Gray toad. Lake frog, sharp-faced and grass frog In what conditions should the frog be kept

She is in albino version has a light yellow or white. A sexually mature clawed frog becomes one year old, and if the conditions of keeping are good, it can live up to fifteen years.

Spurs are picky enough. When choosing a volume for an aquarium, it should be borne in mind that in some cases a frog can grow up to 16 cm, but for small individuals - one or two - a simple five-liter jar is enough.

What to feed the frog

In nature, the white frog lives in slowly flowing or stagnant lakes and swamps. She is able to move through the soil, for example, in search of a new place to live instead of the old dry one. But she will not be able to be without water for a long time and she will not be able to eat.

Aquarium frogs are predators by nature, and should not be kept together with fry or small fish, guppies, neons. In the end, white frogs eat them, so only large and agile individuals can be kept in the same water space with them. Feeding the frog with fish will be somewhat wasteful, and if there are only small individuals in the aquarium, it is better to put it in a separate aquarium and serve animal food, bloodworms, coretra, daphnia, and small earthworms.

It is not recommended to feed the white frog with a tubule - it can get food poisoning. As a substitute for the usual food, you can serve her lean meat in the form of strips or dry food, that is, dried daphnia.

White frogs love to eat, and in this process they need to be limited. Poor, that is, little, eat only the elderly and old individuals. An adult frog with a good appetite should be fed twice a week, otherwise it will eat into obesity. A young white frog should be fed more often during the period of intensive growth.

How does a frog eat?

The white frog has depressions on its sides with tiny hairs that respond to the current created by the water around the body. Thanks to the impulses, you can navigate even in a fast current - the hydrodynamic waves caused by aquatic inhabitants are quickly captured by the white frog. She has an excellent sense of smell: a couple of minutes after the food enters the water, they begin to rush around the reservoir in search of food.

Large pieces of food, such as bloodworms or earthworms, are stuffed by frogs into their mouths, while holding the worm with their fingers, small pieces are simply swallowed.

Frogs are quite unpretentious, varied and funny in their habits. But still, it is important for a novice breeder to take into account some of the features and basic requirements of these animals for keeping at home and take their new pets seriously.

Experienced amphibian breeders believe that settling a frog in a house is not much different from having a cat or dog. Do not think that the small size of the frog automatically negates the efforts to create conditions and future care.

Amphibians require constant supervision, it is advisable to assume in advance who will take care of the pet during your vacation. Keeping a frog is more troublesome and different from keeping a goldfish - a pet will not survive for a week alone with food floating around it.

Another important point is that frogs and toads live for a very long time, some species can live up to 15 years. A case of an incredibly long life in captivity of an amphibian of the common Toad species, which has reached the old age of 40 years, has been recorded!

The legislation of some countries insists on special permits for keeping frogs at home. In Australia, for example, there are significant fines imposed on the owners of these animals, keeping them without a license.

Despite all their unpretentiousness and endurance, frogs will require daily hassle.

They need to be fed a variety of fresh foods on a regular basis and will not be suitable for food scraps. Most species will be content with dry or wet food available in stores, but some may need a couple of live insects or worms.

Tree green red eyed frog about to dine

If you choose a type that feeds only on live insects, first of all you need to think about where you are going to take all kinds of beetles, larvae and whether you will be ready for the crawling of the escaped food around the house.

Some larger species of frogs can devour mice with appetite, which can also be a problem and not a very pleasant sight. Species that constantly eat live food at home need especially regular and thorough cleaning of terrariums, and especially their water part, in order to maintain proper hygiene and prevent diseases.

Frogs at home - features of the content

Unlike other amphibians, frogs have a unique ability to adapt to most situations and different environments and can live long and healthy lives in a terrarium or even a winter garden pond.

Still, stationary terrariums or aquariums are the most common frog dwellings in the home. Before choosing a tank, you need to assess the needs of your favorite species.

To avoid making a fatal mistake, it is best to consult with an experienced frog breeder or amphibian seller who will advise on one or more options appropriate for your new pet.

