Before you consider purchasing a frog you need to be familiar with the law in your state or territory.  Frogs and tadpoles are protected in most Australian states and territories and a license is required to keep them in captivity.  It is illegal to take a frog from the wild in Australia – if you wish to keep frogs you must purchase them from a licensed frog breeder or society.  You can find out what the laws are in your state at the Australian Frog Network website: www.frogsaustralia.net.au/

As with any pet, you should thoroughly research the frog species you are interested in keeping before committing to caring for one.  The above website provides a comprehensive list of resources for amphibian keepers.  Caring for captive frogs is a big commitment – amphibians have very different husbandry requirements to other pets.  Consider the qualities you are looking for in a pet – frogs are nocturnal and will be most lively after dark.  They do not like to be handled and have very specific housing needs.  All species of frog need to be housed in a specialised enclosure that reproduces their natural habitat as closely as possible.  Frogs are highly sensitive to habitat changes; you will need to carefully monitor temperature, humidity and day length to ensure that your pet’s environmental requirements are met.  There are several infectious diseases of frogs present in Australia and it is vital that keepers practice hygienic husbandry techniques and closely monitor their animals for signs of ill health.  Frogs also require a diet of live insects, which should be purchased from a breeder or pet store rather than collected from the environment where they may be contaminated with insecticides or pesticides.  Some species of frog live for as long as 20 years in captivity – you need to be prepared to provide appropriate care for your frog for its whole life.

You can learn more about caring for pet frogs at:

frogs.org.au/arc/index.html

www.fats.org.au/en/

http://www.reptilepublications.com.au/