{"id":4316,"date":"2014-10-04T03:18:33","date_gmt":"2014-10-04T03:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lafeber.com\/staging\/vet\/?p=4316"},"modified":"2016-02-01T17:04:09","modified_gmt":"2016-02-01T17:04:09","slug":"basic-information-giant-african-bullfrog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/vet\/basic-information-giant-african-bullfrog\/","title":{"rendered":"Basic Information Sheet: Giant African Bullfrog"},"content":{"rendered":"

Giant African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus<\/em>)<\/h1>\n

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Natural history<\/h2>\n

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The African bullfrog lives in a variety of arid and semiarid habitats in central and southern Africa. This frog has long ridges on the skin of its back and a huge head.<\/p>\n

The pet trade is supplied by captive-bred and wild-caught specimens. African bullfrogs are often called “pixie” frogs, derived from their genus, not their size. It is theorized that a number of different subspecies or species are now sold in the trade as African bullfrogs.<\/p>\n

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Taxonomy<\/h2>\n

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\nClass<\/strong>: Amphibia<\/em><\/p>\n

Order<\/strong>: Anura<\/em><\/p>\n

Family<\/strong>: Ranidae<\/em><\/p>\n

Bullfrogs, leopard frogs, rice paddy frogs<\/p>\n

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Color and Size<\/h2>\n

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African bullfrogs are olive green in color. The males have a yellow or orange throat, while female throats are cream-colored. Females may also retain the dorsal yellow stripe seen in the juvenile.<\/p>\n

African bullfrogs are large, often weighing more than 2\u00a0kg (4.4\u00a0lbs). Males may reach 20-25 cm (8-10 in) in length. Females are typically half this size.<\/p>\n

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Diet<\/h2>\n

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Feed adult bullfrogs insects such as locusts, crickets, cockroaches, mealworms, moths, beetles and waxworms, as well as fish, earthworms, and mice. Bullfrogs may also be fed an occasional mouse. Bullfrogs have a voracious appetite and sometimes jump quite high. Since they can mistake fingers for food, they should be fed with tongs.<\/p>\n

Dust invertebrate prey regularly with a vitamin\/mineral supplement.<\/p>\n

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Husbandry<\/h2>\n

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Temperature<\/td>\nProvide a temperature gradient of 77- 82\u00b0F (25-28\u00b0C). Do not use a radiant heat source as these tend to dry amphibian environments.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Water<\/td>\nOffer a large, shallow water dish, in which the bullfrog will spend much of its time, and lightly mist the enclosure regularly. Between mistings the substrate should remain damp, but not water logged.Potential water sources include:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n