Small Frogs & Toads Feeding Guide

White’s Tree Frogs (Litoria caerulea) are nocturnal, insect-eating tree frogs with a strong appetite for live prey. They can make excellent pets, but they are also particularly prone to overfeeding, so providing the right amount is just as important as providing suitable food.

Our feeding recommendations are based primarily on guidance from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), alongside established amphibian husbandry information.

What Should White’s Tree Frogs Eat?

White’s Tree Frogs should be offered a varied diet of appropriately sized live invertebrates. Suitable foods include crickets, locusts, cockroaches and earthworms.

Dendrobaena are a particularly nutritious earthworm, providing a high-protein live food containing a broad range of amino acids. Their soft body and natural movement also make them well suited to frogs that respond strongly to live prey.

Dendrobaena should be used alongside other appropriate live foods rather than as the sole food source, providing variety within the frog’s overall diet.

How Often Should You Feed?

Juveniles: Feed once every day.

Adults: Feed every other day.

Juvenile frogs need more frequent feeding while they are growing, whereas adult frogs require less food and are more susceptible to becoming overweight.

How Much Should You Feed?

There isn’t a universal number of Dendrobaena that is suitable for every White’s Tree Frog because both the frog and the worms can vary considerably in size.

For Dendrobaena, we recommend starting with 2 appropriately sized worms per adult frog at each feeding, then adjusting the portion according to the size of the worms and the frog’s body condition. If the worms are particularly small, more may be appropriate; if they are larger, fewer may be sufficient.

For juveniles, start with 1 appropriately sized small Dendrobaena and increase the portion as the frog grows.

The aim is to provide an appropriate meal rather than allowing the frog to eat as much as it will accept. White’s Tree Frogs can readily overeat in captivity, so their body condition should be monitored and portions adjusted when necessary.

What Size Dendrobaena Should You Feed?

Choose a worm that can be swallowed comfortably and is no wider than the distance between the frog’s eyes.

For most adult White’s Tree Frogs, appropriately sized Dendrobaena should be relatively easy to accommodate. This guideline becomes particularly important when feeding froglets, juveniles and smaller individuals.

When Should You Feed?

Feed in the evening, when White’s Tree Frogs naturally become active.

Live Dendrobaena can be particularly useful at this time because their movement can stimulate the frog’s natural hunting and feeding response. For a frog that is reluctant to take stationary or prepared food, the movement of a live worm may encourage it to strike.

How Should You Feed the Worms?

Dendrobaena can be offered in several ways, and feeding tongs are not essential. White’s Tree Frogs can be allowed to hunt live prey naturally, or worms can be offered from a suitable feeding dish.

For Dendrobaena, however, feeding tongs can be particularly useful. They allow you to control the size and number of worms being offered and can reduce the amount of substrate accidentally swallowed while the frog strikes at its food.

This can be particularly useful in naturalistic or loose-substrate enclosures. Offer the worm close enough for the frog to see it and allow the frog to make its own strike. There is no need to push the worm into its mouth.

A feeding dish is another useful option. It keeps the worms contained, makes it easier to see what has been eaten and reduces the chance of worms disappearing into the substrate.

Preparing the Worms

Dendrobaena are normally kept in bedding to keep them healthy, so some coir or other bedding may remain on the worms when they are removed for feeding.

Before feeding, give the worms a gentle rinse to remove any loose bedding. This is particularly useful when feeding with tongs, as it helps reduce the amount of substrate that could otherwise be taken into the frog’s mouth along with the worm.

There is no need to scrub the worms or try to remove every trace of bedding. A simple rinse is sufficient before offering them to your frog.

Should You Feed Them in Water?

No. Feed Dendrobaena on land.

White’s Tree Frogs should have access to a suitable water dish for drinking and soaking, but food does not need to be placed in the water. Keep the feeding area and water area separate.

What About Supplements?

Live food should be appropriately supplemented.

A suitable calcium supplement and a combined vitamin and mineral supplement should form part of the frog’s overall feeding routine. Follow the instructions provided with the supplement being used, as products vary in strength and recommended frequency.

What If My Frog Doesn’t Eat?

The movement of live Dendrobaena can sometimes help stimulate a feeding response. Offering the worm with tongs and allowing it to move naturally can be particularly effective for a frog that is ignoring stationary food.

However, a White’s Tree Frog that persistently refuses food, particularly if it is losing weight or showing other changes in behaviour, should not simply be encouraged to eat by continually offering more tempting foods. Persistent appetite loss can indicate a husbandry or health problem and should be investigated.

Removing Uneaten Worms

Remove any uneaten worms from the enclosure rather than leaving them indefinitely.

This is particularly important when feeding loose in the enclosure, as Dendrobaena can disappear into the substrate and become difficult to locate. Controlled feeding with tongs or a suitable feeding dish makes it considerably easier to know what has been eaten.

