What Do Frogs Eat? And How Often Should You Feed Yours?

Frogs are adorable little amphibians who make great pets. If you’ve just added a frog to your family, you might be wondering: What do frogs eat?

While it might take some getting used to, especially if you’re used to dogs or cats, making sure you’re feeding your frog the right foods will help her live a long and happy life.

To help you figure out what to feed your frog, we decided to do the hard research for you.

What do frogs eat at home?

Before getting into the actual foods frogs eat, it’s important to know that frogs are predators, so they aren’t going to eat any commercial pellets from the pet store the way a turtle might.

And unlike snakes, who can sometimes eat frozen or dead prey, frogs need their meals to be fully alive.

The saving grace here (if you’re worried about feeding your frog live prey), is that they tend to just eat bugs (although, bigger frogs may eat small rodents).

Some of the most common insects frogs eat are:

• Crickets
• Grasshoppers
• Mealworms
• Caterpillars

It’s also important to note that you can’t just go in the backyard and dig up some worms for your frog. Wild-caught insects may carry parasites or other bacteria that can make your frog sick.

Instead, go to your local pet store to get the right insects for your frog — and make sure that some insects are “gut loaded.”

Gut loaded insects are basically just insects that have spent the last 24 hours eating vitamin-rich foods, like sweet potatoes. You can get these at your local pet store, and you should give them to your frog every other feeding to make sure she’s getting all the nutrients she needs.

Additionally, frogs can’t eat human food. It isn’t nutritionally beneficial for them and can make your frog sick, so always stick to frog-approved bugs for her meals.

How much (and how often) do frogs eat?

Frogs eat differently depending on their species and age, so it’s in your best interest to chat with your veterinarian to figure out the best course of action for your own frog.

But a general rule of thumb is to give your adult frog five to seven insects several times a week and to feed young frogs (or those under 16 weeks) once per day.

There are some species who need more frequent feedings — like dwarf frogs (and other high-energy frogs), who need insects at their disposable 24/7.

Also, always make sure you’re feeding your frog prey that isn’t larger than the width of her head. This is because frogs swallow their food whole, and anything larger than her head can get stuck in her throat or intestines.

While feeding your frog may take some getting used to, especially if you're used to feeding a dog, you’ll be an expert in no time.