Terrarium for land frogs

This type of dwelling is ideal for frogs that inhabit arid areas and is the simplest solution. It usually consists of a special dry substrate sprinkled in a thick layer and an available source of water - usually a ceramic bowl of water.

Slingshot in its dwelling

Aquarium for aquatic species

For a frog that constantly lives in an aquatic environment, you will need a standard aquarium, equipped and configured as for keeping fish. This will require a powerful filtration system as these animals feed in the water and excrete waste into the water.

A reliable mesh cover is needed on top - pets can deftly and quickly escape from the aquarium, which is fraught with imminent death for aquatic species.

Spur frog in the aquarium

Terrarium with aquatic environment

The most common and very attractive way of keeping includes a land area with soil and a water area, so that the frog can choose to stay on land or in water, fully justifying its name as an amphibian creature.

You can buy a ready-made terrarium of this type. Another, more budgetary option is to put another, smaller, low-sided aquarium in a regular aquarium, fill it with water and surround it with large smooth stones.

High tanks

Some stunning species, such as tree frogs, will require a tall reservoir to allow them to rise higher and snuggle comfortably into a branch.

A tall aquarium filled with suitable plants and branches is best. It is a great dwelling place for beautiful, colorful frogs that usually live in trees.

White's frog on a branch in a tall aquarium

Home frogs are the worst and best species for a beginner

There are many different types of frogs, some of which are more suitable for the beginner hobbyist, while others are not suitable at all.

When buying a cute little frog, you need to find out exactly the name of the species and the size of an adult animal. So, young individuals of the African species Pyxicephalus adspersus they look adorable and just by looking at these cute ones, you can immediately decide that these are certainly wonderful pets.

African bullfrog juvenile

However, these tiny amphibians are young African bullfrogs or water bearers that grow to be huge, clumsy, very strong, and feed on mice.

An adult grows up to 24 cm in length and weighs up to two kilograms. This look is completely unsuitable for a beginner.

Very large frogs by themselves are not recommended for beginner hobbyists for several reasons. First, they can bite quite painfully. Secondly, they need a lot of space, feed and care. And finally, thirdly, these are far from the most active, slow animals, so they may seem boring.

Adult african bull frog

The only pleasant exception to this rule might be one of the various Slingshots ( Ceratophrys), which are also not very active, but very hardy, insanely cute and not too susceptible to disease, like some other species.

Poisonous frogs are also definitely not a desirable choice for the novice hobbyist. Although they usually lose their toxic properties in captivity, in whole or in part, they still require high level of specialized care and are fragile, vulnerable animals.

Frogs at home - decorated slingshot

Eastern toad ( Bombina orientalis) is the ideal frog for the novice hobbyist who wants a great experience in keeping an amphibian frog. Toads will eat bloodworms, dried crickets, and will also need a vitamin supplement for amphibians.

Frogs are beautiful, quite active and grow up not very large. In addition, this species is undemanding to the temperature of the environment and you do not need a terrarium heater.

Eastern toad is a very beautiful frog

Of the charming tree species, an amateur should pay attention to the bright baby - White's frog ( Litoria caerulea). This is an absolutely charming cute creature with a pleasant appearance and funny habits that at first glance captivate others, especially children who simply cannot be driven away from the terrarium.

The small amphibian is quite tolerant of increased attention, quickly adapts to new surroundings and is definitely an excellent first frog choice for a novice breeder.

White's beauty frog

African pygmy frogs ( Hymenochirus boettgeri) Are small, dynamic, attractive and truly comparable to goldfish in terms of the complexity of keeping and caring at home.

These pets do not need a supply of live insects or mice, and while they can get bored and apathetic for a couple of weeks as they acclimate to new conditions, they are generally easy to care for.

African dwarf frogs in the aquarium

Dear readers, if the article seemed useful to you, share it with your friends by clicking on one of the social media buttons below. Add your story to the site by sending photos of pets and a story in free form to our email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and your story will be posted under Our Stories.

Not only fish are brought up as aquarium inhabitants. For example, a frog can become a pet. She does not need a large volume of water for maintenance. Aquarium frogs may well live even in a 5-liter container. They hang out amusingly in the water column or swim like little divers. Watching amphibians is fun and doesn't require a lot of hassle to look after.

