Pacman, who's got em?

[CeraDigital]

Well this thread took a left turn....

I'm sorry, Connie.


That picture, and the information he's saying is just very disturbing though...I gotta stop getting all jacked up on spaghetti-o's and cruising forums

[Geezer]

ADMIN EDIT: Please do not post text that you have copied without quoting the source--this is plagiarism and will not be tolerated.

[CeraDigital]

Show reliable sources including breeders, and lab work done showing the benefits of rodents in the amphibian diet

[mlededee]

The lizard carries parasites that can and may get spread to the frog, being as they're insectivorious. The most commonly found pet trade lizards, as well as cheapest, are Anoles, Iguana's, and Savannah Monitors....none of these are bred with any regularity in captivity to supply the demand for them, so majority are CH or WC, therefor they carry the possibility to spread those various parasites to the frog. Not worth it, plain and simple...

Unfortunately, some people do not care about spreading parasites.

Show reliable sources including breeders, and lab work done showing the benefits of rodents in the amphibian diet

That would be nice, however some people prefer to talk a lot but never show proof to back up their words.

[Freakie_frog]

Unfortunately, some people do not care about spreading parasites.

This is true in all aspects of amphibian/reptile breeding and sales. The problem comes when the slimeballs decide that offering an animal for sale they have no history on is a good idea. This is call flipping now there are those that do it right their called wholesalers. But the bottom feeders that are money focused and animal blind can take a long walk off a short pier.

That would be nice, however some people prefer to talk a lot but never show proof to back up their words.

Again these people are slim and the animals are the ones that pay.
Its very sad that many stay in business despite their blatant over sites going uncorrected.

[Argentra]

Emily, isn't that the truth.

All I will say to all this is that wild diets are for the wild. In captivity the lifestyle and even the metabolic processes of reptiles and amphibians change to the point that their diet must be altered to fit. If Pixie frogs are seen chowing down on a lizard in the wild, that lizard was MOST LIKELY already dying or so injured it could not fight back against the frog. They are opportunistic feeders.

It is safer, and therefore preferable, to alter the captive diet to mainly inverts with the RARE pinky mouse or feeder fish. Feeder roaches offer plenty of protein and are a much better option for them. (Besides, it's fun to hear the crunch when they eat them)

[Geezer]

Imformation quoted from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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Pyxicephalus
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Pyxicephalus


African Bull Frog
Pyxicephalus adspersus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Amphibia

Order: Anura

Family: Ranidae

Genus: Pyxicephalus
Tschudi, 1838

Pyxicephalus (Pyxis = "(round) box," cephalus = "head")is a genus of true frogs from Sub-Saharan Africa, commonly referred to as African Bull Frogs. Also known as the Pixie frog, which was derived from its genus name. It's the largest frog in South Africa. It lives in open grasslands, can be found in puddles. In the dry season it burrows under ground. This frog eats insects of various kinds, fish, mice, lizards, and some times other frogs. If threatened the frog puffs up in an attempt to frighten the offender.

Contents [hide]
1 Physical Characteristics
2 Distribution and Habitat
3 Diet
4 Behavior
5 Reproduction and Growth
6 Conservation Status
7 Species
8 Source
9 External links



[edit] Physical Characteristics
The most obvious characteristic that differentiates Pyxicephalus adspersus from other frogs is its size; its one of the biggest, second only to the Rana goliath of the Congo. They can weigh up to 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs). Unlike most other species of frog, the Pyxicephalus adspersus male is larger than the female. The male can be up to 24 cm (9.5 in.) long and the females are about 12 cm (4.45 in.). Their skin color is a dull green; the males have yellow throats and the females throats are cream-colored. Juveniles differ in that they are bright green and have a yellow stripe down their back. This stripe fades away as they mature in about one and a half to two years. Also, older frogs have more obvious skin folds than the younger ones.

The body of the frog is very broad, with a short rounded snout, protruding jaw, and tooth-like projections in its lower jaw. It has a large mouth, sharp teeth and very little webbing on its feet. Another way that this bullfrog differs from other frogs is that it has very strong hind legs, which it uses to dig holes in ground, so that it can estivation during the dry season. It makes a dry, watertight cocoon for itself, which prevents the evaporation of body fluids; it loses approximately half of the water that a frog without a cocoon looses. The frogs can actually survive for several months in dry soil by absorbing water stored in their bladder. Once the rainy season starts, the moisture will seep into the ground and soak the cocoon. Once it softens enough to split open, the frog eats it.


