Scientific Name: Litoria infrafrenata.
Common Names: White-lipped Tree Frog, Giant Tree Frog, and Indonesian Giant Tree Frog.
Distribution: Cape York Peninsula of Queensland, New Guinea, and nearby islands of New Ireland, and Bismarck Archipelago. There is also an introduced population in Java.
Size: The females of this species often attain a Snout-to-vent length of up to 12.5cm (5") the males usually slightly smaller.
Sexing: It may prove rather difficult to sex an adult White-lipped Tree Frog. A sure sign of a male is if it can be heard calling. The males also tend to have looser and darker coloured skin around the throat and nuptial pads on the inside of the thumbs, these pads are present all year round although they are more noticeable when in breeding condition.
Colouration: The colouration in these frogs can vary greatly from olive brown to light green depending on mood. When in good condition these large Tree Frogs take on a beautiful bright leaf-green colouration with a prominent white line around the lower lip. Some individuals may also have a slight orange flash colour just behind the forearm.
Requirements: Being a rather large species they require quite a spacious terrarium. A 20-gallon tank would be ideal for a group of 4 adults. They require a rain forest type set up with a substrate of either bark chips, or topsoil. An area of live moss should also be provided. The tank can be furnished with a selection of logs, cork bark, rocks, and sturdy leafed plants (Live or artificial). These items should be arranged in such a way that they provide a number of climbing, perching and plenty of hiding areas for the frogs. A large water bowl (no deeper than the frog's height at rest) should be provided with clean de-chlorinated or spring water. The enclosure will need to be heated to a daytime temperature of 25-27°C (75-82°F) with a drop at night to 22°C (72°F). This can be done using an under tank heat-mat controlled by a thermostat. Spot bulbs / heat lamps are not recommended for use with amphibians and so a fluorescent UVB tube should be provided as a light source.
Maintenance: Water will need changing daily to avoid the build up of ammonia and bacteria. Whilst changing the water it is a good idea to spot clean the tank and remove, clean, and replace any soiled items. At least once a month the entire terrarium and it's contents should be striped, cleaned, and sterilized using an amphibian friendly disinfectant.
Feeding: Young White-lipped should be fed daily with a mixture of suitably sized insects including fruitflies, small crickets and mini-mealworms. These food items should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement two-three times a week. Adult White-lipped will take considerably larger insects including adult crickets, regular mealworms, locusts, earthworms, flour beetles, waxworms, moths, flies and caterpillars. They should be fed every two-three days and the insects dusted with calcium and vitamin supplements once a week.
