Squirrel Frog - Pip

Squirrel Tree Frogs are a small species of tree frog that can be a range of colors from green to olive to brown, with some individuals having yellow or black flecks on their backs. They have the ability to change their color based on surroundings. They have large toe pads and sticky skin which makes them expert climbers and able to stick to many different surfaces. Squirrel Tree Frogs are native to the southeastern coastal plain From Virginia to Florida and the Keys to the west along the Gulf coast to central Texas. They will basically live in any moist habitat with insects. They are nocturnal and very active. Their call can sound like a quack or grating like a scolding squirrel.

Pip is Sarett Nature Center’s resident Squirrel Tree Frog who came to us in the late spring of 2022 when a local snowbird noticed him on their orchid plant that they brought back to Michigan with them from Florida. He was very tiny when he arrived – they had transported him here in a plastic water bottle with a bit of water in the bottom and some holes poked in the lid. Pip was less than an inch long, about 1.5 cm long and now he is almost full grown to his adult size being about 1.5 inches (3 cm) long! He can frequently be heard calling at the nature center in the springtime. Sarett Nature Center has a Scientific Collector’s Permit issued by the DNR to allow for collection and possession of these animals for educational purposes.