[edit] Distribution and Habitat
This type of frog is found mostly in open grasslands and at low elevations in the sub-Saharan African countries of Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, Somalia, Mozambique, Angola, South Africa (except for the southwestern Cape Province), Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and the Sudan.


[edit] Diet
The African bullfrog is carnivorous. It will feed on anything it can fit into its mouth; including insects, small rodents (such as mice), reptiles, birds, and amphibians (including other frogs).


[edit] Behavior
It is quite aggressive, and has been known to jump at things that it views to be a threat. Because of its sharp teeth, its bite can be quite serious. The male bullfrog will also aggressively defend his eggs if an animal or a human should approach. The males make calls only during the rainy season, which is when they come out of estivation to breed in pools of water. They tend to congregate around watering holes, including ones occupied by large animals like elephants. The call of Pyxicephalus adspersus is composed of loud, throaty bellows and deep grunts. These frogs can get rather territorial during mating and begin their mating calls only when they have established their territory.


[edit] Reproduction and Growth
The African bullfrog lays about three thousand to four thousand eggs in shallow water. The tiny eggs are only about 2 mm, are black and white and are encased in a 4 mm jelly capsule. These eggs hatch about 2 days after being laid. The tadpoles are fat, heart-shaped, grey to black in color and their eyes are very close to together, situated on the top of their heads. About 18 days after hatching, the small frogs are 20 mm long and are able to leave the water to live on dry land. After this happens, these frogs have occasionally been known to eat each other. Unfortunately, there is not a very good survival rate for these frogs; only about 20% of young adult females survive.


[edit] Conservation Status
Pyxicephalus adspersus is not listed among the worlds endangered species. Even though many indigenous peoples consider them to be a delicacy, their hunting has not had a significant effect on the size of the population.


[edit] Species
Pyxicephalus adspersus (Tschudi, 1838)
Pyxicephalus edulis (Peters, 1854)
Pyxicephalus obbianus (Calabresi, 1927)

[edit] Source
http://www.honoluluzoo.org/african_bullfrog.htm


[edit] External links
Discussion board specifically dedicated to Pyxie and Pacman frogs
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyxicephalus"
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[Geezer]

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Argentine horned frog
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Argentine horned frog


Conservation status

Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Amphibia

Order: Anura

Family: Leptodactylidae

Genus: Ceratophrys

Species: C. ornata


Binomial name
Ceratophrys ornata
Bell, 1843
The Argentine Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata), also known as the Argentine wide-mouthed Frog or Pacman frog, is the most common species of Horned Frog, from the rain forests of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. A voracious eater, it will attempt to swallow anything that moves close to its wide mouth, such as insects, small birds and mammals, lizards and other frogs, even if it would suffocate in the process.

Contents [hide]
1 Characteristics
2 Feeding
3 Reproduction
4 Keeping as a pet
5 Gallery
6 References
7 External links



[edit] Characteristics
The females can grow to be 14 centimeters ( 5.5 inches) long and the males 10 centimeters (3.9 in). The lifespan is 6 to 7 years, however they can live up to 10 years.[1][2] The Horned frogs' most prominent feature is its mouth, which accounts for roughly half of the animal's overall size. Coloration is typically bright green with red markings, though dark green, parti-color black and albino versions also exist. Sexing this species is very difficult, and the only dimorphism between the two sexes is size and that males have dark pigmented throats.


[edit] Feeding
Horned frogs hunt by remaining motionless, and waiting for prey. Anything that can fit in their mouths, and some things that can't, is prey.

In the wild their typical diet would include rodents such as mice, small lizards
and small snakes, as well as large spiders and insects such as locusts.
Horned frogs are well known for their fearless reputation. They will attempt
to consume animals sometimes even the size of themselves.
If threatened by a larger animal such as a human, these frogs can deliver
a painfull bite as they have lots of sharp teeth along their bottom jaw.
Sometimes they will even jump towards their attacker, no matter their size and power.
However, in captivity this frogs natural diet is fairly easy to recreate. When kept
as a pet the Horned Frog is usually fed mainly on large adult locusts, black and brown

crickets and mice; this can be very entertaining to watch.

