If you are an animal enthusiast, instances will come when you will have this strong desire to get more charming pets to be part of your growing family.
You might wonder if a turtle and a frog can get along well as they are both attractive exotic pets!
Well, you need to consider a lot of things and do extensive study if the species of turtles and frogs that you want can cohabitate to the type of home you can provide.
Can A Turtle And A Frog Live Together?
Yes. In the ecosystem, turtles and frogs are living together. In captivity, they can still share a place but safety precautions must be done as they can hurt or worse, eat each other. They should be in a big space resembling an ecosystem.
Turtles and frogs may perhaps own some features that will make you wonder if they can live together.
Well, it is possible for them to share a place as it will just reflect what is the real scenario in the wild.
Living together means sharing an open space surrounding and not being stuck in an enclosed aquarium.
The bigger the area, the more space they can roam around and the less possibility of bumping into each other.
- Can A Turtle And A Frog Live Together?
- Will Turtles Attack Frogs?
- Can Turtles And Frogs Live Together In A Pond?
- Can Turtles And Frogs Live Together In A Tank?
- How To Keep Turtles And Frogs In The Same Pond?
- Which Frog Species To Keep With Turtles?
- Can African Dwarf Frogs Live With Turtles?
- Can Green Tree Frogs Live With Turtles?
- What Turtles Can Live With Frogs?
- Dangerous Frogs For Turtles
- Do Turtles Eat Frogs?
- Do Pond Turtles Eat Frogs?
- Will A Box Turtle Eat A Frog?
- Will Painted Turtles Eat Frogs?
- Do Turtles Eat Small Frogs?
- Will A Bullfrog Eat A Baby Turtle?
- Should You Put Turtles And Frogs Together?
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Will Turtles Attack Frogs?
Yes. Carnivore and omnivore turtles will attack frogs as these amphibians are naturally part of their food intake.
You might not be used to seeing turtles rough up a tiny slimy frog; particularly those pets that are commonly eating plants and pellets in their aquariums.
In the wild, frogs are essentially part of some turtles’ meal regimes.
Turtles that are carnivores and omnivores will eat the frogs that they can find in their surroundings as part of survival.
The larger the turtle, the better it can swallow an oozy frog! They are predators of little frogs that cannot match their size and skills.
Can Turtles And Frogs Live Together In A Pond?
Yes. Turtles and frogs can live together in a pond. A large outdoor setting is very ideal for these two animals as it naturally resembles the conditions in the wild. Both of their needs can be effectively sustained without compromising the other.
A pond habitat will make it possible for turtles and frogs to exist together even in captivation.
They will have ample space to breathe, roam around, and do each other’s businesses freely.
These will lessen the possibility of them having close confrontations. Some species of turtles are eating tiny frogs. The same goes with the frogs, carnivorous frogs are attacking and devouring turtles as well.
The living conditions that they specifically need will be provided as nature itself will help in making their pond habitat a sustainable one.
Can Turtles And Frogs Live Together In A Tank?
No. Turtles and frogs cohabitate in a tank as their individual lifestyles are different. They can also be predators of one another. Likewise, some frogs are releasing toxins that can be fatal to turtles.
Turtles and frogs do not share similar living requirements. The needs of turtles may simply not be the necessities of frogs for survival and vice versa.
Even with how spacious your tank can be, it is still not advised to put these creatures together. They are simply involved in a prey and predator cycle where their innate instincts of killing and eating cannot be simply discarded.
If a turtle tries to eat its mate, a little frog, there is no way these poor amphibians can escape as the tank is closed and has no sufficient space to loosely move around.
Some frogs are also releasing skin toxins which could have negative effects on the turtles’ health.
Even if you have fortunately managed to put these creatures together without the killing and eating scene, they will not be able to live peacefully as there will always be tension between them and competition for food.
How To Keep Turtles And Frogs In The Same Pond?
To effectively keep turtles and frogs in the same pond, their species should not be the kind that can devour each other. You should also put a fence so they will not escape, change the water regularly and use a water filter, and provide hiding areas for both of them. Provision of ample, assorted, and nutritious foods is highly important as well.
