Defining Characteristics:

• Great beginner Tree Frog
• Less Handleable than their Milk Frog Cousins
• Bold
• Easy to Keep
• Moderately loud Call
• Relatively Large Tree Frog
• Can be kept in groups

Name: These frogs are commonly called ‘Suriname Golden-Eyed Tree Frogs‘ but have colloquially become known as the "Chocolate Milk Frog" due to the light brown dorsal coloration and the close resemblance to the Amazon Milk Frog. The Chocolate Milk Frog's scientific name is Trachycephalus coriaceus (formerly Phyrnohyas coriacea).

Recommended Terrarium Size: Being medium sized frogs, Chocolate Milk Frogs require a moderately sized enclosure. A 20gal aquarium or 18x18x18 Terrarium is a good sized enclosure for 2-4 Chocolate Milk Frogs. The enclosure should provide plenty of perching areas, such as wood branches or vines, as well as live plants or fake plants. A large water bowl is a necessity. Josh’s Frogs offers Complete Tree Frog Kits that are perfect for Chocolate Milk Frogs. For younger Chocolae Milk Frogs, moist paper towel or long fiber sphagnum moss is preferred. Adult Chocolate Milk Frogs can also be kept above water instead of a substrate. All substrate should be changed frequently. Chocolate Milk Frogs are big frogs, and as such, can make a big mess. Water bowls should be cleaned daily and scrubbed out with hot water. Change the substrate at least once a week, and clean the enclosure and decor with a 5% bleach solution. If paper towel is used as a substrate, it should be cleaned daily.

Want to spice up your enclosure with live plants? Our experts have curated kits of easy-to-care-for and SAFE plants for your milk frogs. Check them out here!

Temperature: They can tolerate temperatures between 70-85F, and seem very tolerant of temperature swings. Ideally, keep Chocolate Milk Frogs in the mid/high 70s. A 5-10F temperature drop at night is ideal. A good Thermometer and Hygrometer is recommended to keep track of environmental conditions.

Humidity: In the wild, precipitation and humidity fluctuates based on season, with a heavy rainy season in the early part of the year. Adult Chocolate Milk Frogs can handle a wide range of humidity levels, but prefer humidity levels around 50-70% with plenty of ventilation/air movement. Young Chocolate Milk Frogs do much better with 70-80% humidty, and some air movement. Moist, stagnant air is a big no-no with milk frogs, while very young animals dry out easily. Routine spraying and a full screen top will aid in providing proper humidity levels. You can keep Adult Chocolate Milk Frogs on Joshs Frogs Frog Foam.

Size: Adult Chocolate Milk frogs can measure from 2” to 2.5”, with females being larger than males. The Chocolate milk frogs sold by Josh’s Frogs measure about 3/4″ long, and are eating 1/4″ crickets.

Age: Captive life span of the Chocolate Milk Frog is unknown, but suspected to be in the 5-10 year range, based on experience with similar species. Amazon milk frogs are 8-12 weeks old when sold by Josh’s Frogs.

Feeding: Chocolate Milk Frogs are voracious eaters, consuming anything that moves and fits into their mouth. A staple diet of appropriately sized crickets is a great place to start. Add other feeder insects such as wax worms, roaches, horn worms, and meal worms. All feeder insects should be dusted with the proper vitamin/mineral supplement as well as, when possible, gutloaded with leafy greens. Josh’s Frogs sells chocolate milk frogs that are eating 1/4″ crickets.

Sexing: These frogs are generally sexable by 8-10 months of age. Females are larger and more rotund, while males have visible vocal sacs behind their tympanums. Josh's Frogs sells 2-3 month old Chocolate Milk Frogs that are unsexable.

Color/Pattern: Chocolate Milk Frogs start out life as dorsally brown with bright green sides and orange toe pads. After a couple months, this coloration changes into a golden to dark brown dorsally which transitions into a reticulated pattern on the flanks consisting of a yellow base outlined in black. Adult Chocolate Milk frogs keep their orange toe pads. These frogs also have very impressive vocal sacs that extend from behind their tympanum and almost touch above their heads. 

Social Behavior: Chocolate Milk Frogs do great in groups. Overly amorous males may harass females on occasional, but Chocolate Milk Frogs typically coexist peacefully in groups especially when breeding sites are not readily available.

Breeding: They are not exceptionally difficult to breed, but can be difficult to breed consistantly. Seasonal cycling, coupled with a large water volume and heavy feeding, can encourage breeding. Each female will lay between 600-1000 eggs, which quickly develop into voracious tadpoles that eat A LOT! After about 2 months in the water, the tadpole morph into dime to penny size froglets.

Natural Range: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, French Guiana and Suriname.

History in the Hobby: Chocolate Mik Frogs are not readily avialable in the hobby at this time. Although they have been bred in captivity before the majority of frogs in the hobby currently are wild imports.

A Special Note on Shedding: All frogs and toads shed, but they don't always do it in public! Chocolate Milk Frogs are not shy about it whatsoever, and will typically shed at least once a week. They'll develop a shiny appearance for a few hours, before using their legs to peel off the old skin, then eat it. During this time, the milk frog will generally hang out at the bottom of the tank. Do not be alarmed - this is completely normal behavior, even though it looks a little strange!

Links of Interest:

Amphibiaweb

Still not sure if Chocolate Milk Frogs from Josh's Frogs are the right pet frog for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!