The last thing a pet owner wants is for their little friend to be lonely, especially if you have other responsibilities that require you to be out of the house, like work or school. But knowing which animals are okay for your friend to live with can be challenging. So, if you’re wondering if your red-eyed tree frog can live with a crested gecko, you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re wondering whether or not to introduce a crested gecko to your red-eyed tree frogs’ terrarium, it’s best to start looking into a different species to befriend your buddy. There are various reasons crested geckos don’t make a good friend for your red-eyed tree frog, including contamination, stress, and more.
While crested geckos are a terrible roommate for your red-eyed tree frog, other options will supplement your goal just fine. Keep reading to find out why crested geckos are the wrong choice for a red-eyed tree frog’s friend and what some safer alternatives are so that you can keep your red-eyed tree frog happy and safe.
Why Can’t Red-Eyed Tree Frogs Live with Crested Geckos?
There are a few reasons crested geckos are bad for red-eyed tree frogs to live with. Let’s dive into each cause so you can comprehensively explain this dysfunctional pair.
Stress
Red-eyed tree frogs are highly prone to stress- some people even go as far as to call them a “high-strung” species, and just like humans, too much pressure for your frog can send them into poor health or even kill them. The competition between your frog and the gecko would likely stress the frog out, leading to poor health consequences.
Differing Habitat Requirements
The crested gecko and the red-eyed tree frog require different humidity and heat levels to live safely and comfortably. By introducing a crested gecko to your red-eyed tree frog’s habitat, you’ll have to alter the climate conditions of their enclosure. As a result, one of them is bound to suffer adverse effects of his environmental change.
Excretions
Red-eyed tree frogs excrete a certain kind of oil from their skin. This oil is highly harmful to crested geckos. If they come into contact with it- they will suffer poor health or even death. Amphibians can also be carriers of a type of microorganism called entamoeba, which your frog can infect your crested gecko with. This will also result in poor health or death.
Now that we know why crested geckos aren’t an excellent option for red-eyed tree frogs to live with let’s look at a setup that will work well for your frog buddy.
A Small Group of Red-Eyed Tree Frogs is Your Solution
Mixing species, especially amphibians, can be a risky endeavor. For example, it’s not always wise to mix different types of frogs, as some frogs eat frogs that are smaller than them and prefer differing climates.
Luckily, if you’re worried about your red-eyed tree frog getting lonely, you’re not out of luck; you can purchase more red-eyed tree frogs for your friend to live with! Red-eyed tree frogs are very social creatures, so they prefer being in a group instead of entirely alone.
Red-eyed tree frogs thrive in small groups of three to six, as long as your enclosure size allows for proper dispersion of the group. You’ll even likely be able to witness behavior from your frog that you haven’t seen before as they acclimate to their new family.
How to Make the Right Enclosure for a Group of Red-Eyed Tree Frogs
For a group of three to four red-eyed tree frogs, you’ll want to ensure you have a tank at least a 20-gallon size. Red-eyed tree frogs can get mischievous in groups (adorable), but you’ll want to be sure the enclosure is escape-proof to prevent accidents.
Temperatures between 78 and 84 are optimal for your group of red-eyed tree frogs. Please make sure there are many plants, branches, and vines for your frogs to utilize, allowing for proper exercise to boost their metabolisms. They aren’t excellent swimmers, so they don’t need much water; make sure to include a shallow water dish in the cage.
You can also have a water mister mist their cage often throughout the day for proper humidity levels to imitate the tropical climates they are used to. Make sure you use a water conditioner if you’re using tap water, as red-eyed tree frogs can absorb harmful chemicals in tap water through their skin.
Now you know everything you need to know about creating the perfect social environment for your red-eyed tree frog. While they might not be able to live with crested geckos, getting a small group of red-eyed tree frogs for your buddy to live with is an even better alternative, and he’ll surely be grateful to you for it. Good luck!
