Fun Tree Frog Facts For Kids

Frogs are one of the more well-known amphibians in the world. They are known for their fantastic ability to jump, hunt insects with their tongue, and they can live on water as well as land.

Belonging to the Animalia kingdom and Rhacophoridae family, tree frogs are very different from other species and have special characteristics and abilities which help them survive in their environment. This species can be as small as 0.9-5 in (3-13 cm) in length. Mostly found in the Northern hemisphere, they live in tropical regions and rainforests. There are approximately 800 species of tree frogs across the globe. These frogs have the ability to jump 44 times their height in order to climb a tree and be safe from predators like snakes, fishes, and birds. Red-eyed tree frogs are the most famous amongst all the species. The frogs can be seen in various colors like green and yellow, as well as different color combinations like blue and yellow, which makes them very attractive.

These frogs even have the ability to camouflage themselves in order to safeguard from predators and hunt for food, which consists of mainly insects like crickets, flies and ants.

If you liked reading these red-eyed tree frog facts, then you should also check facts about marine toads or sea snakes.

‍

‍

What type of animal is a tree frog?

Red-eyed tree frogs are an amphibian of the Animalia kingdom which is also known as Hylidae when it comes to scientific naming. Tree frogs are generally insectivores so they feed on insects like crickets, flies and ants but their tadpoles are herbivores. A tree frog is arboreal which means that they live on trees.

What class of animal does a tree frog belong to?

The scientific name of tree frogs is Hylidae and they fall under the category of Animalia. The class that they belong to is known as amphibians. These frogs are similar in structure to other frogs but differ in some ways. Being a part of the Rana genus and Rhacophoridae family, these frogs are found in almost all locations in the world.

How many tree frogs are there in the world?

The exact population of red-eyed tree frogs is not determined yet and is not easy to calculate. They are present in every rainforest and tropical region of each continent except Antarctica. The majority of the population is from the northern hemisphere. About 600 species are found in central and northern South America and another 30 species can be found in the United States. Across the globe, the total number of species is estimated at around 800.

Where does a tree frog live?

The frogs live in trees and are known as arboreal. These are found in all continents except for one, Antarctica. The rainforests and tropical regions across the globe are the typical tree frog habitat. The majority of these creatures can be found in the northern hemisphere in places like South and Central America, The United States, Northeast India and the Andaman Islands. Their natural habitat is the forests and trees. Due to their permeable skin, they are able to live in water too and even lay their eggs in ponds and lakes. Their tadpoles have gills and develop under the water only.

What is a tree frog's habitat?

Tree frogs are arboreal which means that they live on trees. They generally live in the tropical regions and the rainforests in almost all continents but majorly in the Northern hemisphere. These amphibians are insectivores and prey on insects like crickets, ants, flies, and other small insects. The tadpoles are generally herbivores. They often live in trees which are nearby to water bodies so it becomes easier for them to lay eggs.

Who do tree frogs live with?

Frogs of this kind generally live and travel in groups that are of the same species. The young frogs are even seen swimming together and are known to have a very friendly supportive nature towards other members of the group. A group of frogs is called a knot, colony, or army. During the mating season, the male group will croak loudly.

How long does a tree frog live?

The lifespan of tree frogs varies from species to species. The minimum can be three years or below (short-lived) and the maximum is around 15 years (long-lived). Australian green tree frogs have a life span of 15 years; a grey tree frog is expected to have a life span of seven to nine years; American green tree frogs live for six years and red-eyed tree frogs live for about five years.

How do they reproduce?

Red-eyed tree frogs reproduce sexually just like most other frogs. The fertilization that takes place is external, so it happens outside of the female's body. The eggs are laid by females and the male frog releases sperm simultaneously, which then results in fertilization. The female lays around 1000-3000 eggs or 20-30 egg clusters in one breeding season (this number may vary based on different species). The reason for laying so many eggs is to make sure that a high number of offspring reach the maturity stage. These amphibians are pregnant for around nine to 36 days and the eggs can take anywhere between four to 14 days to hatch. Eggs from the American green tree frog take only three days to hatch and become tadpoles.

What is their conservation status?

