Amphibians

Newts and salamanders should be kept cool, away from heat and direct sunlight; 75°F or lower is best. Temperate frogs: 70°–80°F. Tropical frogs: 75°–85°F. Give frogs a gradient from warm on one side of the enclosure to cool on the other.

Mist all amphibian enclosures twice a day with tepid, dechlorinated water. Provide appropriately sized water containers your animal can climb in and out of easily, filled with clean dechlorinated water at all times.

The species decides the furniture. Salamanders and ground-dwelling frogs and toads need low, dark, damp shelters. Burrowers need deep substrate. Tree frogs and other arboreal amphibians need broad-leafed plants and branches. Ask us which hide suits your animal. Fog machines, waterfalls and live moss add function and beauty; the more you like looking at the enclosure, the more likely you'll maintain it.

Enclosure size: at least 5 gallons per animal for even the smallest amphibians; 10 to 15 gallons per animal for larger species.

Peat moss, coco bark, small orchid bark, cypress mulch, eco-peat, sphagnum moss and potting soil all work. A favorite is a 50/50 mix of peat moss and sand, or peat moss and orchid bark, with a layer of sphagnum on top. Substrate should be fine enough to pass if ingested, and kept damp but not soggy.

Feed daily: live insects, worms and larvae. Variety is good, including crickets, wax worms, kingworms, mealworms, earthworms and small mice. Anything that moves and fits reasonably in your amphibian's mouth is food.

Lightly dust all food with a 50/50 mix of calcium and multivitamins. Without them, amphibians develop vitamin and calcium deficiencies that are ultimately fatal.

With few exceptions, amphibians are nocturnal and don't need full-spectrum lighting. Use it if you're growing live plants or keeping a tropical frog that basks, such as a Chaco monkey frog or White's tree frog, for 10 to 14 hours a day. Always give your amphibian a dark period each night.