Resources > Kids Information > Keeping Frogs
Information & resources on frog conservation.
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Keeping Frogs!Keeping amphibians in New ZealandFrogs and other amphibians make really fun and interesting pets. Some of the things like set-up of the tank and making insect traps can be a bit tricky, so get an adult to help you with these. But after set-up, they are fairly easy to keep. This page is really just an introduction to the wonderful world of amphibian care, so have a look at the further reading to find extra information on topics on this page, and to find out about things not discussed on this page, like breeding and outdoor housing. They also provided some of the information for this page! What kinds of amphibians can I keep as pets in NZ?  Where can I get pet amphibians? What do I need to keep amphibians? How long do pet amphibians live for? Will amphibians eat each other? What do I feed them? Make your own insect traps How to breed insects How do I keep tadpoles? Further reading What kinds of amphibians can I keep as pets in NZ?Brown tree frogs (Litoria ewingii), Southern Bell frog (Litoria raniformis), Golden Bell frog (Litoria aurea), axolotls (Ambystoma tigrinum), Fire-bellied newts (Cynops pyrrhogatser and Cynops orientalis). It is against the law to keep any of the native frogs. There are a few people in New Zealand who are allowed to keep native frogs, but these people are native frog specialists who DOC has given a permit to. You must not release axolotls or newts into the wild, as they are not found naturally in New Zealand and could cause big environmental problems if they become wild. Also, it is important not to let any pet frogs or tadpoles back into the wild, because they can spread diseases that they may have picked up in captivity to other wild frogs. Where can I get pet amphibians?Fire-bellied newts and axolotls can only be bought from pet stores, because they don’t live in the wild in New Zealand. Non-native New Zealand frogs can be bought from pet stores or garden centers or collected from the wild as spawn or tadpoles. Tadpoles and spawn are found in still water, so check ponds, wetlands or even farm animal drinking troughs. Be careful where you collect because it is illegal to collect plants or animals from wildlife/national parks or reserves without a permit from DOC. Also, if it is not your land, it is a good idea to ask for permission from the owner. For Brown Tree frogs, look for small (15-20 eggs) clumps of spawn clinging to vegetation near the water’s edge. Both Bell frogs lay large clumps of spawn in pond weed. Bell frog spawn floats during the first few days after being laid, then becomes submerged just beneath the water surface. It can be really hard to tell different species of tadpoles apart when they are little. A good idea might be to go looking for frogs at night with a torch (make sure you do this with an adult) so that you know which type of frogs your tadpoles came from. See the guide to New Zealand frogs in this site for help with identifying frogs. Normally, though, if you see big tadpoles (more than 5cms long) they will be Bell frog tadpoles. It is best not collect wild adult frogs for keeping in captivity, as they don’t deal well with being put in tanks. What do I need to keep amphibians?Tank All amphibians need a closed tank, because frogs and newts can climb glass and axolotls can jump out of the water. Closed tanks also stop live insect food from escaping. Glass or plastic containers make good tanks but at least one of the sides (frogs only) or the top (frogs, newts and axolotls) needs to be made of mesh to let air in. Very fine mesh like muslin or cheesecloth works well because you can keep really small insects like fruit flies from escaping. Size and shape of the tank depends on the size and species and number of amphibians you want to keep. Minimum tank sizes are given here, but your amphibians are likely to be healthier if given a larger tank. The tanks described here are for indoors. However, the frogs can be kept in outdoor housing (see T.J. Thornton’s book on keeping frogs in NZ). It is best to keep indoor amphibian tanks in quiet areas and out of direct all-day sun. Brown tree frogs like to climb, so a tall tank is best. For two to three adults, the minimum tank size is 450mm high x 250mm long x 250 mm wide. Bell frogs aren’t as fussy about the height of the tank because they don’t climb as much. But, they can grow quite large so you will need a fairly large tank. The minimum size for a tank with two small adults is 600mm long x 300mm wide x 300mm high. Larger tanks (900-1200mm long x 450-600mm wide x 450-600mm high) are good for a small group of adults. Fire bellied newts do well in glass fish tanks, where the minimum size for two newts is 600mm long x 300mm wide x 300mm high. They need a lot of water, so ensure the tank you choose is watertight. Axolotls are totally aquatic, so do well in a fish tank with a large-sized gravel bottom, like what you would give large goldfish. Minimum tank size