Colour & specimen: Colouration and pattern can vary between individual animals and may shift with lighting, temperature, humidity, mood and shedding cycle. You will not receive this exact animal pictured; the one you receive will be a similar size, colour and condition.
WA & TAS orders: state biosecurity regulations restrict which live animals can be sent to Western Australia and Tasmania — please check what we can send to you before ordering. See delivery info
Green and Golden Bell FrogRanoidea aurea
The Green and Golden Bell Frog is one of Australia's largest and most striking frogs, a bold, semi-aquatic species that spends much of its time in and around water rather than in the trees. Its appetite and character make it a rewarding keep for the amphibian enthusiast.
Natural Habitat
Green and Golden Bell Frogs live around still and slow-moving water in coastal south-eastern Australia, favouring ponds, wetlands, ditches and reed-fringed margins where they bask by day and hunt by night. Natural origin for this listing is coastal south-eastern Australia. The enclosure should recreate that semi-aquatic setting with a large body of clean water, a planted land area, gentle basking sites and dense marginal cover.
Appearance
A healthy specimen is robust and alert, with clear eyes, clean skin and strong hind limbs. Bell Frogs are brilliant green marked with irregular gold, bronze and cream blotches, a pale stripe along each side and a flash of blue-green in the thighs and groin. Adult size is generally 6.5–11 cm, with females noticeably larger, so the animal should never be purchased only for its current size.
Temperament and Compatibility
Temperament is best described as bold and active, an assertive feeder that often stays visible by day. This species is cannibalistic and readily eats smaller frogs, so it is best kept alone or only with individuals of closely matched size; different species must never be combined and any size mismatch should be separated at once.
Feeding
Feed as a carnivore and insectivore; a varied diet of appropriately sized crickets, woodroaches, worms and other gut-loaded invertebrates, with larger adults taking bigger items. Feed juveniles daily and adults every two to three days, dusting with a calcium supplement at most feeds and a vitamin supplement periodically. Avoid overfeeding, and remove uneaten prey.
Care Requirements
House in a semi-aquatic terrarium or paludarium of at least 60 x 45 x 45 cm for one or two, with a generous water body and a planted land area, and larger recommended for a group. No strong basking spot is required; keep days around 20–28°C with a natural cooler drop at night. Low-level UVB is beneficial for this partly day-active frog. Keep humidity high and the water clean and dechlorinated, filtered or changed frequently. Provide live or artificial planting, gentle land access, and a secure lid, as Bell Frogs are strong jumpers; spot-clean and maintain water quality regularly.
Breeding
Bell Frogs are egg-layers, cycled with a cooler winter followed by warm, wet spring and summer conditions. The female lays a floating raft of eggs in the water among vegetation, and the aquatic tadpoles are raised in clean, warm, well-oxygenated water until metamorphosis. Breeding is achievable for a dedicated keeper with a well-established semi-aquatic setup.
Species Information
| Scientific Name | Ranoidea aurea |
| Common Name | Green and Golden Bell Frog |
| Origin | Ponds and wetlands of coastal south-eastern Australia |
| Maximum Size | 6.5–11 cm |
| Lifespan | 10–15 years |
| Temperament | Bold and active; cannibalistic towards smaller frogs |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Minimum Enclosure Size | 60 x 45 x 45 cm, semi-aquatic, for one or two |
| Recommended Enclosure Size | 90 x 45 x 45 cm or larger paludarium |
| Diet | Carnivore and insectivore - gut-loaded insects and worms |
| Basking Temperature | Not required |
| Ambient Temperature | 20–28°C day, cooler at night |
| UVB Required | Yes — UV Index 1.0–2.0 at basking + 5% UVB (T5 HO fluorescent) — this species baskets openly in full sun - higher UVB than typical Australian frogs |
| Humidity | High, with a large clean water body |
| Suitable For | Keepers wanting a bold, semi-aquatic Australian frog |
| Licence Required | Yes - reptile keeper's licence in most Australian states |
Suitable Tank Mates
Only other Green and Golden Bell Frogs of closely matched size, in a large enough enclosure with ample feeding space. Many keepers house this species singly to avoid any risk.
