Frogs

Complete Frog Diet Guide – Do & Don’t

Complete Frog Diet Guide - Do & Don't
Written by Daniel Paul

Frogs are natural hunters. They are also not very picky eaters when it comes to having dinner. In fact, frogs can prey on anything that fits in their mouth.

So, if you want to have a comprehensive statement of your frog’s diet, it can be summed in these few lines:

“Adult frogs are primarily carnivores. They can eat pretty much anything they find. Frogs prey on bugs, caterpillars, snails, slugs, spiders, grasshoppers, earthworms, beetles, crickets, mosquitoes and minnows. Large frogs can also prey on mice and tadpoles.”

Many people think that frogs are omnivores. However, that’s not a complete truth. A frog’s diet varies greatly from being a herbivore to an omnivore and then carnivore as it grows.

 Let us talk about the difference in the diet of the frog as it grows:

Frogs lifecycle mainly comprises of following stages:

  1. Eggs
  2. Tadpole
  3. Froglet/ Baby Frog
  4. Adult Frog

What Does Tadpole Larvae Eat?

Primarily, tadpoles are herbivores. They usually feed on the algae and plants that grow in the pond.

Tadpoles are usually in a very large number. A plant-based diet is great to give them quick growth. However, with the growth of muscle, their diet preference also changes to that of froglet.

What Do Froglet/ Baby Frog Eat?

As the Tadpole grows, it is called a froglet or, in simpler terms, a baby frog.

Froglet (mature Tadpole) feeds on plants, algae, and dead insects. They are known as “scavenging omnivores.”

As the tadpoles mature, their nutritional requirements increase. They need more protein and energy to grow themselves. Therefore, they start eating insects. In the scarcity of food and high competition, tadpoles can also eat each other.

What Do Adult Frogs Eat?

Adult frogs are a carnivore. They usually feed on insects, snails, and slugs. Large frogs can also eat mice and tadpoles.

Adult frogs use their long tongues and sticky saliva to catch their prey. However, you can also feed your pet frog a lot of human foods. To know about all the human foods you can share with your pet frog, visit the article: What Human Foods Do Frog Eat?

The diet of a frog varies as it gets into the next stage of its life.

Diet Of A Frog

Stage Of Life Mode Of Feeding Food Options
Tadpole
Herbivore
Tadpoles usually feed on: Algae, Plants
Froglet (Mature Tadpole/Baby Frog)
Scavenging Carnivore
Froglet feeds on: Algae, Plants, Insects, Other Small Tadpoles
Adult Frog
Carnivore
Adult Frogs feed on pretty much everything that fits in their mouth. Their most common preys are:Insects, Slugs, Snails, Worms, Mice, Tadpoles, Aquatic Invertebrates, Other human foods

Feeding A Pet Frog:

Frogs are one of the most interesting pets. From their diet to housing, there is always something exciting about them. Once you know how to care for your pet frog, it becomes your cup of tea.
The same goes for feeding a pet frog. As the frogs are not picky eaters, they can eat anything in the house. The idea is to keep their diet as close to wide as possible

Here are the common food choices for pet frogs:

Crickets

Crickets often constitute the majority of a frog’s diet. You can not only get them straight from the market but can also raise them at home. Crickets are economical and easy to feed. However, they must be altered with other meal options in order to maintain the balance. 

Worms

Among worms, the most commonly used are wax worms and mealworms. Others can be caterpillars and other larger ones. Large worms include brine shrimp, bloodworms, and black worms.

Select the worm according to the size of your frog’s mouth. Also, mix small worms with large ones to make a perfect diet. Frogs love worms. They are available everywhere, from pet stores to fish markets. You can also raise them at home. Worms make a pretty nutritious snack for frogs.

Grasshoppers And Locusts

Frogs leed flying insects to maintain their nitrogen balance and other nutritional requirements. So, getting them a good supply of locusts and grasshoppers is essential. In some parts of the world, these insects are available in abundance and are super economical.

 However, in others, they are difficult to find. However, whatever might be the case, you have to include these small insects in your frog’s diet to keep them healthy.

