10 Most Popular Pet Amphibians (Ranked)

Amphibians are popular pets due to their striking colors and overall exotic appearance. In this post, we’re going to look at the 10 most popular amphibians being kept as pets!

This list is numbered and listed in descending order, placing the #1 most popular amphibian at the end of the page. Enjoy!

10. Spotted Salamander

Spotted Salamander
Spotted Salamander. Photo by: Hamilton / Adobe Stock

Starting our list is the Spotted Salamander. They’re typically black or dark gray in color, having bright yellow spots reaching from their head to their tail. The reason for their popularity is undoubtedly due to their bright colors and patterns.

Moreover, they inhabit a large area. You can find them throughout the United States and Canada, from Nova Scotia down to Texas and in-between. They have a similar appearance to that of the Tiger Salamander, which just so happens to be #7 on this list.

9. Oriental Fire-bellied Toad

Oriental Fire-bellied Toad
Oriental Fire-bellied Toad. Photo by: Ezume Images / Shutterstock

Coming in at the 9th most popular amphibian on our list is the Oriental Fire-bellied Toad. It’s easy to see why they’re so popular, having bright orange and green coloration mixed with black patterns. Their name comes from the color on their belly, which gives the appearance of “fire”. They’re technically not “True Toads”, regardless of their name.

This species enjoys high humidity, typically between 60% – 80%. Due to this, many people who keep them as pets opt for creating what’s known as a “Paludarium”. A paludarium includes both land and water and can be bioactive, containing springtails, isopods, living plants, and even small fish.

8. Poison Dart Frog

Poison Dart Frog on a Leaf
Poison Dart Frog on a Leaf. Photo by: Dirk Ercken / Shutterstock

There are more than 100 species of Dart Frogs and they come in different sizes, colors, and patterns. The reason for their popularity is due to their vibrant colorations.

Dart frogs have adapted bright colors to warn potential predators they’re toxic. Their colors mean they’re dangerous. And dangerous they are, at least some of them are. Especially for small animals.

The dart frog containing the most potent toxin is Phyllobates teribilis, commonly known as the “Golden Poison Frog”. This species, along with others in the Phyllobates Genus, are part of a handful of frogs that are potentially deadly to humans.

Although there are no official reported deaths caused by dart frogs, their incredible batrachotoxin has the potential to be very harmful to people!

7. Tiger Salamander

Eastern Tiger Salamander
Eastern Tiger Salamander. Photo by: Hamilton Adobe Stock

The second most popular salamander on the list is the Tiger Salamander, and for good reason: they have black and yellow stripes. Most are actually a black or dark gray color with yellow spots. There are some Tiger Salamanders that have yellow colorations more closely related to stripes than spots.

Tiger salamanders are spread throughout the United States, from North Dakota and Wisconsin going South through parts of Texas and over to Florida and in between.

6. Tomato Frog

Tomato Frog
Tomato Frog on moss. Photo by: Audrey Snider-Bell / Shutterstock

Tomato Frogs have been growing in popularity in recent years. They’re fairly large and active and, most importantly, they’re bright red. Their overall size and coloration is the reason its common name is “Tomato Frog”.

They can range in color from bright red to a dull orange and they sport a black line that runs from their eyes down to their hind legs. Finally, mostly have a white stomach with faint dots and patterns.

5. Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Red-Eyed Tree Frog
Red-Eyed Tree Frog. Photo by: macropixel / Adobe Stock

Red-Eyed Tree Frogs are probably the most well-known tree frogs around the world. As pets, nevertheless, they’re evenly matched with White’s Tree Frogs. Picture of RETFs are most commonly associated with the rainforests in Central America.

Their striking red, blue, orange, and green colorations are astounding! They inhabit tropical rainforests in Central American, ranging from Veracruz and Honduras down to Panama and likely into parts of Colombia in South America.

RETFs make decent pets. While they’re absolutely amazing to look at, they don’t come out and start moving around until nighttime. They sleep during the day with their vibrant colors mostly concealed.

Perhaps one of their most interesting features is their eyelids or lack therefore of. Red-Eyed Tree Frogs have a Nictitating membrane. It looks similar to webbing or veins but white or light yellow. It allows you to see their bright red eyes in between the spaces in their nictitating membrane.

