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Tree Frogs
by TEAMS Intern
Sylviane C.
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Tree frogs are nocturnal animals and can be
defined by their large toe pads. Although they eat mostly insects, large tree frogs
have also been known to eat small vertebrates. Crickets, flies, fruit flies, meal
worms, wax worms, mice, and other frogs also constitute a healthy frog's diet.
Popular frog species include Cuban tree frogs, green tree frogs, barking tree frogs,
golden foam nest frogs, gliding tree frogs, and Australian red-eyed tree frogs. Although
many other varieties exist, they are only in small numbers and most are not tamed.
Diseases that affect tree frogs are numerous, but a few occur much more frequently
than others. These include obesity, internal parasites (such as nematodes and flagellate
protozoans), sores and injuries, clouded eyes, bacterial infections, red leg, water
edema of limbs and body, toxing out, and drying out. Clouded eyes are caused by,
among other things, immune system failure and a poor diet. Red leg is caused by factors
that lead to either physical or emotional stress. Water edema is caused by damaged
kidneys. Toxing out is when a frog absorbs toxins through the skin. It can be treated
by soaking the frog in low levels of clean water. |