Frogs do not require large aquariums to maintain.

Description and types

There are 2 types of frogs that can be found in modern aquariums. Each of them has a distinctive appearance, behavior and environmental requirements.

Most often, amateurs have a xenopus(clawed frog). There are two varieties of these amphibians on sale. One of them has white, yellow or slightly pink skin and red eyes and is albino. This subspecies of clawed frogs was artificially bred in laboratory conditions for experiments. Another variety is a wild, gray-brown spotted color. This subspecies of amphibians is larger, there are no membranes on their legs. Clawed frogs grow up to 10-12 cm.

Another species is the hymenochirus (dwarf frog). It has slender long legs and a pointed muzzle. The size of the hymenochirus is only 4 cm. Its color is gray, brown or olive with spots. In the aquarium, hymenochiruses are characterized by a calm disposition and inactive behavior. They are harmless and prefer to sit somewhere near the bottom. Spur frogs, on the contrary, move a lot, swim actively, can stick to fish in the aquarium, sort through the soil and move pebbles in search of food.

Judging by the description of the aquarium frogs, keeping and caring for them is not particularly difficult. For large xenopuses, an aquarium with a volume of 20-30 liters is suitable, which is only filled up to half with water. In addition, you need to consider the following her:

1. There should be a cover or a net on top - frogs easily escape from their "house".
2. Large pebbles are ideal as a soil.
3. The water should have a temperature of 22-25 ° C, the hardness and acidity do not matter. But first it must be defended in order to reduce the content of chlorine and fluorine.
4. Lighting does not play a role for frogs, lighting will be needed if plants are planted in the aquarium.
5. The dwelling of Xenopus frogs must be equipped with an internal filter, as they highly pollute the water. Water changes are made 1-2 times a week, some do it less often.
6. Plants must be planted in pots and have tough leaves, otherwise they will be mercilessly torn out. To add decorative effect to the "paddling pool", you can place a pot with an ampelous flower next to it and release its shoots into the aquarium.

Keep aquarium frogs at a temperature of 22-25 ° C.

Due to its small size, a dwarf aquarium frog only needs 1-2 liters of water per individual. Therefore, a 5 liter aquarium will be sufficient for a couple. If it only contains frogs, then for them it is necessary:

1. Use a cover to prevent escaping.
2. Maintain the water temperature from 24 ° C (you must first defend).
3. Install a filter or compressor with a low capacity to leave areas with stagnant water.
4. Place decorations at the bottom to shelter hymenochiruses.
5. Plant vegetation (preferably in pots) - dwarf frogs love it.
6. Install lighting in the cover. Frog cubs love to bask under the lamp, half leaning out of the water.

Ornamental frogs are fed with live food by offering them large bloodworms, crickets, mealworms and earthworms. Amphibians willingly eat pieces of meat, fish, liver, shrimp. It is convenient to give food by grabbing it with tweezers. Feeding adults should not occur more than 2 times a week, this mode is ideal for their digestion.

The amount of food must also be limited. If you give amphibians as much food as they can eat, they will quickly develop obesity. It's funny to watch how the xenopus feeds. This frog does not have a tongue, so it helps itself to swallow food by pushing it into its mouth with its paws.

When buying domestic frogs, you should pay attention to what kind of species the seller is offering. Often frogs in a pet store contain everyone together, but it must be borne in mind that the conditions of detention for them are still different.

Compatible with aquarium fish

Considering the size of the white aquarium frog and its wild relatives, we can say that there is no place for xenopuses in an aquarium with fish. They will eagerly swallow everyone who fits in their mouths. In addition, amphibians will damage plants and mercilessly dig the soil, making the water cloudy. And the clawed frogs themselves will not like clear water with a strong current. As you know, they like the stagnant swamp.

It is better not to add fish to an aquarium with frogs.

Some aquarists believe that white aquarium frogs are beneficial by secreting mucus from the skin, which is bactericidal and protects fish from infection, but this is a dubious argument. Now it is not a problem to buy any medicine that works quickly and effectively. In extreme cases, opponents of chemistry can do with baths for sick fish, using water from an amphibian aquarium.

