Question: Is there a kind of frog that makes the best pet? I’d like one with the sticky toes that climbs well on your arm, not one of the fat
Question:
Is there a kind of frog that makes the best pet? I’d like one with the sticky toes that climbs well on your arm, not one of the fat ones that just sits around all day in a fat pile.
Orry Carson, Seattle, Wash.
Kurit afshen/Shutterstock
It’s a toss-up between red-eye tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) and dumpy tree frogs (Litoria caerulea).
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Answer:
In my mind, it’s a toss-up between red-eye tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) and dumpy tree frogs (Litoria caerulea). If you want to handle it often and have it crawling on your arms, that whittles it down to the bigger, bulky, all-around more durable dumpy tree frog.
Dumpies are being bred regularly now, and the trend is to accentuate the bluer tones while also selecting toward those with brighter and higher numbers of dorsal spots. They range widely over the northeastern half of Australia and are familiar to everyone. They are especially well-known for taking up residence inside outdoor latrines, where bugs congregate and access to the reliable source of water in toilet bowls increases their survival chances.
In Australia, the progress is moving ahead with several other related species too, particularly the equally plump magnificent tree frog (Litoria splendida) from the northwestern part of the country.
Bill Love photographs herps in nature, writes and lectures. He assists his wife, Kathy, with her business, CornUtopia, and via his company, Blue Chameleon Ventures, leads nature tours to view herps in Madagascar.