4. White’s Tree Frog

White's Tree Frog
White’s Tree Frog. Photo by: dwi / Adobe Stock

Among all the amphibians listed here, White’s Tree Frogs are one of my favorites. The reason for their popularity is likely due to their overall size. Most tree frogs are small, reaching up to a few inches in length. White’s Tree Frogs, in comparison, is rather large, growing up to 4.5-inches in length.

Tree frogs are arboreal creatures. That means they spend the majority of their lives in trees or plants, or otherwise suspended off the ground.

Ever wondered how a tree frog can stick to seemingly anything? Researchers have been studying this for years. One such study found a thin layer of mucus on their pads, which is used for wet adhesion [1]. It is also thought that tree frogs use the angle of their toes to tighten or loosen their adhesion to whatever surface they’re on.

White’s Tree Frogs go by three common names. “White’s Tree Frogs”, of course, “Dumpy Tree Frogs” and “Australian Green Tree Frogs”. In Australia, they’re simply called “Green Tree Frogs” because that’s where this species is found. They make great pets and are one of the few amphibians that will tolerate occasional handling in short intervals.

Want more? See 10 Fun Facts About Tree Frogs

3. African Dwarf Frog

African Dwarf Frog
African Dwarf Frog. Photo by: Renee Grayson Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

African Dwarf Frogs are very popular pets! This is due, in part, because they’re fully aquatic frogs. You can find them in most pet stores in the fish and aquarium section.

An interesting fact about African Dwarf Frogs is that they’re often mislabeled or confused with another species. That species is the African Clawed Frog. They share a remarkably similar appearance. Upon closer inspection, however, you can see webbing between an ADF’s front phalanges.

Another fun fact about ADFs is that, given proper care, they can live for decades! There are numerous reports of hobbyists keeping African Dwarf Frogs alive for 20+ years.

2. Pacman Frog

Pacman Frog
My Son’s Pacman Frog. Photo by: Mr. Amphibian

There are 8 species of frogs sharing the common name “Pacman Frog”. They all belong to the Ceratophrys Genus and, for the most part, they look very similar. Two of the most common species are C. Cranwelli and C. Ornata. That’s Cranwell’s horned frog and the Argentine horned frog respectively.

Pacman Frogs are the most popular frog and the second most popular amphibian. Their popularity is undoubtedly due to their appearance, which resembles that of “Pacman” from the popular arcade game.

Interested in keeping one as a pet? Check out my Pacman Frog Pet Care Guide for help getting started!

Caring for a Pacman Frog is relatively easy. Careful attention needs to be made in preparation for their enclosure but after that, it’s not very difficult at all. It’s an enjoyable experience and watching them eat is entertaining!

1. Axolotl

Axolotl (Leucistic)
Photo by: Eric Isselée / Adobe Stock

Without a doubt, Axolotls are the most popular amphibians kept as pets. This is largely due to their amazing appearance. If you’re not familiar with salamanders or amphibians in general, you may be wondering what those things are on either side of its head. Those are external gills.

You see, many salamanders are born with external gills. During metamorphosis, however, most species ditch the external gills in favor of internal gills or lungs. They’re all different. In fact, some salamanders have neither lungs nor gills. In this case, gas exchange takes place through their skin or the lining of their mouth.

Regardless, our beloved Axolotl keeps their external gills. It’s one of their most remarkable features. Another interesting aspect is the color of their skin.

Most wild Axolotls are dark brown with tan speckles. In captivity, however, you’re more likely to find an albino or leucistic coloration (see the picture above). If you think that is interesting – just wait. Researchers have successfully created transgenic GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) Axolotls[2]. Yes, that’s right. That means they glow.

Now for the bad news. The latest assessment from IUCN estimates there are between 50 – 1,000 in the wild. This means they’re critically endangered. Much of their threats come from residential and commercial development and by non-native invasive species.

That completes our list of the 10 most popular pet amphibians! If you’re planning to get one in the future, let me know what you’re getting in the comment section below!


References

  1. Barnes, W. J. P., Baum, M., Peisker, H., & Gorb, S. N. (2013). Comparative Cryo-SEM and AFM studies of hylid and rhacophorid tree frog toe pads. Journal of Morphology274(12), 1384–1396. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.20186[]
  2. Sobkow, L., Epperlein, H. H., Herklotz, S., Straube, W. L., & Tanaka, E. M. (2006). A germline GFP transgenic axolotl and its use to track cell fate: Dual origin of the fin mesenchyme during development and the fate of blood cells during regeneration. Developmental Biology, 290(2), 386–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2005.11.037[]