But hymenochiruses can be easily populated into a common aqua system. They will get along well with calm medium-sized fish and themselves will remain intact in the absence of predators. But watching amphibians in a large aquarium is unlikely to work.

Gymenochiruses prefer to sit in distant corners or thickets of plants and hardly catch the eye. And feeding them in this case is very problematic, given that the food should be brought directly to their noses.

Frog diseases

1. Dropsy. The frog inflates and becomes like a balloon. The disease is bacterial in nature. To prevent the skin from bursting, you can make a puncture.
2. Red paw. Another bacterial infection. Symptoms appear as hemorrhages on the face and paws of the amphibian.
3. Fungal diseases. Often they are provoked by skin injuries. The place, attacked by the fungus, becomes covered with a white bloom, similar to cotton wool lumps. If left untreated, the disease spreads throughout the body.
4. Nematode infection. Caused by small worms, 1-2 mm long. The skin of the amphibian turns gray, begins to flake off. The animal is losing weight quickly.

Treat amphibians with the same drugs that are used for aquarium fish, using them taking into account the cause of the disease. More often those frogs who get monotonous food, live in unsuitable conditions or are exposed to stress are sick.

Breeding amphibians

Before breeding, amphibians need to create appropriate conditions. Water changes during this period are performed 2-3 times a week. The water itself should be slightly warmer than usual. When black stripes appear on the paws of the male and he signals his readiness for spawning with a characteristic sound, the couple is placed in a spawning box with clean water and a suitable substrate. After the eggs have been laid, the parents are put back into the aquarium.

The clutch can consist of 50-200 eggs. The tadpoles emerging from the eggs are only about 3 mm in size. These babies should be fed with rotifers and ciliates. Frogs become adults by the end of the first year of existence. Xenopuses can live in an aquarium for up to 15 years if all the necessary conditions are met. Hymenochiruses have been released by nature for about 5 years.

Aquatic frogs have long taken a firm place in hobbyist aquariums. And the touching little frogs, which are now sold in almost every pet store, make people inexperienced in aquarism feel an irresistible desire to buy, as they say, “those two little white ones and this gray one”. But no matter how cute they are, let's first figure out what kind of frogs they are, what conditions they need and with whom they can live in the same aquarium.

Currently, there are two types of frogs in aquariums: the xenopus smooth clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), which has been bred in captivity for many years, and the dwarf frog, hymenochirus boettgeri, which has recently become popular. Adult frogs of these species vary greatly in their size, appearance, behavior, and keeping characteristics. Frog in pet stores are often kept in the same aquarium and, when sold, do not always focus on their species.

Spur frog.

So, if aquarium frogs are white or pinkish, with red eyes, then regardless of size, they are clawed. The albino spur frog was bred artificially at the Moscow Institute of Developmental Biology for laboratory experiments.

If a small frog is grayish, brownish or olive in color with dark spots, then to determine the species, you should pay attention to the length and thickness of its limbs, the presence of membranes between the toes of the forepaws and the pointed muzzle. Wild Spur frogs are denser, they have thicker legs with bandages, like in babies, a rounded muzzle, and there are no membranes on the fingers.

The hymenochirus, on the other hand, has membranes, legs are long and slender, and the muzzle is pointed. The size of an adult hymenochirus, as a rule, does not exceed 4 cm, while the clawed frog grows up to 10–12 cm.

Dwarf frog

Features of behavior

These frogs also behave in different ways. Spurts are active, strong and completely shameless. They eat everything

what moves and fits in their mouths, they mercilessly dig up and tear up aquarium plants, move stones and snags, dig soil. But they are clearly visible, they have large expressive faces and they have the habit of hanging out beautifully in the thickness of the aquarium water.

Hymenochiruses are calmer, quieter, slower and more delicate. They slowly crawl along the bottom, climbing on underwater objects and periodically freezing for a long time. As one amateur aptly put it, dwarf frogs resemble "meditating scuba divers." They almost do not damage plants, do not bother fish (they simply do not have such an opportunity due to the size of their body and mouth), they do little to pollute the aquarium.

