The Asian Painted Frog Care Cheat-Sheet
Bognookhonest amphibian care · bognook.com
Asian Painted Frog — Care Cheat-SheetBeginnerA chubby, hardy burrower — genuinely one of the easiest, most forgiving frogs.
📋 At a glance
- Tank
- Terrestrial 20 gal long / 18×18×12 (pair), deep coco fibre
- Temp
- Low-mid 70s°F
- Humidity
- 50–70% with a shallow soaking dish
- Food
- Gut-loaded, calcium-dusted crickets + small roaches
- Lifespan
- ~10 years
✅ Cheap, hardy and hands-off — a great, forgiving first burrowing frog.
🛒 Before you buy
- A terrarium with deep coco-fibre to burrow
- A shallow dish of dechlorinated water to soak
- A hide and a calcium supplement
- A secure lid (they wedge into gaps)
A healthy one: Rounded and chubby (not bloated) · clear eyes · smooth skin · a strong feeding response at night.
🚨 See a vet / act now if…
- Bloating like a balloon
- Not eating, or weight loss
- Red belly or lethargy
- A gaping, wet mouth (respiratory)
Cool them down, reduce stress, and contact an exotics vet — most issues are reversible if caught early.
⛔ Never
- Gravel or swallowable substrate
- Handling then touching your face (they exude a sticky irritant — wash hands)
- A bone-dry setup
🌿 Golden rules (all amphibians)
- Cycle the tank BEFORE the animal (ammonia = 0).
- Always dechlorinate tap water.
- Cool beats warm — most amphibians are cool/cold species.
- Look, don’t handle — their skin absorbs oils & soaps.
- Buy captive-bred, never wild-caught. Quarantine new arrivals.
- Never release a pet into the wild (it spreads disease).
- A real setup costs more than the animal — budget for it.
- When in doubt, ask — no shame in learning. 💚
