There are 20 species of frogs in Illinois, only one of which is considered poisonous, the Pickerel Frog. Their skin secretes a toxin that can be fatal to other animals, while only causing some skin irritation when a human comes in contact with it.
Frogs can be an awesome, rewarding pet for both adults and kids alike! They’re cool-looking, don’t take up too much space, and are relatively easy to care for since they do not need much to thrive.
While they are not the type of pet you can handle often due to their sensitive skin, they are great pets to look for as long as you don’t expect to get all cuddly with it.
According to regulations, it is unlawful to take or possess any frog for commercial purposes, meaning that you will need to have a sport fishing license in order to keep any frog that you might catch from the wild legally.
However, it is recommended that you buy your pet frog from a trusted breeder since wild-caught frogs will not be adapted to captivity. You are imposing less risk by seeking out a reputable breeder and getting yourself a captive-bred frog.
That being said, whether you are interested in getting a pet frog or are just curious about what frogs are native to the state, here is our list of frogs in Illinois.
Table of Contents
Frogs in Illinois
Here are some of the frogs native to and roaming the state of Illinois:
1. Western Chorus Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Not Recommended
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Pseudacris triseriata
- Common Names: Striped Chorus Frog, Midland Chorus Frog
- Adult Size: Less than 1 inch long
- Lifespan: 5 years
- Poisonous: No
These smooth-skinned treefrogs are gray-green to olive or brown with dark stripes through their eyes and a light stripe along their upper lip. They also have three dark stripes running down their backs.
They can be found in both Canada and the United States.
Their diet mainly consists of small arthropods and invertebrates such as mosquitos, ants, small flies, tiny beetles, caterpillars, spiders, grasshoppers, moths, and small spiders.
We do not recommend taking these frogs out of their natural habitats to keep as pets since they are already highly at risk of extinction due to habitat loss caused by human interference.
They are nocturnal frogs and will come out of hiding when it’s night to feed and chorus, which is how they got their name.
Check out this video of the Western Chorus Frog’s iconic call:
2. Upland Chorus Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Not Recommended
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Pseudacris feriarum
- Adult Size: 0.75 to 1.5 inches
- Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
- Poisonous: No
These small frogs are typically tan or gray in color with dark, narrow, striping along their sides. Some individuals might also have dark spots here and there, whereas others may be different.
In the wild, they enjoy eating snails, beetles, spiders, and other smaller insects. They like to inhabit the swampier areas of broad valleys, grassy areas, woodlands, or heavily vegetated ponds.
They are nocturnal terrestrial beings and are hard to find unless it has just rained. They are not easy to spot also due to their secretive nature.
The Upland was once identified as a subspecies of the Western Chorus Frog but is now known as its own individual species.
3. Boreal Chorus Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Pseudacris maculata
- Adult Size: 0.75 to 1.5 inches
- Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 5-Gallon terrarium
- Diet: Smaller terrestrial arthropods
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
These small red, brown, tan, gray, or olive-colored frogs will typically have three dark brown dorsal stripes.
They are freeze-tolerant and will hibernate when temperatures go below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Boreal Chorus Frogs are one of the only two species of frogs, the other one being a toad, that is allowed to be kept in classrooms for educational purposes.
4. Strecker’s Chorus Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Pseudacris streckeri
- Adult Size: 1.5 inches
- Lifespan: 3 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 5-Gallon terrarium
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
These gray, tan, olive frogs will have distinct blotches that are dark brown or green and elongated. Their limbs are banded with those same blotches, but smaller.
Some individuals may have hues of orange, yellow, or green along their bodies as well. The male’s throat will also turn gray when breeding season comes along.
While these guys are small, they are the largest out of all the chorus frogs.
They can be found in the Southern Central United States in places like Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.
5. Wood Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Ranidae
- Scientific Name: Lithobates sylvaticus
- Common Names:
- Adult Size: 1.4 to 2.8 inches
- Lifespan: 3 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Arachnids, slugs, snails, and worms
- Substrate: Safe soil, peat moss, or bark chips
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: Between 50% and 80%
These frogs are brown, gray, or tan with bumpy skin and a black “robber’s mask” on its face. Their underside is often lime green and they might also have a light stripe on their upper lip.