Avoid Keeping With
Do not house with smaller frogs of any kind, which will be eaten, or with other frog species, fish, reptiles or invertebrates. Never mix wild-caught and captive animals to avoid spreading disease.
Size options reflect the sizes we stock; any shown as sold out will return as we restock. Australian livestock for in-store collection or local delivery, with our live arrival guarantee. A reptile keeper's licence is required to buy and keep native reptiles and amphibians in most Australian states - please ensure you hold the appropriate licence for your state before purchasing.
Check compatibility
Most reptiles and frogs are solitary and shouldn't be housed together without species-specific advice — even similar-looking animals can stress or injure each other. Check this species' care sheet above, or contact us before combining species in one enclosure.
Is your enclosure ready?
Is your enclosure ready?
A few quick checks before you buy save most of the common problems with new reptiles and frogs.
Size for the adult, not the juvenile
Check the species page for adult size and minimum enclosure size, and set up for what this animal will grow into — not what it looks like today.
Heating & temperature zones
Set up proper heating on a thermostat before your animal arrives, with the correct hot and cool zone temperatures for the species — check the species page for the exact range.
UVB lighting
Most reptiles need the correct UVB tube for their species. Replace tubes on the manufacturer's schedule even if they still look fine — UVB output drops off well before the globe visibly fails.
Humidity & misting
Dial in humidity and, if the species needs it, a misting routine before your animal arrives rather than adjusting it after.
Licence & permits
Keeping a native Australian species requires a valid wildlife licence. We can't dispatch until your licence and any required permits are verified, so sort this out before you order.
Full details: see our Reptile & Amphibian Purchasing Policy and our Reptile Care Sheets for species-specific setup guides.
Delivery options
Where we ship
We are based in Brisbane and ship live fish and corals to most of Australia. Some states have import rules that may affect what we can send and the cost.
- Western Australia: Import requirements and fees may apply. Read first.
- Tasmania: Import requirements and fees may apply. Read first.
- Northern Territory: May require a permit and be subject to quarantine.
- Regional and remote areas: Carrier options can be limited, which may affect service and transit time.
If you are unsure we can reach your location, please contact us before ordering.
Airport to Airport (Toll Air Express)
Air freight from our local airport to your destination airport.
- Cost: $100
- Transit: Up to 16 hours
- DOA cover: Yes
- Dispatch: Thursday night for Friday airport pickup. Order by Thursday.
Priority Same Day Airport to Airport
Fast air freight from our local airport to your destination airport, available on request.
- Cost: $185
- Transit: Up to 12 hours
- DOA cover: Yes
- Dispatch: Monday to Thursday. Contact us to arrange.
Door to Door (Toll Priority)
We collect from our store and deliver directly to your address.
- Cost: $100
- Transit: 24 to 48 hours
- DOA cover: No
- Dispatch: Order by 6am on the day of dispatch. Orders after this cut off move to the next dispatch day.
Star Track Priority (Door to Door)
Combined road and air freight, delivered to your door.
- Cost: $55
- Transit: 24 to 72 hours
- DOA cover: No
- Dispatch: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Order by 10am on the day of dispatch.
A note on timing: All transit times are estimates and can vary with your location, the weather, and carrier schedules. Regional and remote areas may take longer. To give your livestock the safest trip, please order early in the week.
Packed Safe
Secure, Ventilated Boxes
Each animal travels in a secure, well-ventilated box or breathable bag appropriate to its species and size, so it stays safely contained with adequate airflow for the whole journey — a different process to how we pack fish, corals and plants.
No Room to Move
Any empty space inside the box is filled with packing materials such as paper or bubble wrap, so containers stay secure and can't shift in transit.
Clearly Labelled
Every box is sealed with our custom packing tape and clearly labelled as livestock, so freight handlers know exactly what they're carrying.
When Your Animal Arrives
Please collect your animal promptly on arrival and allow it to settle quietly in its prepared enclosure before handling.
