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