Red-Eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)

Red-Eyed Tree Frog overview

The red-eyed tree frog is the poster animal of the Central American rainforest: a slim, bright green frog with bulging red eyes, blue-and-yellow striped flanks and orange toes. By day it sleeps glued to the underside of a leaf with its eyes shut and its colorful sides tucked away, so it looks like part of the foliage. If disturbed, it snaps its eyes open and flashes its colors, startling a predator for the instant it needs to jump. It is nocturnal, lives in trees near ponds, and is not poisonous despite its vivid colors.

How Long Do Red-eyed Tree Frogs Live?

Red-eyed tree frogs live about 5 years in the wild and 5–10 years in captivity. Wild frogs are eaten by snakes, bats, birds and large spiders, and most eggs and tadpoles never reach adulthood. In captivity, stable humidity, clean conditions and a varied insect diet help them live longer.

How Much Does a Red-eyed Tree Frog Weigh?

Adult red-eyed tree frogs weigh about 6–15 g (0.2–0.5 oz). Females are clearly the larger sex and sit at the top of that range, while males usually weigh well under 10 g. Their light build lets them cling to thin leaves and stems.

How Long Is a Red-eyed Tree Frog?

Red-eyed tree frogs are 5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) long from snout to vent. Males reach about 5–6 cm and females about 6–7.5 cm. Long, thin legs with large suction-pad toes make them better climbers than jumpers or swimmers.

How Long Do Red-eyed Tree Frogs Eggs Take to Hatch?

Red-eyed tree frog eggs hatch in about 6–8 days. The female lays a clutch of around 40 eggs on a leaf hanging over a pond, and hatching tadpoles drop into the water below. They become froglets after several weeks to a few months.

What Do Red-eyed Tree Frogs Eat?

Red-eyed tree frogs are insectivores that eat crickets, moths, flies and other insects, hunting at night in the trees. They ambush prey and catch it with a long, sticky tongue. Pet frogs are fed gut-loaded crickets and other feeder insects dusted with calcium.

Diet type: insectivore. Crickets, moths, flies, grasshoppers and other insects caught at night with a sticky tongue; large adults occasionally eat smaller frogs. Tadpoles filter and graze on algae and other small particles in the water.

Where Do Red-eyed Tree Frogs Live?

Red-eyed tree frogs live in humid lowland rainforests from southern Mexico to northwestern Colombia, usually below about 1,250 m. They need trees close to ponds or slow streams for breeding. They spend the day hidden on the undersides of broad leaves and climb at night.

Are Red-eyed Tree Frogs Endangered?

The red-eyed tree frog is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, but its population is decreasing. Deforestation is the main threat, along with chytrid fungus and some collection for the pet trade. The species remains common in protected forests such as those of Costa Rica.

Least Concern

Red-Eyed Tree Frog fun facts

• Embryos can hatch up to two days early if they feel the vibrations of an attacking snake or wasp, dropping into the water to escape.
• The sudden flash of red eyes and blue flanks is called startle coloration; it may confuse a predator just long enough for the frog to leap away.
• A see-through third eyelid with a gold net pattern lets the frog rest while hiding its bright eyes and still sensing movement.
• Males compete for calling perches by shaking the branch they sit on, sending vibrations that rivals can feel.
• The species name callidryas comes from Greek words meaning "beautiful tree nymph."

Rankings and comparisons

Red-Eyed Tree Frog FAQ

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All amphibians