# Ceratophrys cranwelli



## Arachnophilist (Sep 25, 2006)

Does anyone keep this species? if so could you share your experiences with them? and any tips or tricks for keeping a happy healthy Horned Frog? any input is appreciated.


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## nickbachman (Sep 26, 2006)

i have a good bit of experience wtih cranwelli.  i have a couple of them right now, a ~3.5" and a ~2 incher.  they're gorgeous animals.  keep them on a couple inches deep of coconut fibre, so accidental ingestion of the substrate doesnt have as an adverse effect as gravel or bark chips would.  a dish of water (with water no deeper than the frog's nostrils when it's at rest), maybe some moss, a good amount of humidity, and ~80 degrees daytime and 75 at night will make for one happy cranwelli.  also, lots of food.  they'll eat anything.  a varied diet of crickets, nightcrawlers, mealworms, waxworms, fish, and the occassional mouse will be good.  as far as fish go, they say livebearers like mollies and platies are best, but i use goldfish on my pyxie frog and havent seen any bad effects.  lately i've been doing a mouse a week, which is quite fatty, but they seem to enjoy it.  i wont keep it up like that forever, just to fatten them up for now.  here's a pic of my littlest cranwelli right after i got him and some video links to both my cranwelli eating mice.  







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enVMjh1Lk9I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgE9StJ_dlk


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## Stylopidae (Sep 26, 2006)

I have a unique experience with this animal. Mine has lost any interest in insects or prekilled food, including hissing cockroaches (I'm hoping discoids will change this) so I feed mine a couple of pinkies/fuzzies once a month and he's doing fine.

He's kept at room temp, about 70* and has yet to go into brumation. Although mine has a waterdish, I've never seen him use it so I just keep the substrate moist.

Do NOT feed soley fish, as they have an enzyme that disolves vitamin B and they will die as a result.

Calcicoat for younguns, vitamin coat occasionally for the older ones and feed the occasional mouse. These are hardy animals that thrive in captivity


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## Lestat_tnt (Sep 26, 2006)

Here is my albino horned frog. They are very hardy, and can go without food for long periods. I have had mine for almost 2 years. Not sure of its age.


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## nickbachman (Sep 26, 2006)

lestat, i didnt even know you had a cranwelli.  maybe i did, but i sure forgot.  i'd REALLY like to see pics of each of your frogs, with their age and size written along with the pics.  that'd be amazing.


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## Philth (Sep 26, 2006)

Im sure I could look it up myself, but since Im here...Do these frogs require UVB lighting?

later, Tom


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## P. Novak (Nov 23, 2006)

Lestat_tnt said:


> Here is my albino horned frog. They are very hardy, and can go without food for long periods. I have had mine for almost 2 years. Not sure of its age.


Wow whats the size of that pacman? That thing looks huge, what size did you have it at when you bought it? Right now I have one that is about 1" to 1.5" across. Thanks

Oh and about handling them, is it ok? I mean with gloves, or washing our hands prior to handling? Thanks


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## Shelob (Nov 23, 2006)

I strongly recommend UVB lighting unless your frog gets onto mice, then you should be good because of the calicium within the mice's skeleton.


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## Scorpendra (Nov 24, 2006)

guessing that's why mine croaked. *shot*


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## Mushroom Spore (Nov 25, 2006)

Novak said:


> Oh and about handling them, is it ok?


You know they'll just try to eat your hands, right?


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## P. Novak (Nov 25, 2006)

Mushroom Spore said:


> You know they'll just try to eat your hands, right?



Lol not my littler guy/gal, shes too small, barely able to fit her little mouth around my finger if she tried.


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## Frogsarethapoop (Nov 25, 2006)

I handle all of mine on a regular basis. That albino in the picture posted looks obese. Generally, the rule of thumb is that if a horned frog is wider than it is long, then it is obese. I have the obesity problem with one of my horned frogs (the only one that I feed mice too). I don't feed the others mice because the fact that mice are way too fatty, and not healthy for a horned frog.


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## Stylopidae (Nov 25, 2006)

I love pacmans...for them mice, roaches, cars, planes, people...it's all on the menu


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## LeilaNami (Nov 28, 2006)

The little ones are so cute! With that fat little body they look like jelly beans!


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## Thoth (Nov 28, 2006)

As far as I have read UVB is not necessary for any amphibian species, The only reason we and some other animals need UV exposure is to synthesize vitamin D, necessary for calcium metabolism.

