Frogs and Toads
Part 3
Herpetoculture
Pensacola Jr College
Hylidae = marsupial
frogs, tree frogs, spring peepers, cricket frogs
Family Hylidae
w Range: N and S America,
Eurasia, Australia
w Physical characteristics:
0.5 3.5 inches long
Flattened slender body
Long legs with webbed feet
Digits: flexible with extra
cartilage, circular disks on tips
Family Hylidae
w Physical characteristics:
Loose belly skin
External small tympanum
No parotid glands
No bicornuate tongue
w Arboreal
w Nocturnal
w Many can change colors
Family Hylidae
w Reproduction:
Congregate, male chorusing
at breeding season
Large numbers of eggs (from
200 in marsupial frog to 1000 in spring peepers) laid in or above water
A few days incubation
Most tadpoles free-swimming
Parental care varies
Southern Cricket
Frog
Little Grass Frog
Mountain Chorus
Frog
Spotted Chorus
Frog
Boreal Chorus Frog
Southern Chorus
Frog
Ornate Chorus Frog
Streckers Chorus
Frog
Western Chorus
Frog
Pacific Chorus
Frog
Lowland Burrowing
Frog
Spring Peeper
Pine Barrens
Treefrog
Green Treefrog
Barking Treefrog
Pine Woods Treefrog
Squirrel Treefrog
Gray Treefrog
Bird-voiced
Treefrog
Canyon Treefrog
Cuban Treefrog
Mexican Treefrog
Dendrobatidae
= poison-arrow /
poison dart frogs
Family
Dendrobatidae
w Range: Central and northern
South America
w Physical characteristics:
0.5 2 inches long
Thin and with more of a
snout than other frogs
Brightly colored smooth skin
Potent skin toxins
Family
Dendrobatidae
w Physical characteristics:
Adhesive disks on fingertips
2 scutes on upper surface of
each toe
Tiny external tympanum
w Diurnal, high activity level
w Terrestrial or partly
arboreal
w Live in tropical rainforests
Family
Dendrobatidae
w Reproduction:
Territorial (both sexes)
with aggressive displays and competition for mates
Few large yolked eggs
(usually 4 6, can be up to 40)
Eggs guarded and moistened
by male or female
2 3 weeks to hatching
Family
Dendrobatidae
w Reproduction:
Tadpoles carried on back of
male or female to water source
10 weeks to metamorphosis
In some species:
individually placed in bromeliad cups, female returns and lays infertile eggs
for tadpoles
Froglets extremely small
Poison-dart frogs
Poison-dart Frogs
Breeding Captive
Anurans
w Determine breeding needs of
individual species:
Habitat / substrate
Social / behavioral
Space considerations
Environmental inducement to
breed (photoperiod, temperature, humidity, rainfall)
Breeding Captive
Anurans
w Maintaining eggs:
Moisture / temp for hatching
Chemicals in water
w Raising tadpoles:
Avoid overcrowding
Water quality
2x / day fed fish flakes,
greens
Water temps for survival,
growth, metamorphosis
Breeding Captive
Anurans
w Raising froglets:
Move to appropriate
substrate at metamorphosis
Consider feeding needs of
smaller frogs
Calcium / D3
supplementation