The current conservative status of tree frogs is Least Concern. There are various species of tree frogs that are endangered and near-threatened already due to various reasons like loss of habitat, pollution, invasive species, and climate changes. The population of tree frogs is constantly decreasing, but not at a fast enough rate to be considered concerning.

What do tree frogs look like?

Red-eyed tree frogs are just like other frogs in appearance. Tree frogs have smooth and moist skin along with long legs, which help them jump higher and climb the tree. Disc-shaped sticky pads are present on the toes and fingers of these creatures. These frogs can be easily found in a variety of bright colors and while most are in yellow, green, and grey color some of the species can camouflage. Red-eyed tree frogs are famous and known for their bulging red eyes with a green, blue, and yellow mixed body and orange toes.

How cute are they?

Tree frogs can be seen in a variety of colors, and frogs like the red-eyed tree frog can be very attractive but these are not cute in any way as they have bright red eyes that bulge out and slimy, sticky fingers and toes full of mucus which does not make them look cute.

How do they communicate?

They make cackling sounds like ducks which is known as their mating call. Red-eyed tree frogs communicate with other frogs by sending vibrations. Communication also happens with the help of acoustic and visual signals.

How big is a tree frog?

Tree frogs are generally small but the largest tree frog, the Cuban tree frog, can reach the length of 5 in (12.7 cm) which is almost five to 10 times bigger than a cricket.

How fast can a tree frog run?

Tree frogs are better climbers, jumpers, and swimmers but they aren't generally runners. Tree frogs move either by hopping or swimming but not running. Only a few species of frogs can run.

How much does a tree frog weigh?

Most of the adult green tree frogs weigh between 0.11-0.19 lb (50-90 g). The Australian giant tree frogs can weigh much more than other tree frog species.

What are the male and female names of this species?

There are no specific names for female or male tree frogs. Both are called Hylidae when it comes to the scientific naming of the species. The offspring are generally referred to as tadpoles or polliwogs. Small frogs are also known as froglets and toads as toadlets.

What would you call a baby tree frog?

A baby tree frog is known as a froglet and baby toads are known as toadlets. The offspring of tree frogs are generally known as polliwogs or tadpoles.

What do they eat?

The tadpoles are generally herbivores and eat algae, if the food is not enough, they might even eat their fellow tadpoles. The adult tree frog diet generally consists of insects like crickets, flies, ants, moths, beetles, and other small invertebrates.

Are they dangerous?

Yes, tree frogs are dangerous and can cause serious harm to the environment and the other living organisms in the environment. Cuban tree frogs are predators of many wildlife species and other frog species are out-competing them for food and resources. Cuban tree frogs, along with cane toads, have the ability to reduce the quality of life of people. When we touch a tree frog, the skin of the frog has the ability to absorb anything from the surface that touches it, whether it is water, lotion or chemicals. It is not safe to touch a tree frog, but if someone really wants to touch a tree frog or hold them, they are advised to rinse their hands in water first.

Would they make a good pet?

No, red-eyed tree frogs will not make good pets as their secretions can be very irritating to eyes and skin. Frogs like red-eyed tree frogs have the ability to bulge their eyes which can be very disturbing, however some frogs like the dumpy tree frog would make a great amphibian pet.

Did you know...

The tadpoles even eat the fellow tadpoles if there is a shortage of food. Red-eyed tree frogs have bright red eyes which bulge in and out. The soft skin of red-eyed tree frogs has the ability to soak up water. Some tree frogs can camouflage to save themselves from predators and even to hunt. The tree frogs limbs being so long is a physical adaptation to climb trees.

Many frogs hide in the trees to protect themselves from ground predators and camouflage in the leaves to hunt in order to survive.

An American green tree frog can honk 75 times per minute.

A snake is a deadly tree frog predator along with birds, big fishes, otters, and other animals.

How far can they jump?

An average frog has the tendency to jump as much as twice or thrice its size. A tree frog can jump almost 44 times its body length, which means if there is a frog that is 3 in (7.6 cm) in height, it can jump as much as 130 in (330 cm) in height. This ability to jump higher is because of the presence of long limbs.

What do tree frogs sound like?

The tree frogs make sounds like "ch-ah-ah-ah-ac" as a mating call. This happens in groups and sounds more like ducks cackling.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other animals, including lungfish, or copperhead snakes.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our tree frog coloring pages.

‍