Oriental Fire-Bellied Toads (Bombina orientalis) are small, semi-aquatic amphibians with an active feeding response. They naturally feed on small invertebrates, including worms and insects, making Dendrobaena a useful part of a varied captive diet.

How Often Should You Feed?

Juveniles: Feed every other day.

Adults: Feed 2–3 times per week.

Young Fire-Bellied Toads need more frequent meals while they are growing. As they mature, feeding frequency should be reduced to avoid excessive weight gain.

How Much Should You Feed?

There is no fixed number of worms that will be right for every Fire-Bellied Toad because the size of both the toad and the worms can vary.

For an adult Fire-Bellied Toad, we recommend starting with 1 Dendrobaena per feeding.

If the worms are particularly small, 2 worms may be suitable. If you are feeding larger worms, one may be sufficient.

For juveniles, start with 1 small Dendrobaena and adjust the amount as the toad grows.

The aim is to provide a sensible meal rather than as much food as the toad will accept. Monitor your toad’s body condition and adjust portions as necessary.

What Size Dendrobaena Should You Feed?

Choose a worm that is no wider than the distance between your toad’s eyes and can be swallowed comfortably.

This is particularly important for young Fire-Bellied Toads, which have considerably smaller mouths.

When judging worm size, thickness is more important than length. A long, thin worm may be suitable where a shorter but much thicker worm would not be.

If a worm is too long or too large to feed whole, you can cut it into smaller pieces before feeding. This can make Dendrobaena easier to offer to smaller Fire-Bellied Toads while still allowing you to use the worms you have available.

When Should You Feed?

Fire-Bellied Toads can be active during both the day and night, so there is no need to restrict feeding to the evening.

We recommend feeding when your toads are awake and active.

Live Dendrobaena work particularly well because their movement can trigger the toad’s natural feeding response. Fire-Bellied Toads do not use an extensible tongue to catch prey; instead, they move towards their food and seize it with their mouths.

How Should You Feed the Worms?

For Dendrobaena, a feeding dish placed on the dry land area is our preferred method.

A dish keeps the worms contained and visible, makes it easier to monitor how many have been eaten and reduces the chance of worms disappearing into the substrate.

Dendrobaena can also be offered directly on the land area where the enclosure substrate allows uneaten worms to be easily located.

Feeding tongs are optional. They can be useful when offering an individual worm or controlling the portion, but they are not essential for Fire-Bellied Toads that readily feed from a suitable dish.

Should You Feed Them in Water?

No. We recommend feeding Dendrobaena on the dry land area.

Fire-Bellied Toads are semi-aquatic and should have access to both land and water, but Dendrobaena are much easier to control and monitor when offered on land.

Keeping the food separate from the water also makes it easier to locate and remove anything that has not been eaten.

A shallow feeding dish positioned on the land area is ideal.

Preparing the Worms

Dendrobaena are normally kept in bedding to keep them healthy, so some coir or other bedding may remain on the worms when they are removed for feeding.

Before feeding, give the worms a gentle rinse to remove any loose bedding.

This is particularly useful when placing worms into a feeding dish, as it reduces the amount of substrate that could otherwise be taken into the toad’s mouth along with the worm.

There is no need to scrub the worms or try to remove every trace of bedding. A simple rinse is sufficient.

What About Supplements?

Live food should be supplemented as part of the toad’s overall diet.

We recommend using a suitable calcium supplement and an appropriate vitamin and mineral supplement, following the instructions supplied with the particular product.

Dendrobaena should form part of a varied feeding routine rather than being the only food your Fire-Bellied Toad receives.

What If My Toad Doesn’t Eat?

Fire-Bellied Toads normally have a strong feeding response, and the movement of a live Dendrobaena can help encourage natural feeding behaviour.

If your toad is reluctant to feed, offer a worm when it is awake and active. Placing the worm in a feeding dish allows it to move naturally while remaining easy for the toad to see.

If a toad persistently refuses food, particularly if it is losing weight or showing other changes in behaviour, the underlying husbandry or health issue should be investigated rather than simply offering more food.

Removing Uneaten Worms

Remove any uneaten Dendrobaena after feeding.

This is particularly important when worms are offered directly onto loose substrate, where they can disappear beneath the surface.

A feeding dish makes this much easier because you can see exactly what remains and remove it once feeding has finished.

Red-Eyed Tree Frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) are nocturnal, arboreal frogs with a strong feeding response. They naturally hunt small invertebrates among vegetation, making Dendrobaena a useful addition to a varied captive diet.

How Often Should You Feed?

Juveniles: Feed once every day.

Adults: Feed every 2–3 days.

