Frogs are incredible animals that many people enjoy keeping as pets. In the wild, they have a varied diet, including grasshoppers. You can also feed these insects to a frog who lives in captivity.
Do Frogs Eat Grasshoppers
Yes, frogs will eat grasshoppers in the wild. These animals are often known to prey on anything they can fit into their mouth. However, they certainly are not fussy eaters, which is easy to see when you look at everything they feast on in the wild.
A wild frog will eat small insects like spiders, butterflies, worms, aquatic invertebrates, and even mice! Their predatory nature ensures that they get their nutrition from various sources.
However, many people who keep frogs as pets will lean towards feeding them crickets, firmly believing this is their best food option. There is no denying that crickets form an essential part of the frog’s diet and if you have a pet frog, offering these as a meal will provide incredible nutrition. However, you can offer grasshoppers and other foods as well.
Things You Can Feed Your Pet Frog
As we have mentioned, your frog will likely lick his lips at a wide selection of foods, and this is one of the perks of being a frog owner – you won’t ever find yourself bored by giving her the same meal time after time.
With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at some of the things you can feed your pet frog.
Crickets
One of the most important staples of your frog’s diet is the humble cricket. This is something that they thrive off in the wild, and they will undoubtedly go wild in captivity.
In the main, frogs like to have live food pet stores worldwide food, and pet stores all around the world offer live crickets at a very reasonable price. However, if you want to make feeding your frog an even more thrifty experience, you can breed crickets yourself. Not only will this save money, but it is far more convenient to always have a fresh supply of food on hand for your pet.
Grasshoppers And Locusts
Many people wonder whether grasshoppers and locusts are a part of the frog’s diet, and the good news is that your frog will very much enjoy these foods.
However, it is essential to remember that where crickets are widely available, many pet stores do not include stock grasshoppers and locusts as standard. Therefore, you may need to research to find a local supplier – but don’t panic; plenty of them are around.
Mealworms
Mealworms are an essential part of the diet of most exotic pets and can be quickly brought from almost every pet store in the world. Moreover, you will commonly find them at fishing bait shops where they are sold in their millions. But, if you do purchase them this way, it is essential to remember that they will not have been gut loaded.
Gut loading is the process of feeding the worms an improved diet so that when the frog eats them, they are far more nutritious, and while this is common practice in the pet food industry, fishing bait is not designed in the same way.
Worms And Caterpillars
In the wild, frogs would eat a lot of worms and caterpillars, and the good news is that many pet stores offer these types of foods. This is an excellent way to mix up your frog’s diet so he doesn’t become bored.
One thing to bear in mind, however, if you purchase caterpillars, these insects come in various sizes, and you must make sure that you buy a size that is compatible with your frog.
Brine Shrimp And Bloodworms
Aquatic frogs will often prey on these creatures in the wild, and they are an excellent source of nutrition for domestic frogs.
Mice
Not all frog species will eat mice, mainly because some are not big enough to eat such a huge animal. However, some more giant frog species are out there, such as the African bullfrog, which will love this element of his diet.
Many pet owners may find it challenging to come to terms with feeding their frog a live mouse, and while there are frozen mice products available, the frog’s predatory nature will likely turn his nose up at this offering.
If you think you would struggle with this aspect of care, it might be worth considering taking on a different species of frog that does not eat mice.
For those requiring mice, younger frogs may like to eat baby mice, commonly referred to as ‘pinkies.’ These can be live or frozen, but as we mentioned, live mice will always be your pet’s preference. As your frog ages, he may go on eating ‘furries’ which are fully grown adult mice.
How Often Should I Feed my Frog?
Feeding your frog regularly is essential, but how often this needs to be done will vastly depend on the species since some frogs will eat less frequently than others.
- Younger frogs or those with exceptionally high energy levels tend to require much more frequent feeding. This applies to frogs younger than sixteen weeks or certain smaller species, such as the dwarf frog. In this case, you would usually feed your frog once or twice a day, so she has continued food access.
- Frogs with medium energy levels require less frequent meals, and you might offer them a handful of crickets every other day. A handful would be around five crickets, but how much your frog eats will vary from animal to animal. In the main, you should not expect the frog to guzzle up the entire meal in seconds, but you would also not expect to find leftovers the following day. Again, you will get to know your frog and how much she will eat during each sitting.
- There are low-energy frogs, which tend to be the larger species like the African bullfrog we discussed earlier. This frog will eat far less often, usually around once or twice weekly. In some cases, frogs may go two weeks between meals. Again, you will need to get to know your pet and its unique needs.
What Not To Feed A Frog
Of course, some foods may cause harm to your frog, and while it may be tempting to offer him scraps of human nutrition, this is not a good idea.
Similarly, offering insects you have caught in the wild could pose a health risk to your pet, so you must always ensure that they only eat insects purchased from the pet store or that you have bred at home.
The reason for this is that while wild frogs have a robust immune system that will protect them from diseases, your domesticated frog may not be able to handle the bacteria found in wild prey.
You should also make sure that any food you offer your pet is no wider than his head. If it is, this could cause blockages in the intestines and cause serious health problems or even death.
Conclusion
Frogs are incredible and fascinating creatures, and it is little wonder that so many people choose to keep them as a pet. However, ensuring that your frog has the correct diet and nutrition is an essential part of her care that should not be omitted.
Grasshoppers are one of the things that a frog will eat in the wild, and pet owners can feed them these insects in captivity. That being said, there are many other foods that your frog will enjoy, and offering him a varied diet is a great idea.