In a large aquarium, they are practically invisible, because they constantly hide at the bottom or in thickets of plants, and if active fish live nearby, then hymenochiruses may not keep up with food.

Aquarium frogs: maintenance and care

Both types are not too demanding on the conditions of detention. For spur frogs, a 20–30 liter aquarium is enough for a couple, while it needs to be filled half or a third with water. The aquarium should be covered with a lid or mesh. The ground is large pebbles. The aquarium is equipped with a compressor or a small internal filter, you can use a waterfall filter, but there should not be a strong current. No need for bright lighting.

The water temperature is about 22-25 ° C, xenopuses are practically indifferent to the chemical indicators of water. The exception is the content of chlorine and fluorine in the water, so it is recommended to stand it for at least 2-3 days before adding it to the aquarium. They change the water once or twice a week at 20-25%, a number of authors recommend changing it less often, as it becomes cloudy.

Plants can only be planted with hard-leaved plants, always in pots, otherwise they will be immediately dug up. Some lovers of these animals do the following: put a pot with a houseplant with hanging shoots next to the aquarium and place these shoots in the aquarium. In this case, the aquarium is landscaped, and the roots of the plant remain intact.

For hymenochiruses, the volume of the aquarium can be even less, 1-2 liters of water for such a frog is quite enough.

A cover is required - hymenochiruses, especially those caught in nature, often strive to escape.

They need a water temperature of at least 24 ° C. A filter or compressor is desirable, but not too powerful to leave areas of still, stagnant water in the aquarium.

At the bottom, it is necessary to equip small shelters under which these quivering creatures can hide. Plants are very desirable, it is good if they form dense thickets in places. It is also better to plant them in pots. In the aquarium, you need to equip lighting, since hymenochiruses sometimes like to climb among the thickets to the surface and bask under a lamp, sticking their head and upper body out of the water.

Feeding

Ornamental aquarium frogs - both xenopuses and hymenochiruses - are preferred.

For clawed animals, these can be mealworms and earthworms, crickets, large bloodworms, fry and tadpoles. You can give pieces of liver, meat, fish, shrimp from tweezers.

Spur frogs should not be fed with tubifex, pork, or fatty beef.

Hymenochiruses are fed with small bloodworms, live daphnia or fish. Dry and immobile food is usually ignored by frogs. Adult xenopus and hymenochiruses should be given food twice a week.

The feeding behavior of these two species of frogs also differs. Shpurs have an excellent sense of smell, in addition, they have a very developed sense of touch (receptors are pits located on the sides of the frog and resemble the lateral line of fish). Therefore, frogs well catch smells and the slightest movement of water, quickly find food and greedily pounce on it.

Hymenochiruses usually need to be fed directly to the nose. You can teach them to feed in a certain place or at a certain signal (for example, tapping with tweezers), but they will take a long time to get to the food, as if pondering along the way whether it is worth doing this at all.

Xenopuses are extremely voracious and therefore prone to obesity, respectively, the amount of food they eat must be strictly controlled - a healthy frog must remain flat.

As for the clawed frog, knowing the features of its behavior, one can answer unequivocally - it has nothing to do in an aquarium with fish.

She will swallow everyone who fits in her mouth, will destroy most of the plants, dig up the soil, raising the dregs, and move the carefully installed scenery.

In addition, she does not like fresh water with a good flow, and most fish will not like her familiar swamp.

The only plus of cohabitation of fish and clawed frogs is that the skin mucus of frogs contains antimicrobial substances that can have a healing effect on diseased fish. But with the current level of development of aquarium pharmacology, this can hardly be considered a serious argument. If you really want to do without chemistry, it is much easier to place the sick fish in a small container, where the frog had been for some time before.

Some aquarists advise keeping xenopuses with them, as they do well in old water and breathe atmospheric air. But why do that? A separate small aquarium with frogs will take up very little space, and everyone will be fine as a result.