[edit] Reproduction
Reproduction is sexual. The Argentine Horned frog mates similar to dogs because the male grasps the hind limbs of the female and bends them over. Female horned frogs deposit 2000 eggs in water and within two weeks they become tadpoles.


[edit] Keeping as a pet

An Argentine Horned FrogKnown in the pet industry as Pacman frogs, the Argentine variety is usually the hardiest species and is easy to care for. The Argentine Horned frog has simple requirements as a pet. An aquarium of at least ten gallons will do. Because they are very poor swimmers and spend their time buried in soil and leaf litter in the wild, the only water in the tank should be a shallow bowl - with water shallow enough that they cannot possibly drown in it. The rest of the tank should be peat moss or coconut fiber or similar substrate, deep enough that they can bury themselves in it as they would in their natural habitat. Care must be taken to avoid substrate with rocks or gravel that could be eaten by accident while hunting, causing fatal impactions in the stomach.

It is recommended to keep horned frogs alone to avoid cannibalism. A preferred temperature for the cage is from 72 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and moist conditions.


[edit] Gallery
A young Pacman frog
Albino Pacman Frog, with brilliant yellow color
Argentine Horned Frog Ceratophrys ornata
1896 lithograph by R. A. Lydekker for The Royal Natural History



[edit] References
^ Argentinian Horned Frog (Pacman Frog) (Ceratophrys ornata)
^ Common Frog Species
1. "Argentine horned frog." The World Book Encyclopedia. 2006 ed. Vol 1 pg. 275.Chicago.World Book,Inc. 2006.

2. De Vosjoli, Philippe. The General Care and Maintenance of Horned Frogs. California: Advanced Vivarioum Systems, 1989

3. Mattison, Chris. Frogs and Toads of the World. New York: Facts of Filem, 1986.


[edit] External links
All About Frogs
Pacmanfrog.com - An informative website on Pacman Frogs
This Leptodactylidae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_horned_frog"
Categories: Near Threatened species | Leptodactylidae stubs | CeratophrysViewsArticle Discussion Edit this page History Personal toolsLog in / create account Navigation


This page was last modified on 24 June 2008, at 12:59. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity.
Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers

[Geezer]

As you can see in the information on both African pyxies and Horned frogs, there diet consists of rodents, lizards, snakes, insects.....pretty much anything that they can fit in their mouth and then some.

While it may be disturbing to someone a picture of an animal eating another animal, thats nature way. thats all.

[ragnew]

First off, I find it funny your first post is defending Ed....

As for the lizards vs feeding the insects themselves. The lizards are WC or CH, feeding on wild invertebrates themselves, which do contract and transmit those parasites.

On the other hand, the crickets and other invertebrates sold in pet stores or from suppliers as feeders are a completely different species than the natives, and are raised, bred and sold by farms and breeders. They're not exposed to the various bacteria, and parasites that their wild counterparts would be, therefor safer for your animal, and they make it less of a risk...THIS is why it is always pointed out about feeder reptiles. Perhaps your not looking far enough into it, rather than saying other people just look at the point of feeding reptiles off...

What about the risk of injury or death to either animal, as well as the title of the image? Seems like something a young kid would do out of enjoyment, don't you think? The animals are both predators, well equipped to do a large amount of damage to each other. Amphibian skin is very thin, and the claws from that Savannah could have done some serious damage to the African Bull Frog, while it was struggling...

As for the mice, and other rodents. Its simply not needed. Thats that. What does the animal have to gain? They get a healthier amount of protein through invertebrates such as Lobster roaches, and the many other species available. To me, it just looks like the "cool" factor.

I understand what you mean Andrew, but I still don't think the occasional mouse is going to hurt the Pyxie in anyway shape or form. Sure they do get a main stream diet of inverts (my staples are B. dubia, and some nightcrawlers/crixs thrown in as a change), but they will be getting a rodent on occasion as well.

As for the farm bred/raised insects not having the chance of getting parasites/bacteria issues. Thats far from the truth. I've personally had batches of crickets that carried parasites and bacteria. Do a search on the matter and you'll see that crickets (farm bred) are almost too likely to get your animal sick at some point in time. I wasn't really lumping the Sav. Monitor into my first post, mainly the pointing out of Anoles, and smaller geckos and such being used as feeders because of parasite purposes, when some feeder inverts are just as likely to have them.