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I'm not going to cover
everything about frogs and toads as pets in detail on these
pages but will include a list of links that may be helpful as
well, as the end of this page.
I also found this warning and
need to include it on these pages - Amphibians, including frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders, can
transmit salmonellosis. Some cases may cause severe
illness, hospitalization and even death in susceptible people
such as children under 5, the elderly, and people who have
lowered natural resistance to disease due to pregnancy, cancer,
chemotherapy, organ transplants, diabetes, liver problems or
other diseases.
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QUICK
FACTS: |
Life Span - 4 - 15
years depending on the type
Care - Medium Maintenance
Food - Frog food, insects, pinkie mice
Housing - Aquarium with cover, light for heating
Licence -
You might need a licence in you live in
Australia
Danger - Avoid handling to prevent disease
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GENERAL
INFO:
Frogs come in many shapes
and colours - and they can be a
unique and interesting pet.
However, there are many different species of frog and their care
requirements vary dramatically, so before getting a frog you
will want to research what is available and what species of frog
best matches the home you can provide.
Keep in mind that a frog is not is
not going to be a low maintenance pet. They are often not
terribly active so they don't need huge terrariums, but their
tanks may need frequent cleaning. Some frogs are quite
long-lived too, so be sure you can provide a long term
commitment before getting a frog.
As with any other kind of
pet, doing lots of research prior to deciding on the type of
frog that best suits your needs is the best way to make sure you
and your frog will be happy.
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SETTING UP THE
TANK: |
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Take into account the fully grown size of frogs. Some of
the smallest frogs you might see in a pet store grow into
giants. Sometimes their name adds to the confused
expectations -- "pixie" frogs, which sound like they should
be small, are actually African bullfrogs which grow to be
8-9 inches long and very fat. They get their cute name from
their latin name, Pyxicephalus adspersus.
So you don't want to suddenly find you need a whole new
home!!
- The type of tank you set up will depend
on the type of frog- aquatic, terrestrial, arboreal, or semi-aquatic (or
half land and half water, which is probably the trickiest to
set up and one of the most common types of tank needed for
frogs).
- Does the frog need to
hibernate? You will need to make provision for this when
setting up its home.
- Avoid using tap water for your frog tank, as chlorine
and fluoride are present in tap water, and can disturb the
ph balance. You can remove the chlorine from water by
letting it sit for 24 hours before putting it in the tank.
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PRO & CONS: |
Frogs in captivity are quite
long lived (with proper care), so be prepared for a long
term commitment. Average life spans are typically 4-15
years, although some have been known to live longer.
Keeping frogs' enclosures
clean can be a lot of work. Many frogs have fairly simple
light, temperature, and humidity requirements, but they are
very sensitive to contaminants and waste in their
environment.
Some people find frogs
boring, though some of the smaller frogs are quite active.
However, many of the larger frogs are quite sedentary and
don't move around much.
You need to handle insects to
feed most frogs. Some of the larger frogs will even eat
pinkie mice.
It can be difficult to find
someone to care for your frogs if you plan on travelling at
all (keeping in mind you could have your frog for years, you
may eventually need someone to look after your frogs for a
significant length of time).
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LINKS
& RESOURCES:
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