Just make sure the substrate is deep enough to completely bury themselves in. Mine likes to stay buried only coming out to feed and then burrowing again. I keep mine on peat moss.

Thiaminase, what breaks down vitamin B, is found only in some fish species, goldfish are one
here is a more complete list (of those with and without thiaminase) (just click on arrows on the top to flip to the next page):
http://newton.nap.edu/books/030903325X/html/64.html


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## LeilaNami (Nov 28, 2006)

Thoth said:


> As far as I have read UVB is not necessary for any amphibian species, The only reason we and some other animals need UV exposure is to synthesize vitamin D, necessary for calcium metabolism.
> 
> Just make sure the substrate is deep enough to completely bury themselves in. Mine likes to stay buried only coming out to feed and then burrowing again. I keep mine on peat moss.
> 
> ...


UVB may not be necessary but it _is_ beneficial.


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## Thoth (Nov 28, 2006)

LeilaNami said:


> UVB may not be necessary but it _is_ beneficial.


Thanks, forgot to add that.


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## LeilaNami (Dec 5, 2006)

actually C. cranwelli is the Chacoan horned frog and the C. ornata is considered the pacman I believe.


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## nickbachman (Dec 5, 2006)

"pacman" is just a name given to both ornata and cranwelli by the pet industry to help sell them, and because of their eating behaviour.  ornate horned frog is the name given to C. ornata.


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## LeilaNami (Dec 6, 2006)

nickbachman said:


> "pacman" is just a name given to both ornata and cranwelli by the pet industry to help sell them, and because of their eating behaviour.  ornate horned frog is the name given to C. ornata.


Ah I see. Thanks for clearing that up.


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## Philth (Dec 6, 2006)

> Quote:
> Originally Posted by LeilaNami
> UVB may not be necessary but it is beneficial.
> 
> Thanks, forgot to add that.



Whats the difference between necessary and beneficial?  Why would I not want my captive animal to have all the necessary benefits of UVB?:? 

How is it beneficial to the frog to have UVB?

Sorry for my lack of frog knowledge.  Later , Tom


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## Shelob (Dec 6, 2006)

Philth said:


> Whats the difference between necessary and beneficial?  Why would I not want my captive animal to have all the necessary benefits of UVB?:?
> 
> How is it beneficial to the frog to have UVB?
> 
> Sorry for my lack of frog knowledge.  Later , Tom


UVB lighting is used in the body along with D3 to build bone structure.


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## Thoth (Dec 7, 2006)

Shelob said:


> UVB lighting is used in the body along with D3 to build bone structure.


The body uses UVB to synthesize vit.D3 which is needed for calcium absorbtion, but nocturnal animals do not need UVB to be able to synthesize it. Humans suffer from rickets if they don't get enough D3

So its not necessary, i.e. animal won't suffer MBD or other related health issue, but some breeders/keepers state that even though UVB is not necesary for D3 synthesis exposure to it improved the animals' appetite, color and general health.


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## Shelob (Dec 7, 2006)

Thoth said:


> The body uses UVB to synthesize vit.D3 which is needed for calcium absorbtion, but nocturnal animals do not need UVB to be able to synthesize it. Humans suffer from rickets if they don't get enough D3
> 
> So its not necessary, i.e. animal won't suffer MBD or other related health issue, but some breeders/keepers state that even though UVB is not necesary for D3 synthesis exposure to it improved the animals' appetite, color and general health.


So the question then becomes - are horned frogs nocturnal?  

Well even that isn't the question because realistically, even if they aren't (I don't think they are nocturnal) they cover 95% of their body with substrate/dirt, so there is little skin to absorb the UVB.

Oh well, I used it on my pacs just to be safe, always err on the side of caution with pets!


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## dtknow (Dec 8, 2006)

If you give them Calcium with VitD3 their is no need for UV.


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## LeilaNami (Dec 8, 2006)

dtknow said:


> If you give them Calcium with VitD3 their is no need for UV.


Reptiles and amphibians should always be given a calcium supplement regardless.


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## CopperInMyVeins (Dec 12, 2006)

Shelob said:


> So the question then becomes - are horned frogs nocturnal?
> 
> Well even that isn't the question because realistically, even if they aren't (I don't think they are nocturnal) they cover 95% of their body with substrate/dirt, so there is little skin to absorb the UVB.
> 
> Oh well, I used it on my pacs just to be safe, always err on the side of caution with pets!


Horned frogs are nocturnal, so are African Bullfrogs, and many other frog species in the pet trade.  In this case, the purpose of using a light during the day is as much just to give a defined day and night as anything else.


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