for two axolotls is 900mm x 380mm x 380mm. The length and width of the tank are more important than the height, because they like to swim around the bottom of the tank, but a minimum water depth of 25cm is needed. Water Amphibians are all sensitive to chemicals in water, so tap water is not the best, but you can use it if you get rid of the chlorine in it. You can do this by leaving it overnight in a clean bucket, or you can use dechlorinators (normally used for fish tanks) found in pet stores. It is better to use rainwater if you live in a non-smoggy area, or filtered water. It is a good idea to check the pH of the water if you have newts or axolotls (you can get pH test kits from pet stores). Between 6.5 and 7.4 is best for newts and 7 and 8.5 for axolotls. pH can be changed with products from your pet store. Amphibians need land areas wet too, so keep a spray bottle of water handy to water the tank. The tank doesn’t need to be soaking wet, just spray it once every couple of days so that it looks like there’s just been light rain in your tank. The amount of water needed depends on the species, and is discussed below. The Bell and Brown tree frogs live mainly on land, but like to bathe, so give them a container of water with a half-submerged rock or branch (do not use manuka or kanuka as this can poison the water) for the frogs to climb easily in and out. Whistling frogs spend a little time in shallower water, so a small “pond” will do. Bell frogs swim more, so will need a bigger and deeper container of water. Newts do best in tanks that have more water than land because they like to swim a lot. A water depth of around 20cm is best. You don’t need a water filter, but it could be helpful. Axolotls live completely in water, so simply fill their tank with water to a depth of at least 25cm. You might want to get a fish-tank water filter because it will mean that the water can keep clean for longer. If you don’t have a filter, half to a third of the water needs to be changed every few days. Base For how much land to have, a good guide is: frogs need mostly land area in the tank, newts need about half land, and half water, and axolotls need all or mostly water, so the base would be fish gravel on the bottom of the tank, just like for goldfish. Large round fish gravel makes a good tank base, but make sure the size of the gravel is too large for the axolotls to eat. A good idea for making land for newts would be to put some large rocks into the tank and half fill with water so the top of the rocks stick out of the water. For frogs, soil, leaf litter or sphagnum moss (have a look in garden centres) can be used too. But, soil and leaf litter can contain diseases and pesticides. If you caught your frogs as tadpoles or spawn, you could collect soil or leaves from the same area, as a healthy group of frogs means the soil should be fairly safe. Plants, rocks and logs It is important to include plants and logs or rocks for your amphibians to climb and hide under, as it makes life more interesting and being able to hide will make your pets feel safer. For frogs, plants can be either potted or planted directly in the soil at the bottom of the tank. Plants that like it shady and wet do best in frog tanks. Try ferns, moss, or bog plants. Rocks, logs and dead or live leaves make good hiding and hibernation spots (important if the tank gets cold). Brown tree frogs like to hide in clumps of grass in the wild so may enjoy a small tussock in their tank. Axolotls and newts have a lot of water in their tanks, so water plants are great (but newts still use land plants, especially moss). There are some cool water plants for fish that are potted in a small plastic basket which you put straight into the water. Axolotls enjoy hollow logs, pieces of plastic drain pipe or hollow fish ornaments to hide and sleep in. Keep a look out for any fungi growing on logs, leaves or plants, and remove anything that has fungus on it, because it can be harmful to amphibians. Heating The amphibians you can keep in New Zealand don’t really need any heating. Axolotls and newts shouldn’t need heating if kept at comfortable room temperature. However, frogs kept in a shady place inside may appreciate a fluorescent light or desk lamp directed on the tank during day-time for them to “sunbathe” under. Exposure to light also helps frogs get enough vitamin D3. Example tank set-ups Bell frogs  Brown tree frogs  Fire-bellied newts  Axolotls  How long do pet amphibians live?Captive frogs can live up to 15 years on average. The oldest captive frog recorded is the European Common Toad (Bufo bufo), which lived for 40 years at the London Zoo. Most captive fire-bellied newts live between 10 and 15 years, but could get up to 28 with really good care. Captive axolotls can live for 10 to 16 years. A few captive axolotls have lived for 25 years. So bear in mind if you have a pet amphibian you may be passing it on to your children or your parents to look after when you leave home! Will amphibians eat each other?
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