White's Tree Frog
Amphibian
The White's tree frog, also called the dumpy tree frog, is a large, docile Australian species and one of the most commonly kept pet frogs in the US, prized for its hardiness and tolerance of handling. It's an opportunistic insectivore that will eat almost anything offered — which is exactly the problem, since this species is well documented to run obese in captivity when feeding isn't controlled.
What to Feed
Dubia roaches are a real staple from froglet through adult — high in protein, low in fat, with roughly twice the calcium content of typical feeder insects, and quieter in the enclosure. They shouldn't be the entire diet alone, so rotate in other appropriately sized feeders. Mealworms are best kept occasional — most care sheets cap them at roughly once a month, and mature hard-shelled beetles should be culled from a feeding colony (impaction risk). Superworms are contested between sources: some sheets allow occasional use, at least one dedicated guide advises against them outright. Given this species' documented obesity pattern, treat superworms as rare, small treats at most.
Feeding Schedule
- Froglets (≤ ~1.5 in / 4 cm): daily, tapering to every other day near sub-adult size — X-Small dubia roach nymphs (about 50/week)
- Juveniles/sub-adults (~1.5–3 in / 4–8 cm): every other day to ~3x/week with Small dubia roach nymphs (about 50/week)
- Adults (~3 in+): 2–3x/week, roughly 3–5 Medium dubia roach nymphs per feeding (about 50/week); prey no larger than eye-to-eye head width
- Finish window ~15–60 minutes; remove uneaten insects within a few hours
Gut-Loading & Dusting
Gut-load 24–48 hours before offering. Dust calcium at most feedings — sources range from nearly every feeding down to every other feeding for a 2–3x/week feeder; lean conservative toward every-other-feeding. D3 isn't needed at every dusting: this species is nocturnal and some sources say it can rely on dietary D3 without UVB, though many care guides still recommend low-output 5.0 UVB as standard practice, plus weekly-to-biweekly D3/multivitamin rotation as a safeguard.
Common Mistakes
- Overfeeding — obesity is the single most consistently documented health issue for this species
- Superworms/mealworms as staple instead of occasional — fattier, and mealworms risk impaction if mature beetles slip in
- Oversized prey — anything longer than eye-to-eye head width
- Leftover feeders left too long — remove within a few hours