Young Red-Eyed Tree Frogs need more frequent meals while they are growing. Adult frogs require less food and should not be overfed, as they can readily become overweight. 

How Much Should You Feed?

There is no fixed number of Dendrobaena that will be right for every Red-Eyed Tree Frog because the size of both the frog and the worms can vary.

For an adult Red-Eyed Tree Frog, we recommend starting with 1–2 Dendrobaena per feeding.

If the worms are particularly small, more may be suitable. If you are feeding larger worms, one may be sufficient.

For juveniles, start with 1 small Dendrobaena and adjust the amount as the frog grows.

The aim is to provide a sensible meal rather than as much food as the frog will accept. Monitor your frog’s body condition and adjust portions as necessary.

What Size Dendrobaena Should You Feed?

Choose a worm that is no wider than the distance between your frog’s eyes and can be swallowed comfortably. This is particularly important for young Red-Eyed Tree Frogs, which have considerably smaller mouths. 

When judging worm size, thickness is more important than length. A long, thin worm may be suitable where a shorter but much thicker worm would not be.

If a worm is too long or too large to feed whole, you can cut it into smaller pieces before feeding. This can make Dendrobaena easier to offer to smaller frogs while still allowing you to use the worms you have available.

When Should You Feed?

Feed in the evening, after the lights have gone out.

Red-Eyed Tree Frogs become active at night and naturally hunt during this period. Offering live Dendrobaena when the frog is awake allows its movement to stimulate the natural feeding response. 

How Should You Feed the Worms?

Feeding tongs are our preferred method for offering Dendrobaena to Red-Eyed Tree Frogs.

They allow you to control the number of worms being offered and position the worm where the frog can see it.

Offer the worm close enough for the frog to notice its movement and allow the frog to make its own strike. There is no need to push the worm into the frog’s mouth.

A suitable feeding ledge or shallow dish can also be used if your frog prefers to approach and take its food independently.

We do not recommend scattering Dendrobaena around a large planted enclosure, as worms can disappear into the substrate or vegetation and become difficult to monitor.

Should You Feed Them in Water?

No. We recommend feeding Dendrobaena away from the water dish.

Red-Eyed Tree Frogs need access to a shallow water dish, but food does not need to be placed in the water.

Offering Dendrobaena from tongs or on a suitable feeding ledge keeps the food separate from the water and makes it easier to monitor what has been eaten.

Preparing the Worms

Dendrobaena are normally kept in bedding to keep them healthy, so some coir or other bedding may remain on the worms when they are removed for feeding.

Before feeding, give the worms a gentle rinse to remove any loose bedding.

This is particularly useful when feeding with tongs, as it reduces the amount of substrate that could otherwise be taken into the frog’s mouth along with the worm.

There is no need to scrub the worms or try to remove every trace of bedding. A simple rinse is sufficient.

What About Supplements?

Live food should be supplemented as part of the frog’s overall diet.

We recommend using a suitable calcium supplement and an appropriate vitamin and mineral supplement, following the instructions supplied with the particular product.

For growing frogs, calcium supplementation is particularly important. Adults should also receive regular calcium and a multivitamin as part of their feeding routine. 

Dendrobaena should form part of a varied feeding routine rather than being the only food your Red-Eyed Tree Frog receives.

What If My Frog Doesn’t Eat?

If your frog is reluctant to feed, make sure food is being offered during its active period and that the enclosure conditions are suitable.

Try offering a Dendrobaena with tongs and allow it to move naturally within the frog’s view.

If a frog persistently refuses food, particularly if it is losing weight or showing other changes in behaviour, the underlying husbandry or health issue should be investigated rather than simply offering more food.

Removing Uneaten Worms

Remove any uneaten Dendrobaena after feeding.

This is particularly important in planted or naturalistic enclosures, where worms can disappear into the substrate and become difficult to locate.

Controlled feeding makes it much easier to know what has been eaten and remove anything that remains.

Offer a sensible portion, allow your frog to make its own strikes and adjust the amount according to its body condition as it grows.

Amazon Milk Frogs (Trachycephalus resinifictrix) are larger arboreal tree frogs with a strong feeding response. They naturally hunt insects and other small invertebrates among the branches of the rainforest canopy, making Dendrobaena a useful addition to a varied captive diet. 

How Often Should You Feed?

Juveniles: Feed once every day.

Adults: Feed every 2–3 days.

Young Amazon Milk Frogs need regular meals while they are growing. Once fully grown, their feeding frequency should be reduced because these frogs can be enthusiastic feeders and are prone to becoming overweight when overfed. 

How Much Should You Feed?

There is no single number of Dendrobaena that will suit every Amazon Milk Frog because both the frog and the worms can vary considerably in size.

