Keeping Frogs & Tadpoles

Collecting and Keeping Frogs and Tadpoles in Queensland (as of July, 2020)

The Queensland Frog Society does not support keeping frogs or tadpoles in captivity. Whilst we do however recognise the educational value of children raising tadpoles to witness the transformation from tadpole to frog, the rules and permits regulating this activity are changing.

A new licensing framework for the keeping of protected animals (including frogs) for commercial and recreational purposes will be introduced by the QLD Government in August 2020. If you have or intend to keep, breed or trade a protected animal in Queensland you need to make sure you understand the new requirements. Note, there will be no immediate impact or requirement on current commercial and recreational animal licence holders. Your current licence and its conditions will remain valid for the term of your licence. You can choose to apply for a new licence from August 2020 or transition to a new licence when your existing licence expires.

The new licensing arrangements have been designed to better reflect the current state of the wildlife keeping industry and will assist wildlife keepers to better understand their obligations. The distinction of commercial purposes and recreational purposes under the new licences will be based on the number and type of animals being kept, levels of breeding and trading undertaken, and animal welfare considerations.

Licences are valid for 5 years and include Standard, Specialised and Advanced Licences, each with increasing cost.

A list of Class 1 and Class 2 species able to be kept under these licences is available here.

New online reporting will also be introduced once these new licences are applied for.

Finally, it is important to note that whilst taking of least concern amphibians for recreational purposes has been previously unregulated, a licence will now be required to remove these animals from their natural environment and they will only be able to be purchased from a licenced seller.

Further details and information can be found under the Review of protected animals management framework.