With hymenochiruses, everything is not so scary. It is believed that they get along well with calm, not too large, non-predatory fish. They will not disturb the beauty of the aquarium either. However, in a large aquarium, hymenochiruses spend a lot of time in shelters, so it is almost impossible to observe them, and it is quite difficult to control their feeding process.

Frog diseases

Aquarium frogs may experience the following health problems:

When treating frogs, drugs are usually used for tropical aquarium fish, selecting them according to the causative agent of the disease (anthelmintic, antifungal or antibacterial). Sick frogs are isolated. With dropsy, a puncture of the skin is often effective.

You should be aware that individuals who usually live in unsuitable conditions for them, are prone to obesity or are experiencing prolonged severe stress usually get sick.

And finally, some interesting facts about clawed frogs:

• the clawed frog was the first vertebrate to be cloned;
• at the beginning of the twentieth century, clawed frogs were used to diagnose short-term pregnancy: if a frog is given an injection of the urine of a pregnant woman, it starts spawning under the influence of chorionic gonadotropin;
• the clawed frog does not have a tongue, therefore, when eating prey, it helps itself with its front paws, and it cannot bend its fingers, it keeps them outstretched, as if eating with Chinese chopsticks;
• When clawed frogs accidentally entered the waters of the tropical United States, they destroyed native species of frogs there, so in some states clawed frogs are prohibited, while in others it is limited.

Fortunately, in our country, the keeping of frogs is allowed, so everyone can have these undemanding funny animals at home, observe and care for them, getting a lot of positive emotions and acquiring the skills of keeping an aquarium. The latter will definitely come in handy in the future, because usually everything is just beginning with frogs.

Interview with a specialist: how to properly maintain and feed freshwater aquarium frogs:

A long time ago, when there were no people on Earth yet, and only trees grew and herbs turned green, birds soared in the sky and various animals jumped and jumped, the Heavenly Ruler sent down an unprecedented drought. Dry up, lakes, rivers and ponds. The birds fell dead to the ground. Lifeless animals lay in the mountains and forests.

Then the little earthen toad gathered ants, wasps, animals and birds and led them to the palace to the Heavenly Ruler, and having defeated his army, set the Almighty condition: "As soon as I give my voice, you will immediately send rain to the Earth." Since then, it has become a custom in this world: if you hear the singing of an earthen toad, wait for rain.

This legend is widespread among the peoples of Vietnam and Thailand, and the black cicatrix toad (Bufo melanostictus), which is widespread in Southeast Asia, apparently served as the prototype of the courageous toad. It is interesting to note that in the folklore of many peoples of Africa and Asia, these amphibians personify wisdom, resourcefulness and, oddly enough, courage.


The family of Real Toads (Bufonidae) unites more than 300 species that are common on all continents, excluding Australia and Antarctica. They settled in waterless deserts, forests and highlands, and the gray toad (Bufo bufo) was found on Velikiy Island in the White Sea above the Arctic Circle.

In our country, there are 6 species of toads, divided into two groups: gray and green. The first group includes gray, or ordinary (B. bufo), Caucasian (B. verrucosissimus) and Far Eastern (B. gargarizans), and the second - reed (B. calamita), green (B. viridis) and Mongolian (B. raddei) toads.

All domestic representatives of the family are characterized by a dense, rounded body with short thick limbs and a large head. The skin is usually dry to the touch, often covered with numerous bumps of various sizes. Behind large and expressive eyes with horizontal pupils are the parotid glands - parotids, by which toads can be easily distinguished from other amphibians in our country.

Toads are very popular terrariums. Unpretentious to the conditions of detention, they lived in captivity up to 36 years. A horizontal terrarium with gravel or expanded clay soil, a small ditch with water and a cover from an inverted ceramic pot - these are all the requirements for "living space".

All toads have an excellent appetite. Their menu includes any little thing that they are able to swallow, in captivity these are usually earthworms, slugs, cockroaches, crickets, zophobos larvae and flour beetle, which are easy to breed or can be bought at a large pet store. Large individuals happily eat mice and small rats, frogs and quail chicks. Most toads catch only moving food, and they seize small prey with a sticky tongue, and large prey with their jaws.