You cannot simply pick whatever species of turtles and frogs you want to put in the same pond. You must consider the characteristics and nature of each to avoid a chasing and bloody scene!
Putting a gate or wall is recommended, at least 2 feet tall, to keep the turtles and frogs from crawling and jumping away. Likewise, to protect them from any other predators.
Both turtles and frogs can produce lots of waste, so you need to do regular changing of water. You can use a water filter in maintaining the cleanliness of the water in the pond.
Hiding spots in the pond are important as well so both of them can cover if they feel any danger. These places can also help them to maintain their temperature.
Lastly, you need to ensure you provide your turtles and frogs sufficient food so they will not try to eat each other or compete for food until one gets killed!
Which Frog Species To Keep With Turtles?
The frog species that can be pals with turtles are those that are not carnivores and not poisonous.
It is quite a challenge to find the best frog species to be the new buddy of your turtles.
The first thing that you must consider is the nature of their diet. These frogs should not be carnivorous and not big enough to swallow your turtles.
Herbivore frogs cannot easily be found as most of the frogs are carnivores. One of the few herbivore frogs is the Izevksohn’s Brazilian Tree Frog which primarily consumes colorful fruits.
You should also take note that some frogs excrete toxins in their skin so it is important that you really do research first.
Can African Dwarf Frogs Live With Turtles?
Yes. African Dwarf Frogs can live with turtles, but just with those solely vegan ones that do not consume frogs and should be in an outdoor setting matching their wild habitat.
African Dwarf Frogs are social animals so it is best to give them some company. But this company does not have to be turtles!
Nonetheless, this frog species and some types of turtles can still share a common environment as long as risks between them will be lessened.
Compared to other frogs that can live both on land and water, African Dwarf Frogs are only suited to live under the water. They are very active but cannot endure dry conditions.
They are not intrusive eaters and mostly consume brine shrimp, fish food pellets, and bloodworms.
The turtles that they must share a place with should be consuming plant-based food so you don’t have to worry about the potential attacking and eating situation!
Can Green Tree Frogs Live With Turtles?
No. Green Tree Frogs cannot live with turtles because they have different lifestyle needs.
Green Tree Frogs are usually spending their time in trees so you will need a tall tank for them. They need to climb once in a while so real plants, branches, and some synthetic vegetation are needed.
Some turtles are so aquatic that they need deep water. This is not good for Green Tree Frogs as they are not good swimmers.
If they fall from the branches of the tree, they might not survive in the water. Or worse, if the turtle is omnivore or carnivore, these poor frogs will serve as a snack.
Likewise, turtles need some heat lamps to maintain their temperature, unlike frogs that do not need heating.
What Turtles Can Live With Frogs?
Turtles that can live with frogs are the herbivore ones or those that are solely consuming plants and grasses.
Turtles are either herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores. Carnivore and omnivore turtles are great threats to frogs, especially the little ones.
There is no doubt that larger turtles consuming animals’ flesh cannot share a home with frogs.
Dangerous Frogs For Turtles
The frogs that can threaten the lives of turtles are those large predator ones that mainly consume meat.
Frogs can be dangerous for turtles if they are bigger and poisonous.
If a carnivorous frog is bigger than a turtle, perhaps a baby turtle, it will definitely munch on this poor creature!
Do Turtles Eat Frogs?
Yes. Some turtles do eat frogs. Most turtles are omnivores which means they consume both plants and other animals such as little frogs as long as these creatures fit inside their mouth.
Turtles are like the calmest creatures that you will ever encounter. Even with their thick, robust shells, you might still perceive them as very fragile and sensitive.
They are commonly harmless, quiet, and would just munch on plants or do some digging and burrowing.
As you are used to seeing them like this, it might be a real shock for you if you see these gentle turtles snappily bite and eat a small frog that jumps in front of it!
Many would have thought that turtles are purely vegan, only consuming plants, especially those who are not turtle owners.
In reality, turtles can be carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores. The majority of the turtles are consuming both plants and animals.
Turtles are highly adaptive animals that can survive independently in diverse environments.
