable in tall tanks, with tall, large-leaved plants. A tropical, arboreal setup is ideal for housing A. callidryas. A basic setup would consist of 4-6 inches of moist soil, tall and short live plants with large leaves (Epipremnum and Philodendron work well), moist driftwood for climbing, and a clean, shallow water area. More elaborate setups can include several different species of plant life, mosses, sloping hillsides, rocks, ghost or cypress wood, natural-looking water bodies, waterfalls, etc.
The substrate should be a nutrient-rich mixture, with a healthy colony of beneficial bacteria (see article 0021 - Substrates for the Vivarium for more information on substrate mixtures). Dried and/or color-died mosses should not be used as substrate because they rot easily, and create and ideal environment for bacterial colonies. Live sheet mosses or pillow mosses make excellent and natural additions to the ground floor. Large pieces of moisture-tolerant wood, such as ghost wood or cypress, can be added to the ground floor, as well. Small ground plants, including tropical ferns and peperomias, also add an aesthetically pleasing, natural touch.

Red eyed treefrogs enjoy soaking their bodies, or sometimes just their posterior ends, in shallow water at night. Most reptile/pet stores carry bowls specifically for soaking purposes, that are only an inch or so deep, allowing the frogs to hold their heads above the water. These types of bowls are excellent for soaking purposes, and should be refreshed daily with de-chlorinated water to ensure a fresh supply of clean water every night. For breeding purposes, a larger water area of at least a few inches depth may be necessary. Breeding pools can consist of large bowls of a few inches depth, or a corner of the tank sectioned off with Plexiglas. Mating takes place in the trees, and eggs are deposited on leaves directly above the water source, where they will develop into tadpoles. Upon hatching, the tadpoles fall into the water source and continue development. In captivity, breeding pools should have many large leaves overhanging the water area to promote egg deposition. In most cases, the eggs should be removed before hatching, and raised separately from the adults. However, large tanks can potentially support a breeding cycle, with adults and morphs in the same environment. In some cases, red eyes may also breed in the presence of only a shallow soaking bowl.

The enclosure must always be kept moist, and humid, but not soggy. The tank should be sprayed with de-chlorinated water once or twice a day, as needed, to ensure proper moisture levels. Some may opt for the convenience of a misting system and timer. These are excellent devices for breeding purposes, as they can be set to simulate seasonal changes by increasing or decreasing the number of sprayings per day. A. callidryas require ample ventilation, so a full or partial screen lid is a requirement with this species. If retaining humidity is an issue, as it is in many dry areas, a 2/3 screen and 1/3 glass lid may be necessary. See article 0020 - Captive Habitats: Ideas, Instructions, and Examples and the Captive & Wild Habitats section of the Photo Gallery.

During the warmer months, temperatures can range from 75°F - 85°F during the day, dropping as low as 66°F - 70°F at night. In order to stimulate breeding, daylight temperatures can be dropped to around 70°F - 75°F during the winter months, in addition to increased moisture to simulate the rainy season. In general, humidity should be kept around 70%-90%. Some would say this level of humidity is not necessary with this A. callidryas because they would not experience this in their natural habitat, up in the treetops. However, A. callidryas range from lowlands to treetops, depending on the the exact origin, and so are in a varying range of humidity levels. High humidity is not known to have adverse effects on this species, but insufficient humidity could lead to desiccation. Correct temperatures may be achieved with heat lamps and bulbs. If used, these should be positioned several inches above the tank so as not overheat the tank, plants, or fixtures. Ceramic heat lamps are acceptable too, but do not produce light, and so should be used in combination with fluorescent light tubes. Fluorescent bulbs are better for plant growth, and do not pose the risk of burns to the plants or animals.

If kept properly, this species will readily breed in captivity. If eggs are produced, they may need to be relocated into a suitable aquarium with an ample supply of clean, de-chlorinated water to further develop. However, larvae and young can successfully develop naturally in large vivariums.

As with all amphibians, tap water should be treated with a water conditioner or primer prior to the introduction of inhabitants. Never used plain tap water, de-ionized, distilled, or reverse osmosis water alone with amphibians. See article 0006 - Water Quality and Amphibians for more information about water quality.

Feeding A. callidryas

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Table 1.1 - Commonly Available Food Items acceptable for amphibians
Aquatic Larvae: Terrestrial Adolescents: Semi-Aquatic Adult:
» Black Worms
» Blood Worms (finely chopped)
» Brine Shrimp (newly hatched)
» Copepods
» Daphnia
» Earthworms (finely chopped)
» Grindal Worms
» Microworms
» Tubifex Worms (finely chopped)
» Paramecium
» Scuds (Amphipods)
» White worms » Crickets (gut-loaded pinheads - 2 week)
» Earthworms/night crawlers (chopped)
» Flour Beetles & Larvae
» Fruit Flies & Larvae
» Grindal Worms
» Grubs
» Rice Beetles & Larvae
» Springtails
» White Worms » Small Crickets
» Flour Beetles
» Large Fruit Flies
» Rice Beetles
» Small Winged Insects
» Sow Bugs

Amphibians should be given a variety of different live foods to ensure proper nourishment and health. See article 0002 - Amphibian Foods and Feeding Tips for more information on commonly available food items.