Ceratophrys ornata
- Thread starter Miz
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Cute frog! He is indeed cool. He won't be a little guy for long, though. You'll be amazed at how fast they grow!
Not that it matters, but he is almost surely a C. cranwelli rather than a C. ornata. I'm pretty sure that Ornates don't come in albino flavors.
Have fun with your frog!
Not that it matters, but he is almost surely a C. cranwelli rather than a C. ornata. I'm pretty sure that Ornates don't come in albino flavors.
Have fun with your frog!
Interesting info indeed. After poking around the net a bit I see that you're right. Thanks for the corrections, guys.
I certainly will have fun, watching him sit like a statue in the little pit he dug into the substrate, lol.
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Well, there is no denying that they aren't the greyhounds of the amphibian world. Except when it comes to grabbing something to eat, that is.
Oh my.... that doesn't sound good at all. Thanks for the heads up. I always appreciate little bits of information like this....Some things just don't turn up when researching care for certain animals. That's why I love this place. Solid, real-time information from experienced keepers. Can't beat it. Again, thanks.
I suppose 100% eco-earth would be my best bet then? I was thinking of having a larger water dish filled with small pebbles and water to take up a good bit of the enclosure, for whenever he wants to soak and whatnot....but would I be running the same risk of impaction with the pebbles? I would hope he wouldn't eat a rock, but I'd rather not risk it if it's a good possibility.
Yep, I usually don't keep anything small enough that fits in it's mouth. If you haven't felt it's tongue yet, it's very sticky so those pebbles will latch on.
You can still use larger pebbles/stones/rocks. Coco fiber is by far the best substrate but you can also use Sphagnum Peat moss. It isn't moss, it's actual dirt. Just make sure to get the organic stuff with no chemicals. This stuff is way cheaper than coco fiber and is just as good, only one downside. This stuff comes with clumps/sticks. I heard of a little trick to solve this; use a bucket/enclosure to catch substrate and sift/strain out the clumps/sticks.
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You can still use larger pebbles/stones/rocks. Coco fiber is by far the best substrate but you can also use Sphagnum Peat moss. It isn't moss, it's actual dirt. Just make sure to get the organic stuff with no chemicals. This stuff is way cheaper than coco fiber and is just as good, only one downside. This stuff comes with clumps/sticks. I heard of a little trick to solve this; use a bucket/enclosure to catch substrate and sift/strain out the clumps/sticks.
If you need any sort of info just post/PM me/sign up here!:
http://fatfrogs.7.forumer.com/index.php
If it can fit in the frogs mouth it's too small. I've seen an x-ray of a pac-man with a very large stone in it that it would never be able to pass. As you say the tongues are very sticky and they tend to swallow first and ask questions later.
Apparently peat moss is too acidic for these frogs. I've never seen anyone recommend it for these species. Coco fibre seems to be the only recommended substrate. HH sells bags containing 3 compressed slab alot cheaper than the bricks.
For really small pac-mans I use a strainer to filter out the long fibres in the coco but when they're bigger it's not an issue.
Same with my LPS. If they're anything like my LPS they probably have sponges or cricket bites as a water source for their arachnids and keep the emperor scorpions on dry cypress mulch and the flat rock scorpions on wet peat.:wall:
We have a BINGO!!!!!!!!!!Some people on that forum I posted use peat moss as their main substrate and have had no ill effects. I think we are just too paranoid about our pet's health.
PS- my most-prized WC green cornuta had a bad impaction from plain-old COCFIBER, it took me 2-3 weeks of warm-water soaks to get it to pass safely.
And some people have raised them on gravel, moss, or cypress mulch with no ill effects.Some people on that forum I posted use peat moss as their main substrate and have had no ill effects. I think we are just too paranoid about our pet's health.
But if your animal was to die over something totally aviodable and known in the hobby to potentially cause problems you'd be kicking yourself.
In the posts I've read regarding peat the general concensus is that it's too acidic and coco is much better ph balanced. These creatures partially breathe and absorb water through their skin and I'm sure they're quite aware of substrates with a ph that is far from neutral.
But yes I agree with you we do go overboard with some of these things but it sure does suck to needlessly lose a prized pet.