Questions about packing or shipping to your area? Email us at sales@nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au — we're always happy to talk through it before you order.
Arrive Alive Guarantee
Arrive Alive Guarantee (DOA & DAA)
Reptiles and frogs are covered by the same Arrive Alive Guarantee as the rest of our livestock. This applies to air freight shipments only.
Dead on Arrival (DOA)
If your animal arrives deceased, take clear photos or video in the sealed, unopened travel box or bag, and send your claim by email or text message within 4 hours of receiving your order. Claims by Facebook Messenger or phone cannot be accepted, and claims made after 4 hours may be declined. Please include your name, order number, approximate time received, and details of the animal affected.
Death After Arrival (DAA)
DAA cover extends up to 12 hours after airport pickup. Clear photos or video are required, submitted within 24 hours of delivery, and the animal must have been housed in a fully set up, correctly heated enclosure.
If your claim is approved
We will offer store credit or a replacement of the same item, subject to availability. Shipping charges and fees are non-refundable.
To keep your cover valid
Be present at the airport or at home to receive your order, and collect it promptly. Animals left unattended, returned to a depot, or delayed in collection may void cover. We can only ship to a valid residential or business address, not PO boxes or third-party addresses.
7-Day Reptile Health Guarantee
On top of Arrive Alive cover, reptiles get an additional 7-day health guarantee that fish don't have. All reptiles are assessed before sale and confirmed eating, drinking and behaving normally. If a major health issue is confirmed by a vet to have been present before sale, we'll offer a refund or a replacement of equal value.
- Get a full veterinary exam within 7 days of purchase, with a detailed written report — a reptile specialist vet is strongly recommended.
- Vet costs are the buyer's responsibility.
- Not covered: issues caused by incorrect temperature or humidity, enclosure setup, inadequate quarantine, transport stress, or reptile viral diseases (these aren't tested for prior to sale).
Full terms: see our Guarantees & Policies page (sections 1 and 3).
Quarantine
Why quarantine
Quarantining a new reptile or frog in an isolated area away from your existing collection protects the animals you already keep, and gives your new arrival time to settle in without added stress.
Recommended approach
Keep the new animal in a separate room or enclosure from your existing collection, and wash your hands (or change gloves) between handling different animals to avoid cross-contamination.
Vet check
A full veterinary exam within the first week is a good idea for any new reptile or frog, and it's required if you ever need to make a claim under our 7-Day Reptile Health Guarantee.
Full details: see our Reptile Health Guarantee Policy and Reptile Care Sheets.
Acclimation
Before your animal arrives
The enclosure must be fully set up and running at the correct temperature, UVB output and humidity before your animal comes home — not almost set up, fully running and verified with thermometers. An animal arriving into an enclosure that's still warming up, or with an untested UVB lamp, starts its time with you under unnecessary stress.
Settling in
Place your animal directly into its enclosure as calmly and quickly as possible, with minimal handling. Leave it completely undisturbed for five to seven days — no handling, no rearranging, no repeatedly opening the enclosure to check on it (brief visual checks from a distance are fine). Hold off feeding for the first 48 to 72 hours, and keep the room quiet during this period — noise, vibration and foot traffic near the enclosure all delay settling.
Frogs
Frogs absorb water and chemicals directly through their skin, so never handle a frog with dry hands or hands with soap, sunscreen, insect repellent or lotion on them — use clean, wet, powder-free hands or powder-free gloves. Always dechlorinate any water that goes into a frog enclosure, including misting water. The five-to-seven-day settling-in rule applies especially firmly to frogs, and most will spend the first several days hidden and motionless — this is normal.
Axolotls
Axolotls need cool water between 14 and 18°C and start experiencing serious stress above 20°C — anything above 22°C is dangerous. Confirm your tank temperature is in range with a thermometer before your axolotl arrives, and dechlorinate all water, since their permeable skin absorbs substances directly from it.
Full details: see our Acclimation Guide for species-specific setup, and our Reptile Care Sheets and Frog Care Sheets.
Complete the setup
Everything your new arrival needs from day one










