AMPHIBIAN HUSBANDRY

Husbandry is the care and maintenance of your pet, and this is a very important part of captive amphibian care. Amphibians have not had the thousands of years of domestication that dogs and cats have had to develop into a pet. As a result, they are truly wild and need to be handled as such. The majority of health problems we see captive amphibians for revolve around nutrition and cage life. A well maintained environment helps keep your pet free of parasites, encourages normal eating and stimulates normal behavior.

Diet – General

• Offer a variety of appropriate foods.
• Increase nutritional value during winter by "gut loading" meal worms, super worms, or wax worms in nutrient-rich medias.
• Crickets should be fed for 3 days on 4 parts laying mash to 1 part calcium carbonate or a commercial cricket diet. An organic formulated avian diet has also been successfully used.

Diet- Salamanders

• Insects, invertebrates, earthworms, slugs
• Terrestrial: aphids, fruit flies, caterpillars
• Aquatic: tubiflex worms, daphnia, freshwater shrimp, earthworm and insect larvae
  

Diet-Frogs & Toads

• More terrestrial species are insectivorous: fruit flies, crickets,meal worms, tubiflex worms, fish, or commercially prepared diet
• Large toads may eat mice, rat pups
• Aquatic species: insects, earthworms, fish, crayfish, meal worms, tubiflex worms, fish, or commercially prepared diet
• Feed in the water

Diet – Tadpoles

• Feed filamentous algae – grows "spontaneously" in a tub of water left in the sunlight.
• Boiled dark greens may be substituted short-term for algae
• Vitamin C is essential in tadpole diets.
• Feed frequently or they will cannibalize each other
• Stop feeding as their legs emerge and mouth widens
• 30% dry weight protein gives optimal weight gain.

Housing

Optimal Environmental Conditions:

• Temperate species salamanders: 50-61ºF (some believe that in temperatures above 68ºF they can't eat enough to maintain body weight); Tropical salamanders 59-68ºF (+ very high humidity).
• Temperate Frogs: 68-77ºF; Tropical Frogs 77-86ºF.
• Monitor both air and water habitats for temperature; monitor air humidity.
• Aquarium heaters are suitable for water heating. Reptile under/side tank style heaters work well for "land" section.
• Avoid sunlight/heat lamps – may decrease humidity and dry out your pet.
• Full spectrum lighting on timer; nonbreeding cycle = 14 hr light, 10 hr dark.
• Maintain aquatic & larval forms in dechlorinated water.
• Optimal pH of water varies with species and stage of development; usually 6.5-8.5.
• Water quality, cleanliness are essential; standard fish filtration systems adequate only for "gilled" amphibians; all others need daily entire water change. Siphon from the bottom to remove particulates, feces, and debris.
• Frequency of water changes increased if biomass of system is high (lots of waste material, uneaten foods).
• Always wear gloves and face protection while cleaning amphibian tanks to prevent zoonotic disease exposure.

Segments of information above from: Exotic Companion Medicine Handbook

The Animal Health Clinic recommends annual wellness visits for all amphibians. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at: 701-237-9310