Thus, their diet would usually be based on what food is available based on their living conditions.
In addition, turtles’ food consumption is dependent on their species which directly impacts their physical characteristics. Some turtles have strong jaws that are perfectly suited for masticating foods.
Do Pond Turtles Eat Frogs?
Yes. Pond turtles that are omnivores and carnivores are considering frogs as part of their nutrition.
You can typically see pond turtles in stores as they are one of the famous choices as turtle pets. They are one of the oldest reptile groups that can live in diverse environments.
There are different types of pond turtles – some are totally vegan, some are consuming meat only, and some can both eat plants and animals.
One of the pond turtles that eat frogs is the Japanese pond turtles. They are actually omnivores that can eat vegetation too, not just flesh.
Japanese pond turtles in the wild are usually consuming fish, crabs, adult frogs, likewise fruits and vegetables.
Will A Box Turtle Eat A Frog?
Yes. A box turtle will eat a frog, especially the younger ones as they are more carnivorous.
As omnivores, box turtles can consume a mixture of vegan and animal-based meals.
Just like other turtle species, the younger turtles love to eat meat while the grown-ups prefer to be more vegan.
Aside from frogs, the other animals that are part of box turtles’ diet are fish, birds, lizards, snails, spiders, and even smaller turtles.
As for plants, you can give your box turtle some tomatoes, strawberries, mushrooms, lettuce, and grasses.
Will Painted Turtles Eat Frogs?
No. Although painted turtles are the omnivore type that eats both plants and animals, frogs are simply not part of their diet.
Painted turtles have a dark green shell with markings of rich orange and red color on the sides. They also have yellow and red stripes on their body.
Unlike other turtles, painted turtles are simply not eating frogs.
Adult painted turtles are usually consuming remains of other creatures, cattails, and algae.
Younger painted turtles are more carnivorous than the matured ones. These babies prefer to eat other creatures like fish and aquatic insects. Sonner, they will adopt the same diet as their parents as they grow.
Do Turtles Eat Small Frogs?
Yes. Some turtles are consuming small frogs as part of their diet.
Not all turtles are ingesting frogs. Some are herbivores which means they are only eating plants, fruits, and vegetables.
Other turtles are carnivores and omnivores that include frogs as part of their diets.
Turtles would usually attack and swallow frogs that are smaller than them. If not, they would just be content with the carcass of the bigger frogs.
Will A Bullfrog Eat A Baby Turtle?
Yes. A bullfrog will eat a baby turtle for sure as it is an intrusive carnivore that will attack any creature that it can devour.
Bullfrogs are notorious ambush predators that eat worms, snails, snakes, insects, small turtles, birds, and even other frogs!
They are recognized as the largest kind of frog in the United States.
They have brown to brownish green skin with spots of dark brown. They usually stay in the water where they hunt for their food.
Their prey know them very well as they are extremely aggressive and territorial. They will fearlessly fight their opponents to guard their lands.
Should You Put Turtles And Frogs Together?
Ideally, it is unrecommended to put your turtles and frogs together as they are solitary animals, they have different needs, and pose threats to each others’ safety since they are part of each others’ diet.
Before you get a frog that will be a new tank-mate of your turtle or vice versa, you must do extensive research first as these creatures have opposing requirements that you must fulfill individually.
In general, turtles and frogs are not ideal to be put together. Some of them can be solitary by nature that enjoys being alone.
Most of them are part of each others’ diet. Even if they do not attack each other, they can stress out one another and build a tough competition when it comes to food consumption.
Reference:
Buckley, G. (2020, July 3). Painted turtle. Biology Dictionary.https://biologydictionary.net/painted-turtle
Library and Archives Canada. (2021). Frogs and turtles.https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/eppp-archive/100/200/301/ic/can_digital_collections/west_nova/frogs.html
National Aquarium. (2021). American bullfrog.https://aqua.org/explore/animals/american-bullfrog
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. (2021). Painted turtle. Squam Science Center. https://www.nhnature.org/visit/animal_info_sheets/painted_turtle.php
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2021). American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). https://www.fws.gov/columbiariver/ANS/factsheets/bullfrog.pdf