They range from Alaska all throughout Southern British Columbia all spanning all the way to Northeastern Canada and some of the Northeastern United States.
Wood Frogs are popular as pets and are relatively easy to care for.
An interesting thing about these frogs is their ability to partially freeze, causing their organ systems to become inactive.
When temperatures drop below freezing, up to 60% of these frogs’ body fluid will freeze up.
6. Green Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Ranidae
- Scientific Name: Lithobates clamitans or Rana clamitans
- Adult Size: 2 to 3.5 inches
- Lifespan: 6 to 10 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Insects and other invertebrates such as slugs, snails, crayfish, caterpillars, flies, moths, flies, spiders, and sometimes other frogs.
- Substrate: Gravel and coco fiber
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 80 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: Between 60% and 80%
Green frogs are, of course, green, sometimes with brown, or even bronze, tones to them. When their body temperatures drop, they might look completely black.
They also have multiple darker blotches and spots throughout their bodies. They have an almost gong-shaped circle at each “cheek” behind their eyes, which are typically bronze or brown in color.
They also have raised ridges that might come down from their head down their back along their sides.
They are mostly found in eastern North America.
Despite the rise in threats to their natural habitat, these frogs are still generally well-populated since they will gather for the breeding season.
They are common pets because of their laid-back nature and their simple care regime.
7. Spring Peeper
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Pseudacris crucifer
- Adult Size: 1 inch
- Lifespan: 2 to 4 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 5 to 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Insects like flies, spiders, beetles, and ants
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
These small tree frogs are typically brown, gray, olive, or tan in color. Females will typically be lighter in color, smaller in size, and will have a dark coloration on their throats.
They will typically have a pattern of dark-colored crosses along their back as well.
8. Gray Treefrog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Dryophytes versicolor
- Adult Size: 1.25 to 2.25 inches
- Lifespan: 10 to 15 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and hornworms
- Substrate: Any mulch-type substrate like coconut fiber, dampened sphagnum moss, or bark
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: Around 50%
These frogs live for a long time, so you want to make sure that you are ready for the long-term commitment of caring for these color-changing amphibians.
Gray Treefrogs are native to the eastern states of the United States as well as the southeastern parts of Canada.
They can change colors from gray to green to black to white. These changes are much slower than a chameleon.
They also have bumpy skin and horizontal slits for eyes. They look just like the Cope’s Gray Treefrog.
9. Cope’s Gray Treefrog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Hyla chrysoscelis
- Common Names: Southern Gray Treefrog
- Adult Size: 1.25 to 2.25 inches
- Lifespan: 7 to 9 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Tree crickets, moths, grasshoppers, flies, ants, and beetles
- Substrate: Any mulch-type substrate like coconut fiber, dampened sphagnum moss, or bark
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: Around 50%
These frogs live for a long time, so you want to make sure that you are ready for the long-term commitment of caring for these color-changing amphibians.
Cope’s Gray Treefrogs are native to the United States.
They can change colors from gray to green or gray-green to black, gray bark-like colors to white. These changes are much slower than a chameleon.
They also have bumpy skin and horizontal slits for eyes.
They look almost identical to the Gray Treefrog.
10. American Green Treefrog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Hyla cinerea
- Adult Size: 1.25 to 2.25 inches
- Lifespan: 6 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 15 Gallons
- Diet: Crickets, worms, flies, and moths
- Substrate: Any mulch-type substrate like coconut fiber, dampened sphagnum moss, or bark
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 73 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: 50% to 60%
American Green Treefrogs can be found in the central and southeastern United States.
They may change color depending on what temperatures they are in as well as the activities they are engaging in.
They are typically bright green, yellowish-green, green-gray, but might also be grayer when they are in cooler temperatures or resting. They might also become a yellow hue when calling.
They like environments like lakes, ponds, and swamps.
11. Bird-voiced Tree Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Hyla avivoca
- Adult Size: 1.1 to 2 inches
- Lifespan: 6 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Arboreal spiders and insects
- Substrate: Any mulch-type substrate like coconut fiber, dampened sphagnum moss, or bark
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
These treefrogs are endemic to the United States, living in swamps, wetlands, and temperate forests.