Snails And Slugs

Another food option for pet frogs is snails and slugs. They may be difficult to find, but it is important to give your pet a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Mice

Large frogs, especially African bullfrogs, can feed on mammals, which is a must in their diets. You may usually find frozen mice. However, frogs usually do not like them. So, if it is difficult for you to get fresh ones, you may go for small frog species.

Human Foods

Frogs can also eat human foods. These include fish, rodents, birds, and other tamed food.  Some frogs can also eat goat meat. So, yeah, you can share your table with your pet. We have already covered the whole topic in detail in this article: What Human Foods Do Frog Eat?

Vitamins And Supplements For Frogs:

Frogs in captivity do not get enough nutrition. They need to get extra supplementation to manage the shortage of nutrition. Therefore, you can dust the food with an appropriate supplement for frogs. This will help them maintain a well-balanced diet.

So,

Diet Options For Frogs

Young Frog (Less Than 4 Months) Adult Frog (More Than 4 Months)
Plant matter(in the case of Tadpole), small worms, crickets, fruit flies, brine shrimp
Crickets, worms(big and small), locusts, grasshoppers, rodents and other options from human foods.

Feeding Schedule Of A Pet Frog:

The feeding schedule of frogs varies with their age. Small and younger frogs need to be fed more often. At the same time, adult frogs may be fed once a day or once every other day.

Diet Chart For Younger And Highly Active Frogs:

For young frogs (less than four months) or those which are highly active(as dwarf frogs), you have to feed twice or thrice a day.

However, the right amount highly varies with the species. You need to shuffle between different food varieties. However, make sure you do not overfeed them. Overfeeding will lead to obesity in frogs.

Feeding Schedule For Highly Active And Baby Frogs:

Diet Chart For Younger And Highly Active Frogs

Meal 1 Meal 2
Day 1
3-4 Supplement dusted crickets
A small chunk of blood worms
Day 2
Fruit Flies
Brine shrimp
Day 3
Locusts
3-4 Supplement dusted crickets
Day 4
A small chunk of blood worms
Grasshoppers
Day 5
3-4 supplement dusted crickets
Fruit flies
Day 6
Fruit flies
Locusts
Day 7
A small chunk of blood worms
3-4 supplement dusted crickets

You may also need to take care of your frog’s behaviour. If there are leftovers there, you can reduce the amount of fed food.

You may include algae or small plants in the pond if you have tadpoles. The key to a small frog’s diet is to introduce variety. In this way, they will stay healthy and close to their wild habitat. Also, you may choose frog’s pellets to feed your pet.

Frog Pellets

Frog pellets are a more efficient way to feed your pet frog. They are packed with nutrition. You can combine them with insects and worms, so you have to feed less with less variety. Doing this is a more economical option. They are high in protein and make up the daily protein requirement of your frog. Usually, these sink to the bottom and are easy to use.

One of the Highly recommended pellets is Frog and Tadpole Food by ZooMed. These sink to the bottom and are easy to use. You can Buy It On Amazon for $10.90.

Diet Chart For Adult Frogs

Adult Frogs should be fed highly proteinaceous food once a day or every other day. Large frogs who can eat mice or fish can also be fed once or twice a week.

The exact diet and feeding schedule varies with the species. However, you need to include variety in your frog’s diet.

Also, maintain the quantity of food to the level that your frog finishes it. If you see any leftovers, you can reduce the amount.

For adult frogs, you can shuffle with any of the diet options mentioned in the above section. Here is an example of a medium-sized adult frog’s diet chart. You can customize one according to your pet’s needs:


Diet Chart For Adult Frogs

Day Meal
Day 1
Supplement dusted 5-7 crickets
Day 2
Bloodworms
Day 3
Supplement dusted 5-7 crickets
Day 4
Grasshopper/ locusts
Day 5
Supplement dusted 5-7 crickets
Day 6
Snails/ slugs
Day 7
Supplement dusted 5-7 crickets

Interesting Fact:

Frogs use eyes to swallow food! They retract them inside to push the food down the throat.

Water For Frogs

Frogs drink through the skin. They absorb water through their thin skins. So, you should always give them 24/7 access to clean, dechlorinated water.