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I would suggest checking (at least) daily for feces and removing immediately, as well as churning the substrate 1-2x weekly (at least) to prevent the build-up of anaerobes in the warm, moist, low-oxygen environment. As far as total cleanings, opinions seem to vary. Some folks do it as often as weekly, others do it monthly or less (I am of the "less" crowd). If you are going for fewer full changes, make sure you are very dilligent in spot-cleaning and substrate churning. Personally, I think it is overkill and probably stressful on the frog to remove 100% of the bedding weekly and scrub everything down.
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Periodically I change the substrate immediately surrounding where my frog burrows. I do a complete change over only twice a year. This system seems to work fine for me, the frog has been healthy so far, and the tank smells fresh like damp earth, with no odor of stagnation or waste.
My tank is live planted, so soil churning is a bit problematic. However, I think that the root systems likely help oxygenate the substrate as well as help absorb some waste materials.
One odd thing; I've yet to find any solid waste, even after a pretty thorough examination of the discarded substrate. I check it, because I recycle the coco-fibre. (I can usually only get it thru mail, so it's nearly as easy to rinse it out well with boiling water and re-use it to replenish after spot-cleaning. I use a fresh brick for the complete change-overs.) The frog always has a movement during the soaking he receives while I perform the maintenance. He did leave droppings early on when he was growing, but not these days. Maybe he has become adjusted to the routine of getting it done as he soaks, I'm not sure.:?
My tank is live planted, so soil churning is a bit problematic. However, I think that the root systems likely help oxygenate the substrate as well as help absorb some waste materials.
One odd thing; I've yet to find any solid waste, even after a pretty thorough examination of the discarded substrate. I check it, because I recycle the coco-fibre. (I can usually only get it thru mail, so it's nearly as easy to rinse it out well with boiling water and re-use it to replenish after spot-cleaning. I use a fresh brick for the complete change-overs.) The frog always has a movement during the soaking he receives while I perform the maintenance. He did leave droppings early on when he was growing, but not these days. Maybe he has become adjusted to the routine of getting it done as he soaks, I'm not sure.:?
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It is common for frogs to defecate in their water, especially if it is warm, though he shouldn't ONLY pass waste when he is soaked. What are your day/night temperatures and humidity like?
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Well, it varies a few degrees according to season, but I aim for 78-80F at night and 82-85F at daytime. It's 82.8F at this moment. Humidity runs from 75% to 80% usually, again depending on the season and climate. Right at this time, it's on the high side at 92%, but we are having a humid streak here. In fact, it's storming as I post this.
I'm not adverse to the idea that I could be over-looking evidence, I check pretty carefully as I scoop, but some small pieces COULD be broken-up waste matter, I suppose.
I have also noticed that after switching to a nightcrawler staple, the waste is far less bulky than when he is being fed crickets. Apart from mealworms and frozen pinkies, those two items are the only game in town around here. And I don't feed mealies and only introduced him to a frozen/thawed pinkie last winter and fed no more after that. As most folk know, pinkies aren't all that healthy for them due to the fat content.
Maybe there is more digestible material with a nightcrawler diet, resulting in fewer and more compact waste materials?
I'm not adverse to the idea that I could be over-looking evidence, I check pretty carefully as I scoop, but some small pieces COULD be broken-up waste matter, I suppose.
I have also noticed that after switching to a nightcrawler staple, the waste is far less bulky than when he is being fed crickets. Apart from mealworms and frozen pinkies, those two items are the only game in town around here. And I don't feed mealies and only introduced him to a frozen/thawed pinkie last winter and fed no more after that. As most folk know, pinkies aren't all that healthy for them due to the fat content.
Maybe there is more digestible material with a nightcrawler diet, resulting in fewer and more compact waste materials?
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Given that husbandry conditions are all very good, I'd suspect that to be the case. Come to think of it, I don't notice much waste in my guys' enclosures as well when I feed earthworms frequently, though I use roaches as my primary staple so there is usually plenty of waste to go around.
Come to think of it, I don't notice much waste in my guys' enclosures as well when I feed earthworms frequently, though I use roaches as my primary staple so there is usually plenty of waste to go around.