They are typically a mottled gray, varying from light to dark, with a green or brownish dorsal coloration on their backs and white spots under the eyes. Their color may change depending on temperature and activity.
They also have bulging eyes with rounded snouts.
They are not typically kept as pets but can be found by dedicated breeders.
12. Bullfrog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Ranidae
- Scientific Name: Lithobates catesbeianus
- Common Names: American Bullfrog
- Adult Size: 8 inches
- Lifespan: 7 to 10 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 20 to 30 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Crustaceans, insects, fish eggs, salamanders, snakes, worms, and other frogs as well as tadpoles.
- Substrate: Rocks and gravel
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 75 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit
Bullfrogs are typically brownish-green or just green, but the shade of color they are may vary from light to dark.
They are great swimmers with long, powerful back legs.
These frogs make popular pets and can easily be found at any pet store or you can also find a reputable breeder if you are looking for unique bullfrogs such as the albino bullfrog.
13. Northern Leopard Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Family: Ranidae
- Scientific Name: Lithobates pipiens or Rana pipiens
- Adult Size: 2.4 to 4.3 inches
- Lifespan: 5 to 8 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 to 20 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Snails, slugs, leeches, flies, moths, worms, and insect larvae.
- Substrate: At least 2 to 3 inches of organic potting soil, soil and peat moss mixture, reptile bark, sphagnum moss.
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: 50% to 70%
These frogs can be found in the Northern parts of North America, which is how they got their name.
They are typically brown or green on their backs with large, round, dark spots with a lighter-colored outline. Their undersides are typically white or cream in color.
This species of Leopard Frog is the most popular pet due to its bright green appearance and leopard-like spots, which is how they got their name.
14. Southern Leopard Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Family: Ranidae
- Scientific Name: Lithobates sphenocephalus
- Adult Size: 2 to 3.5 inches
- Lifespan: 3 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 to 20 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Smaller invertebrates, terrestrial arthropods, and sometimes smaller vertebrates.
- Substrate: At least 2 to 3 inches of organic potting soil, soil and peat moss mixture, reptile bark, sphagnum moss.
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: 50% to 70%
Leopard Frogs are all relatively easy to care for and will only need some regular maintenance, which will take some time out of your day at least once a week.
They are typically brown or green on their backs with large, round, dark spots with a lighter-colored outline. Their undersides are typically white or cream in color, but not as prominently as the Northern Leopard Frog.
15. Northern Cricket Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Hylidae
- Scientific Name: Acris crepitans
- Common Name: Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
- Adult Size: 0.75 to 1.5 inches
- Lifespan: 4 to 6 months
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Insects; especially loves mosquitoes
- Substrate: Moist organic soil
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 75 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit
These small frogs are light brown, tan, with random green coloration, usually at the top of their back and either brown or white spots randomly placed on some individuals.
They will sometimes resemble toads and sound somewhat similar to a bird.
They prefer to inhabit areas near lakes in the United States or Northern Mexico.
16. Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Scaphiopodidae
- Scientific Name: Scaphiopus holbrookii
- Adult Size: 1.6 to 3.1 inches
- Lifespan: 5 to 9 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 Gallons per frog
- Diet: Insects, arachnids, invertebrates, and also insect larvae.
- Substrate: Dry soils like sand or sandy loam
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit
These are some of the least understood species of toads because not only are they rare to find, they like to spend their time burrowing, hidden from where they can be found.
These frogs are typically dark brown with yellow spots scattered along their bumpy skin. They have a cream underside, bright yellow eyes, and almost spade-like elliptical pupils.
People who have encountered them swear that they smell like peanut butter.
17. Fowler’s Toad
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Bufonidae
- Scientific Name: Anaxyrus fowleri
- Adult Size: 2 to 3.7 inches
- Lifespan: About 5 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 to 20 gallons per frog
- Diet: Small terrestrial invertebrates and insects
- Substrate: Sand, bedrock, and sparse
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: Around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: 60% to 70%
These frogs may vary from shades of gray, brown, and might even be very light in color. They have warts and several dark spots and some individuals may have blotches of green as well.
