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 Pet Central
Q&A
Q: I think owning
a frog would be fun. Is there a starter frog you can recommend? By the
way, I prefer a frog that doesn't eat crickets because I can't stand the
thought of keeping those things in our house. -- A.F., Chicago, Ill.
A: Most kinds
of frogs eat insects in the wild and depend on cricket cuisine in captivity.
However, Philippe de Vosjoli, president of the American Federation of
Herpetoculturists, has come up with three kinds of frogs that don't require
crickets.
Clawed frogs,
native to Africa, are strictly aquatic and can live in a relatively small
aquarium because they grow to only 4 inches. Fish food supplemented with
occasional meat (they prefer their beef lean, says de Vosjoli) will suffice.
However, don't keep small fish in the aquarium with your pet frog because
the fish will become lunch.
Argentine horned
frogs are named for their petite, fleshy horns. They are more terrestrial
than many frogs, requiring a gravel substrate with a pan of water nearby.
These 6-inch frogs enjoy small fish hors d'oeuvres, with a mouse as the
main course. The average horned frog will eat one mouse every 7-10 days.
Budgett's frog
is also from Argentina and can be kept in a bowl with shallow water and
gravel. They survive in captivity on "feeder" goldfish, and will grow
to about 4 inches.
Both of the Argentinian
species require warm places and probably a low wattage heat lamp. They
both like to eat; they'll even chomp on human fingers if you let them.
De Vosjoli notes that all three frog species are bred in captivity and
available at many pet stores that carry amphibians.
By the way, de
Vosjoli happens to be working on a book about frogs, which should hop
onto the market by next summer (to be published by Advance Vivarium Systems,
Santee, Calif.).
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