The Black-eyed tree frog has a very obvious common name – it is a tree frog with dark black eyes! It’s scientific name is Agalychnis moreletii, which is named after Pierre-Marie Arthur Morelet, who was the collector of the syntypes. It is for this reason that Black-Eyed Tree frogs are also known as Morelet’s Tree Frog.
Source: swidge69
Recommended Terrarium Size:
Black-eyed tree frogs are easy to keep. Choose a large enclosure – The 18x18x24 Exo Glass Terrarium is the right size for 2-4 babies or adults. Substrate opinions vary – we got lucky with finely ground ABG covered in sphagnum. If using sphagnum moss, be sure to press down on the moss very flat – this will greatly reduce the risk of smudging. Tissues will need to be changed 2-3 times a week. The Black-Eyed Tree Frog needs constant access to fresh, clean water – a large bowl of water is a must! Use an easy-to-clean dish, such as the Exo Terra Water Dish, as the frog will use the dish as a latrine and you’ll have to wash it every day. Scrub dishes and disinfect with 5% bleach solution or ReptiSan. Want to take care of your Black-Eyed Tree Frog easily? Check out the Josh’s Frogs Kit!
Temperature:
They do best when kept in the mid 70s. At Josh’s Frogs, we set our black eyes at 74-76F. Temperatures in the mid/high 80 F can quickly become fatal, especially with a lack of water or humidity. Measure the temperature with a digital thermometer.
Humidity:
Black-eyed tree frogs require moderately high humidity and are best kept at 60-70% humidity. Providing ventilation is important – we recommend using at least half of the upper screen. Wet, stagnant conditions quickly lead to bacterial skin infections in Black-Eyed Tree Frogs. Always provide a large plate of clean water. Monitor humidity with a digital hygrometer.
Size:
At the time of sale, captive black-eyed tree frogs from Josh’s Frogs will be about 1″ in size and 8 to 10 weeks old. The black eye will rapidly grow to 2 ″ over the next 3-4 months. After about 10 months, they will be nearly full-grown, with males measuring about 2 1/2″ and females an inch larger than males.
Lifespan:
With proper care, black-eyed tree frogs can live up to 5 years. There are many reports of animals that are 8-10 years old, and many aquarists keep Black-eyed tree frogs for 4-5 years. All black-eyed tree frogs sold by Josh’s Frogs are 8-10 weeks old.
Feeding:
At time of sale, captive black-eyed tree frogs from Josh’s Frogs ate 1/4 ″ crickets for several weeks and grew like weeds! The black eye will rapidly grow to 2 over the next 3-4 months and is large enough to eat 1/2 crickets. As an adult, Black Eyes will easily eat 1/2-3/4 ″. All crickets should be coated with a quality vitamin/mineral supplement. At Josh’s Frogs, we use Repashy Calcium Plus, RepCal Calcium with D3 and RepCal Herptivite.
Sex:
Black-eyed tree frogs are fairly easy to copulate as adults. Females are much larger than males, with a broader and stout head. Females will be about 1″ longer than males and easily 50% heavier. All black-eyed tree frogs sold by Josh’s Frogs are undetectable.
Color/Style:
In daylight, Black-eyed Tree Frogs are bright green and sometimes speckled with white spots and conceal themselves by closing their eyes, curling their legs over their body to cover the orange sides. / bright yellow and to reduce the contact surface area, thereby reducing water loss through evaporation. At night, when they are active, the black eyes are purple or brown.
Social Behavior:
These frogs are easy to keep in groups, especially when young. Make sure all baby frogs have enough food – sometimes frogs will compete with each other. We keep males and females separate at Josh’s Frogs – males can annoy females by constantly trying to mate. If this happens, separate the frogs or reduce the humidity. Josh’s Frogs recommends buying multiple frogs if you want to keep them – this greatly increases your chances of getting a pair.
Reproduction:
Black-eyed tree frogs dive into the forest floor in search of puddles to spawn. Eggs are laid on the vegetation hanging above the pools. When the tadpoles hatch, they fall a fair distance (sometimes several meters) before splashing into the water. Tadpoles quickly develop in the tank and can leave the water within 6-8 weeks. Young black-eyed tree frogs live around the edge of cliffs, before making their way back into the canopy. In captivity, Black-Eyes are usually kept in a rain chamber. Check out our video on Josh’s Frog Rain Room Setup.
Natural Range:
In the wild, the black-eyed tree frog lives in the wet forest canopy of the mountains. They have very scattered populations in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. They rely on camouflage to infiltrate and do a great job during daytime inactivity!
History in the Hobby:
Black-Eye Tree Frogs have been a popular alternate to Red-Eyes in the amphibian hobby. That being said these are a beautiful species of frog! Since the CITES designation in 2010 all species in the genus Agalychnis have had their numbers imported from the wild largely reduced and controlled. Through our efforts, and the efforts of other dedicated hobbyists, we hope that the import of wild caught Black-Eye Tree Frogs will stop in the near future.
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