Either your frog is living in an aquarium or provide them with a little pond in their tank. If you do not have a pond in the tank, you may mist the water frequently on your frog’s skin.

Can Tap Water Be Used For The Frog's Tank?

No, tap water cannot be used for frog’s tanks. Tap water has a high percentage of chlorine, chloramines, and heavy metals. These, if they enter your pet’s body with water, can cause severe harm to its body.

Dechlorinator

The water you are providing for your frog must be dechlorinated. One of the easiest ways to dechlorinate water is getting a de-chlorinator.

Recommended Dechlorinators For Frogs:

  •     TetraFauna AquaSafe Reptile & Amphibian Water Conditioner

One of the highly recommended dechlorinator for your frog’s water is TetraFauna AquaSafe Reptile & Amphibian Water Conditioner. It is highly safe and is good for most aquatic species.

  •     Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner – Chemical Remover and Detoxifier.

If you want to have a stronger water conditioner, then go for Seachem Prime Fresh and Saltwater Conditioner – Chemical Remover and Detoxifier. It can remove ammonia, chlorine, heavy metals, and all the related salts.

  •       Aqueon Tap Water Conditioner

If you also have fish in the pond along with frogs, we recommend you going for Aqueon Tap Water Conditioner. It is preferably designed in a way that is hypoallergic for most aquatic species.

Now once you know all the elements of a frog’s diet, let us discuss some do’s and don’t’s for a frogs diet.

Here Are Some Dos When It Comes To The Diet Of A Pet Frog:

Dos For Pet Frog Diet:

  • Feed your pet frog with a variety of food. Introducing a great variety will maintain the nutrition balance and keep the diet close to that of the wild.
  • Feeding pet frogs with frog pellets is a great option
  • Always provide a good supply of water to your pet.
  • Feed your pet with gut-loaded insects. Insects are grown in a very large number and lack nutrition when store-bought. So, you better feed the insects with a lot of food overnight before feeding it to your pet frog. We will discuss gut loading in the next section.

Don'ts Of Frog's Diet:

  • Do not overfeed your frog. Like humans, frogs can also become obese after overeating. Younger and highly active frogs need more frequent feeding than adult ones.
  • Do not feed them with food bigger than their mouth. Otherwise, their intestines and throats can get impacted.
  • Do not feed your pet with plants(unless it is Tadpole larvae).
  • Never dehydrate your frog.
  • Do not feed your frog with human table scraps. Only the uncooked foods appropriate for frogs can be used.
  • Avoid feeding your pet wild-caught insects. You never know which species you are feeding to your pet. They can be highly poisonous. Also, wide insects have high exposure to the pesticide, which can be lethal to your frog.
  • Do not feed your pet with commercial foods that are not specifically intended for them.

Gut Loading Your Frog's Food:

In the wild, frogs have access to healthy insects having stomachs filled with food. However, in captivity, when insects are grown, they are usually malnutrition.  Also, you have fewer options to shuffle between. So, your pet may end up getting severely malnourished.

The idea of gut loading the insects comes to play here. Feed the insects you are going to give your frog with the highly nutritious foods for one of two days or for at least one night. All this goodness will go into your pet.

However, if you cannot adequately gut load the insects for your frog, opt for multiple supplements. These supplements can be dusted on the food once a day or every other day.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  •  What Are The PredatorsOof Frogs?

Frogs have many predators in all environments. Usually, pet frogs are at the risk of small mammals, snakes, and birds. Other than that, lizards, water shrews and otters can also eat frogs.

  • Do Frogs Eat Eggs?

Yes, frogs eat unfertilized eggs. This behaviour is common in female frogs.

  • Can Frogs Eat Fish Food?

Some commercial fish foods are safe for frogs. You have to check the food package for more detail.

  • Can Frogs Eat Fruits?

No, frogs are carnivores. They should never be fed vegetables or fruit.

Conclusion:

Frogs are a carnivore. They should be fed with a large variety of food. Keeping their nutrition close to that of the wild will keep them in the best state of health. However, do not overfeed them. Otherwise, they will become obese.

I hope this article helped you answer all the queries regarding the frog’s diet. In case of any other confusion, you may comment down. I would be happy to help.