They have dry skin with warts and also very short legs.
They are related to the American Toad, but will actually go out of their way to avoid earthworms, which is the American Toads’ favorite.
They can be found throughout the eastern states of the United States.
18. American Toad
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Beginner
- Family: Bufonidae
- Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus
- Common Names: Eastern American Toad
- Adult Size: 2 to 4.25 inches
- Lifespan: 10 years or more
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 15 to 20 gallons per toad
- Diet: Insects and invertebrates
- Substrate: Coconut husk fiber, unfertilized peat moss, leaf litter, or cypress mulch
- UVB Lighting: Need a lower UVB 2.0 bulb for at least 12 hours
- Tank Temperature: 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
- Tank Humidity: At least 60%
These toads are typically brown or gray, whereas some individuals may be tan, olive, or brick red. They are short-legged, stout, and have thick skin covered in warts.
They can be found in both the Eastern United States and Canada. They are commonly found in gardens.
They feed from early morning all the way until evening and if they run into a predator, they puff up or inflate themselves in order to look inedible.
These guys are popular pets because they are quite cute-looking, are simple to care for, and aren’t picky eaters.
19. Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Intermediate
- Family: Microhylidae
- Scientific Name: Gastrophryne carolinensis
- Adult Size: 1 to 2.1 inches
- Lifespan: 6 years
- Poisonous: No
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 to 20 gallons per toad
- Diet: Mainly ants, but will also eat smaller beetles and termites.
- Substrate: Sand
- UVB Lighting: Not needed, but can benefit from lower UVB 2.0 bulb and hides to escape light.
- Tank Temperature: 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit
These pot-bellied, guitar pick-shaped toads have almost turtle-like heads with a pointed snout and folded skin behind their eyes. They are typically gray, brown, or almost red with darker dorsal markings as well.
While they aren’t inherently poisonous, they do have a toxin mucus they can excrete from their skin which can cause irritation to any animal that touches them.
They are not beginner-friendly pets since they suffer from loss of habitat and are not tolerant of being captive. They also will need to be misted regularly since they need to have a relatively moist environment.
Check out this link to learn more about how to care for this toad in captivity:
https://www.tomsbirdfeeders.com/How-to-Keep-Narrow-mouthed-Toads-in-Captivity_b_13.html
20. Pickerel Frog
Quick Facts
- Experience Level: Intermediate
- Family: Ranidae
- Scientific Name: Lithobates palustris
- Adult Size: 1.75 to 3.5 inches
- Lifespan: 5 to 8 years
- Poisonous: Yes
Quick Care Requirements
- Tank Size: 10 to 20 gallons per frog
- Diet: Small invertebrates, insects, and spiders.
- UVB Lighting: Not needed
These small frogs can range from a tan, gray, brown, to olive green color with two rows of seemingly “drawn-on”, messy, dark brown squares. These squares also have a black outline to them.
It is important to keep in mind that these frogs are toxic. They produce a toxic mucus that seeps out of their skin.
While it will irritate humans and house pets, it can definitely harm and be fatal to smaller animals.
While these guys could make interesting pets, they are quite high-strung and need lots of space. They are easily stressed and must be housed alone since they will not get along with tankmates.
They are also semi-aquatic, meaning they will need both a terrestrial as well as an aquatic side to each half of their tank.
Here’s more information on how to care for a Pickerel Frog: https://www.animalspot.net/pickerel-frog.html
Conclusion
Whether you are an Illinois resident or are visiting, we hope that we covered for our fellow frog enthusiasts of the state.
There are many interesting varieties of species native to the area, meaning nature walks will be a little funner when you can identify what you might find!
As for potential pet owners, now you know a little more about the native frogs and toads of your state.
Leave us a comment down below if we missed anything or if you have any other questions for us. You can even just comment on your experiences with caring for any of these species of amphibians.
Nearby states
- Frogs in Indiana
- Frogs in Iowa
- Frogs in Kentucky
- Frogs in Michigan
- Frogs in Missouri
- Frogs in Wisconsin