Classroom Pet

[Ringo]

Does anyone have any good recommendations for an amphibian. I have a ball python and a leopard gecko but would like to get an amphibian to put into a classroom. I have a spare 10g glass tank to use. It needs to be something that is fairly easy to care for and can have a primary diet of mealworms since I am breeding a colony. I have been looking at fire bellies and pacman frogs. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[CeraDigital]

Well, you don't want to give it a primary diet of meal worms. Tell you the truth, mealworms aren't too healthy. I'd definitely go with the pacman...but look into a varied diet. Especially roaches, butterworms, waxworms, and earthworms

[Ringo]

I was actually kind of looking more into fire bellies. Does anyone have any pros and cons to them for a classroom.

[CeraDigital]

Hmmm, I've only kept a couple, and it was in a pond style set up tank. I rarely seen them as well. More or less they stayed by the back of the tank, by the moss, or were in the water among the plants..

[stangs13]

I learned that you can't handle the firebellies to much because of there skin. And a pacman bites really hard LOL. I'd go with the pacman, there pretty cool frogs.

[CeraDigital]

Its not that they bite hard. They have spike-like projections coming out of their mouth, at the frog that act like teeth, to help them restrain struggling prey. You get bit...you will bleed lol.

As for handling firebellys. Any amphibian is like that. They all have really sensitive, thin skin. Dry hands, while holding them, can hurt then, or tear their skin. Any chemicals you have on your hands, they could absorb into their body's, causing damage. Its generally not a good practice to handle amphibians. If you do, wet your hands down, with water first.

[Fenderplayer104]

i have a fire belly in a 2 gallon aqarium wtih half water and half gravel the thing is indestructable he has been alive for like 2 years and he is a good eater he will eat or try to eat anything that moves i think fire bellys would be a very good class room pet get a couple of them the make noises kinda like barking when you put them to geather they dont require alot of care and they are very hardy(can miss eating a week or 2) with no problem dont require heating other than a strip lamp or put them next to a window and they will do fine.. I like mine id go with it.

[wilomn]

Amphibians are not set up for eating exclusively meal worms. They need the hard body parts like legs to help keep them regular, ie pooping.

Some sort of salamander or newt may be a better choice because they can eat worms as well as beetle larva.

I'd shy away from frog if you can't feed anything but mealies.

[Ringo]

I wouldnt feed exclusively meal worms. Since I breed them they would probably make up a larger portion of the diet. I would probably supplement the diet with earth worms. Just kind of alternate the feedings.

Ive heard that pacman frogs are pretty aggressive so I am kinda not so sure about them for a classroom. It would not be good if it was to bite a student. I know that I can get fire bellies at a local pet store. He might be able to order others.

[CeraDigital]

I wouldnt feed exclusively meal worms. Since I breed them they would probably make up a larger portion of the diet. I would probably supplement the diet with earth worms. Just kind of alternate the feedings.

Ive heard that pacman frogs are pretty aggressive so I am kinda not so sure about them for a classroom. It would not be good if it was to bite a student. I know that I can get fire bellies at a local pet store. He might be able to order others.

Well, on that note towards a student being bit...handling Amphibians on a regular basis is generally a no-no. Their skin is very delicate and fragile. With the Firebelly's, they're more aquatic than the Horned frog, which would be my guess to say their skin would be more fragile to handling than a Horned's would.