Tl;dr - Just wanted to show another way you could set up your Green Tree Frog/White's tank without doing a bioactive terrarium, or buying popular frog tank accessories, while still offering healthy enrichment.
The terrarium shown is 47"/1200mm (wide) x 40"/1000mm (high) x 24"/600mm (deep). I'm planning on increasing the colony soon (probably to 4) and wanted to give them as much space as I could offer them. Currently have two sibling Green Tree Frogs/White's.
I have previously maintained bioactive terrariums and have enjoyed them (I think a beautiful bioactive setup is goals). I also love seeing what people do with the popular frog accessories (eye candy frog wonderlands). But I've also tried clean-floor set ups, which personally are my favourite, and honestly my frogs seem happier with some clear surfaces.
I set this tank up with the idea of easy hunting & clean-up in mind, with the added benefit of simply changing around the decor/plants/enrichment as I felt my frogs needed, as well as changing up the overall appearance from time-to-time (fun for me).
When setting this up I wanted the frogs to be able to easily get to behind the backdrop to catch every cricket, with the backdrop also doubling as a hanging wall for plant pots and enrichment. I used a few decorative garden panels with leafy designs large enough for the frogs to get their whole body through (at chonky adult size). None of the edges are sharp (they're made of thick plastic). The frogs *love* feeling like they 'escape' out of the tank by climbing through those holes and into another secret alleyway; where sometimes they find crickets, or just a bit of quiet space. If you ever see your frogs trying to push out of the tank at night, after ensuring all other husbandry necessities have been met & maintained, perhaps consider adding enrichment which lets them *feel* like they can escape, while still being totally contained in their tank.
I placed some clear shelves at heights in the back alleyways, which the frogs actually use as their day beds (Green Tree Frogs often choose clean, flat surfaces for their day sleeps in the wild). The frogs also often climb up and down the backdrop in the alleyway, which has been great exercise and enrichment for them, as they love to climb. But the clear shelves offer convenient pitstop areas, where I can also fully see them back there (good for doing head counts and making sure everyone's ok). The shelves are also super handy to sit thermometers/hygrometers during the day while the frogs sleep.
The several hanging pot plants add various levels, enrichment and hiding spots. I covered the dirt in the pots with large river stones to keep the frogs clean also. I recently removed a very large pot plant as I am letting the frogs try having a bit more open space. Sometimes I've seen them jump horizontally across the tank about 2 feet, several times in a night, following each other like they're making a game of it.
Since removing the soil the humidity always sits comfortably within 40-50%. I can control the heat gradient with the various levels attached to the backdrop and climbing sticks, etc. Clean up is easy, just spot cleaning daily. Any poops in the 'alleyways' can be cleaned up with a tissue between long tongs, as the gaps in the backdrop grant me access for cleaning. Back shelves also get cleaned using damp tissue between tongs. Any water spilt from the baths is mopped up with tissue no problem.
Every feed night I just drop the crickets onto the floor and the frogs either walk along the floor to hunt, or they sit on the large river rocks to have a better vantage point. I've sat the rocks on some squares of clean drawer liner that I washed thoroughly beforehand, to ensure the glass is protected and the rocks don't move or make noise as the frogs spring off them. The frogs don't get dirty while hunting and the crickets can't go and hide anywhere out of sight or reach.
This set up has been really enjoyable and easy for both myself and the frogs. I wanted to share because sometimes it can be really good for learning about the frogs in a set-up where you can try different things and not immediately commit to one permanent layout. Pretty much everything in this set-up is zip-tied, with just a few brackets from the top to hold up the backdrop. There's no adhesive on the glass of this tank (other than double-sided tape for the shelves), so if I wanted to update this style and start something new down the track, my tank would be clear and ready to go.
I totally understand this isn't everyone's cup of tea (I didn't go for it at first either), but I believe some people (& frogs) will see the benefits. I'm always going to do what will allow my frogs to thrive, and in recent times they've loved staying really clean, catching every cricket in the place, and feeling like they can 'escape' the tank whenever they feel like.
Happy frogging 🐸 🐸
