What Do Frogs Eat?

Frogs can be fascinating and appealing pets, but feeding them correctly is crucial. So, what do frogs eat? In the wild, frogs eat a wide variety of insects, such as snails, spiders, and worms, and tadpoles eat soft plant matter. Frogs catch their food using their long, sticky tongues. Frogs are predators that will generally only eat things that are moving—which means you need to feed your frog live insects.

Learn more about what frogs eat and how much to feed your pet frog. 

What Do Frogs Eat?

Frogs are truly generalist predators—they’ll eat just about anything that comes their way in the wild. They’ll eat spiders, grasshoppers, butterflies—essentially anything that fits in their mouth. Aquatic frogs eat a variety of aquatic invertebrates.

Each species of frog has specific nutritional guidelines, but in general, your pet frog will eat a mix of the following.

Crickets

Crickets will form the backbone of your pet frog’s diet. That’s not because they’re the healthiest—it’s just because they’re easiest to purchase or raise at home. Make sure to gut-load them prior to feeding your frog.

Mealworms and Waxworms

These are another tasty snack for frogs. Like crickets, mealworms are pretty easy to find at pet stores or raise at home. You can also purchase them at bait stores for fishing, but those won’t be gut-loaded.

Locusts and Grasshoppers

Locusts and grasshoppers can be a bit trickier to find in pet stores or purchase for your frog, but they add much-needed nutritional variety to your pet’s diet.

Caterpillars or Worms

These are getting easier to find in pet stores for purchase. Be sure to purchase caterpillars that are the correct size for your frog, as they can be quite large.

Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, and Blackworms

These and other small worms will be the main diet for aquatic frogs.

Mice

Mice are part of the diet of large species of frogs such as Pacman frogs and African bullfrogs. As your frog grows, start feeding “pinkies,” or newborn mice. You can purchase these frozen or live—but keep in mind that most frogs won’t eat the frozen ones. Bigger frogs will eat “fuzzies” or even adult mice. If this grosses you out, pick a smaller frog species.

Tips to Safely Feed Your Pet Frog

Feed your frog food that’s less wide than the frog’s head or your frog’s intestines can get impacted. Try to purchase gut-loaded insects whenever possible, as these are far more nutritious for your frog. If you can’t purchase gut-loaded food, your frog can be at risk of developing bone disease due to a lack of calcium intake in their diet. Additionally, these insects will be low in other important vitamins and nutrients your frog needs.

Some people prefer to “dust” their frog’s food with a nutritional supplement before feeding their frogs, especially if they raise their frog’s food at home. Gut-loading your insects, along with providing vitamin supplementation, is a great way for your frog to get the nutrients they need to be healthy.

How Much and When to Feed Your Pet Frog

The exact feeding schedule and amount for your frog depends on your frog’s species, age, and activity level. Just like humans, frogs can become overweight if overfed.

High-Energy Frogs

High-energy frogs (such as dwarf frogs) and young froglets (under about 16 weeks) should have frequent access to food. Feed young frogs and high-energy frogs every day or even twice a day. This might mean leaving a bit of food, such as fruits or veggies, in the tank for the insects to eat.

Medium-Energy Frogs

Medium-energy frogs should be fed every other day to every third day. In general, they should be offered as many insects as they will eat in 15 seconds. Then remove the remaining bugs. Ensure that you feed enough that your frog doesn’t finish eating within seconds, but don’t feed so much that you’re seeing crickets the next morning!

Large Frogs

Larger frogs should be fed less often. The large mice-eating frogs might eat as infrequently as once per week or once every other week.

Do Frogs Drink Water?

Frogs don’t drink with their mouths, so keeping the humidity up in their environment is important. They “drink” by absorbing water through their skin. Your pet frog should have constant access to clean, dechlorinated water. You can purchase a de-chlorinator at most aquarium stores. Either provide a pool of water in the tank or mist the tank regularly—preferably both.

What Can Frogs Not Eat?

Avoid feeding your frog any fruits or veggies, human table scraps, or wild-caught insects. The wild insects pose a serious risk of pesticide exposure, which can be very dangerous for your frog.