Small toads, especially young ones, are best fed every day or every other day, large ones - 2 times a week. To avoid the toad breakfast spreading around your apartment, a strip of medical petroleum jelly or thick ointment is applied to the walls of the terrarium and the feeder around the perimeter. Most forage insects climbing the walls cannot overcome this simple obstacle.

Large toads can be kept directly on the floor of a residential or industrial building. A drinking bowl and an incandescent lamp are installed in its corner for heating in the cold season. Food objects are set in the feeders, from which they cannot get out. Usually well-bred toads "relieve themselves" in the pool, which is very convenient, since cleaning up after the pet comes down to changing the water. In the terrariums of domestic amateurs, the green and gray toads are most often kept, as well as the aha toad (B. marinus).

The gray, or common toad is a large amphibian with a massive wide body. The maximum body length is up to 200 mm, usually no more than 130 mm. The species inhabits northwest Africa, almost all of Europe and western Siberia. The gray toad prefers forest landscapes, gets along well with humans and is quite common in parks, orchards, and vegetable gardens.

It quickly gets used to the conditions of the terrarium and, if properly maintained, pleases its owners for many years. The optimum temperature for keeping this species is 16-25 ° C.

In the cold season, the gray toad needs a cooling period, the so-called "wintering". To do this, for 2 weeks, the pets are given a cold exposure, and then they are placed in containers with a moist substrate (sphagnum moss or, which is more hygienic, foam rubber). "Wintering" is best done at a temperature of 5-8oC, every week it is necessary to moisten the substrate and visually assess the condition of the toads.

If your plans do not include breeding, then a 2-3 week cooling period in the wintering container on the bottom shelf of the household refrigerator will suffice.

The exit of toads from "wintering" is carried out gradually, within 3-5 days, increasing the temperature to room temperature. Thermo boxes and household thermobags have proven themselves well for these purposes, the temperature in which is slowly equalizing with the temperature of the room.

The green toad is a medium-sized amphibian with a maximum body length of 120 mm. Inhabits various landscapes in a vast territory from France and North Africa in the west to Altai and Pakistan in the east. This species lives in forest, forest-steppe, steppe and desert zones at an altitude from sea level to 3000 m. The green toad, in contrast to the gray toad, is more dry and thermophilic.

In captivity, green toads are kept under the same conditions as the previous species, but "wintering" should be carried out at a temperature of 8-10 degrees. It should be remembered that green toads are excellent climbers and are ready to escape at the first opportunity from an uncovered terrarium.

Toad aha is one of the largest amphibians in the world. The body length of females of large morphs can reach more than 250 mm. Initially, this species inhabited a variety of landscapes in South America, but then, in order to control rodents, it was settled in other tropical regions of the world. In Australia, the aga population has increased so much that local small animals are threatened.

Toad yeah, perhaps one of the most spectacular amphibians in the collection of domestic terrariumists. A huge head with large parotids (parotid glands), powerful paws, bumpy brick-colored skin with a simple pattern, and most importantly, size - make an indelible impression on those who see these toads for the first time.

Agi have a Nordic character, quickly get used to a person and are calmly given in their hands. Young individuals of this species in captivity in large quantities eat small food animals - insects, worms, mollusks. Adult agi with passion hunt mice, rats and chickens. According to the testimony of many terrariumists, these toads are well accustomed to taking stationary food from the trough: pieces of lean meat, fish and even dog meat.

In order to avoid the development of diseases associated with metabolic disorders, vitamin and mineral supplements must be included in toad feed. We usually add trivit and calcium glycerophosphate when feeding in large bloodworms, zophobos larvae and flour beetles. Regular ultraviolet irradiation using mild UV sources such as cosmetic lamps is essential for raising young toads. Such a solarium is carried out 2-3 times a week for 10-15 minutes.

Currently, terrarium keeping in our country finds more and more admirers, and toads have always been and will be the most suitable objects for keeping a house. Beginners and already experienced amateurs are attracted by their interesting behavior, meek disposition and unpretentiousness. Anyone who has ever kept these animals at home will remember their humble charm for a long time.

A. Kidov