For an adult Amazon Milk Frog, we recommend starting with 1–2 appropriately sized Dendrobaena per feeding.

If the worms are particularly small, more may be suitable. If you are feeding larger Dendrobaena, one worm may provide a sufficient meal.

For juveniles, start with 1 small Dendrobaena and adjust the amount as the frog grows.

The aim is to provide a sensible meal rather than allowing the frog to eat as much as it will accept. Monitor your frog’s body condition and adjust portions as necessary.

What Size Dendrobaena Should You Feed?

Choose a worm that is no wider than the distance between your frog’s eyes and can be swallowed comfortably.

This is particularly important for young Amazon Milk Frogs, which have considerably smaller mouths than adults.

When judging worm size, thickness is more important than length. A long, thin worm may be suitable where a shorter but much thicker worm would not be.

If a worm is too long or too large to feed whole, you can cut it into smaller pieces before feeding. This can make Dendrobaena easier to offer to smaller frogs, although cutting will not make a worm suitable if it is too thick.

When Should You Feed?

Feed in the evening or after the frog has become active.

Amazon Milk Frogs are primarily nocturnal and become more active after dark, when they naturally move through the vegetation looking for prey. Offering live Dendrobaena during this active period allows the worm’s movement to trigger the frog’s natural feeding response. 

How Should You Feed the Worms?

Feeding tongs are our preferred method for offering Dendrobaena.

Amazon Milk Frogs readily take food offered with tongs, and this allows you to control both the size and number of worms being offered. It is particularly useful when keeping more than one frog, as it allows you to make sure individual frogs receive their share of the food. 

Offer the worm close enough for the frog to see and allow it to make its own strike. There is no need to push the worm into the frog’s mouth.

A suitable feeding ledge or stable branch can also be used, allowing the frog to approach the food naturally while keeping the worm easy to monitor.

Should You Feed Them in Water?

No. We recommend feeding Dendrobaena on a dry perch, branch or suitable feeding ledge.

Amazon Milk Frogs should always have access to clean water and are naturally associated with water-filled tree holes, but food does not need to be placed in the water. Keeping feeding separate from the water makes it easier to control the portion and remove anything that has not been eaten. 

Preparing the Worms

Dendrobaena are normally kept in bedding to keep them healthy, so some coir or other bedding may remain on the worms when they are removed for feeding.

Before feeding, give the worms a gentle rinse to remove any loose bedding.

This is particularly useful when offering them with tongs, as it reduces the amount of substrate that could otherwise be taken into the frog’s mouth along with the worm.

There is no need to scrub the worms or try to remove every trace of bedding. A simple rinse is sufficient.

What About Supplements?

Live food should be supplemented as part of the frog’s overall diet.

We recommend using a suitable calcium supplement together with an appropriate vitamin and mineral supplement, following the instructions supplied with the particular product.

Supplementation is particularly important for growing frogs. UVB and dietary supplementation can both play a role in preventing calcium-related problems such as metabolic bone disease, so the supplementation routine should be appropriate for the lighting and products being used. 

Dendrobaena should form part of a varied feeding routine rather than being the only food your Amazon Milk Frog receives.

What If My Frog Doesn’t Eat?

Amazon Milk Frogs are generally enthusiastic feeders, but individual frogs can have preferences for particular prey.

If your frog is reluctant to take a Dendrobaena, try offering it with tongs and allow the worm to move naturally within the frog’s view. Trying the worm alongside other suitable live foods can also help establish what your frog responds to.

If a frog persistently refuses food, particularly if it is losing weight or showing other changes in behaviour, the underlying husbandry or health issue should be investigated rather than simply offering more food.

Removing Uneaten Worms

Remove any uneaten Dendrobaena after feeding.

This is particularly important in a planted or naturalistic arboreal enclosure, where worms can disappear into substrate, leaf litter or other areas of the enclosure and become difficult to locate.

Controlled feeding with tongs makes it much easier to know what has been eaten and remove anything that remains.

Start with a sensible portion, monitor your frog’s body condition and adjust the amount as it grows. If you keep several Amazon Milk Frogs together, offering food individually with tongs is also a good way to make sure the more confident feeders don’t take more than their share.

Healthy worms make healthy food. Storing your Dendrobaena worms correctly will keep them active, nutritious and in good condition until you’re ready to feed them.

Storing Your Worms

Dendrobaena worms are remarkably hardy when kept under suitable conditions. Store them in a cool, well-ventilated container with moist bedding, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.

If you’re keeping them for more than a week before feeding, check them regularly and provide a small amount of suitable worm food if necessary. Healthy worms should remain active and firm, with the bedding kept moist but never waterlogged.

Removing any dead worms promptly will help maintain a healthy environment for the rest of the colony.

For more detailed advice, see our How To Store Dendrobaena Worms guide.