AFRICAN CLAWED FROGS As Pets

Xenopus laevis - Photo by      brian.gratwicke 

Over the last few years, there has been an increasing popularity of keeping frogs as pets. The African Clawed Frog is no exception. Although a little less interactive than non-aquatic frogs, they are a joy to have if you truly want a frog for a pet. Unlike tree frogs or toads, African clawed frogs are aquatic. That means that stay in the water all the time, and come to the surfaced to breathe.

Widely used for in scientific experiments, Xenopus have bread domestically for years. They were used for human pregnancy tests before more modern methods came into play. The female Xenopus was exposed to the urine of a woman, and if the frog laid eggs the woman was pregnant.

Today you can find African Clawed Frogs in many pet and discount stores including Wal-Mart. They are usually small when purchased, but can grow to be five inches in length. Some females have been reported to grow up to eight inches.

These frogs have healthy appetites and will consume almost anything in the tank. If they can get it in their mouths, they will eat it, including fish or other animals. They will even eat live aquarium plants. You can purchase specially formulated frog food at many pet stores or online. If you do not have access to frog food, they will eat floating goldfish pellets or shrimp pellets. An occasional treat of ghost shrimp or small fish is nice, but should not be considered a staple. They will also eat worms. A big juicy night crawler cut into a couple of pieces is always welcome.

Since these frogs grow at a rapid rate, an aquarium of at least ten gallons is necessary. You may want to choose large rocks instead of gravel for your aquarium. There is a chance that gravel could be ingested and cause an impaction problem.

A filter is not mandatory for frog tanks but may help to keep the water cleaner. You may also want to do partial water once a week to ensure water quality. Always keep a cover on your frog tank, because these frogs are great jumpers. If your frog were to jump out and be left unattended for an extended period of time, it would die. Their skin will dry out relatively quickly.

With the right equipment and some tender loving care, you frog will make an excellent pet for years to come. There are some reports of these frogs living for 20 to 25 years!

By Kim Horton - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Difference Between AFRICAN DWARF FROGS and AFRICAN CLAWED FROGS

Photo by graysonrenee68

There has been a stark rise in the popular of aquatic frogs among hobbyist in the past few years. Aquatic frogs such as African clawed and dwarf frogs are known for their unique behaviors which are both interesting and entertaining. Anyone who has ever watched a tank of frogs can attest to this. Some hobbyist runs into the problem of housing clawed frogs with dwarf frogs due to a lack of knowledge of the two species. After you read this entire article, you'll be able to fully understand the differences between the two types of frogs.

African Dwarf and Clawed Frog Similarities

Before we get started with the differences between the two types of frogs, we'll first get an understanding of the similarities of them. Clawed frogs and dwarf frogs are both fully aquatic. They're capable of living underwater without the need to leave the water. These critters also look very similar which often causes people to mistake one type for the other which can lead to problems in an aquarium. Both share similar behaviors such as hanging at around the bottom of the tank while occasionally touching the water's surface.

African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

African Dwarf and Clawed Frog Differences

There are quite a few differences between the two. Knowing these differences can be a life or death matter when stocking your aquarium. Miniature frogs grow much smaller than the clawed version with the largest growing a little over two inches. Clawed species have been known to grow as large as eight inches. Only clawed versions are available in an albino form. While both types of frog are equipped with webbed feet, only the dwarf has webbed hands. The eyes on an African Dwarf frog are located on the side of its head whereas eyes of a clawed species can be found on top of the frog's head.

While habitat requirements are somewhat similar for both frogs, there are a few differences. For instance, clawed frogs require a bigger tank since they grow so much larger. The diets of these critters are also similar in the fact that they're both carnivores. However, clawed frogs are many dangerous predators in a home aquarium. They're capable of eating much larger creatures such as small crayfish and goldfish. Never house African dwarf frogs with African clawed frogs! The much larger clawed frog will kill and eat the smaller dwarf frog. The clawed frog is also known to be a tad more aggressive than the miniature which is normally peaceful.

Afterthought

Both types of aquatic critters are extremely entertaining and can be very interesting pets. Clawed frogs are illegal in some states so some people will have to settle for the miniature type which isn't a bad thing. After reading this article, I hope you'll now be able to understand the similarities and differences of both species.

By Gilbert Downey - Article Source: EzineArticles

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The African CLAWED FROG as a Pet

Do you have a child who is longing for a pet but can't have one because of allergies? Do you want a low maintenance pet with a long lifespan and few needs? Then the African Clawed Frog is for you.

African clawed frogs; Xenopus laevis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The African Clawed Frog or Xenopus Laevis is a wonderful pet for people who have allergies or live in a place that doesn't allow furry pets. They also are great learning tools for schoolrooms and for children to learn about how a frog changes from a tadpole to an adult.

You can purchase a frog from Grow-A-Frog online, or from the fish section of your local department store. These frogs are used extensively in laboratories for research because of the properties of their skin. They used to be used for pregnancy detection before more sophisticated tests were available and were released into the wild in the USA when they were no longer needed. Because the frogs will eat just about anything and have a long lifespan, they started to threaten the local fish and frog populations, and are therefore not legal in some states.

Habitat

African Clawed Frogs are from the cooler places in Africa. They like to live in areas of stagnant fresh water like ponds, rivers, and pools. For your frog, you will want to buy an aquarium and allow for ten gallons of water per frog. Because your frog breathes air, the water should be six to twelve inches deep so he can swim to the surface easily. The tap water has to sit for 24 hours before you put the frog in it, or use a dechlorinator crystal you can buy from Grow-A-Frog. Frogs are happiest when the water temperature is about 74-78 degrees F, so you may need an aquarium heater. A filter can be used to keep the water clean.

Whether or not to use gravel or stones on the bottom of the tank is debatable. Some frogs will eat the gravel if it is small, and they could die. If the stones are big enough, you could put them on the bottom. Also, provide your frog with some cover to hide, with plastic plants and decorations. Don't use real plants, because your frog will destroy them.

Be sure to have a tight fitting lid on the top of the aquarium. Your frog is a master at escape and can jump right out of most places.

You don't have to use direct light or artificial light for your frog. They like indirect light the best.

Food

African Clawed Frogs are not fussy eaters. You can feed them the prepared fish pellets from Grow-A-Frog, or you can feed them brine shrimp, meal worms, guppies, or Tetra Rept-min. They will even eat the fish in your aquarium, so be careful you don't put them in a tank with little fish.

Lifespan

These frogs have an official lifespan of eight to ten years in captivity, but most African Clawed frog owners will tell you their frogs can live fifteen to twenty + years.

Care

Clean the water once a week, less if you use a filter. Feed him. Watch him (don't hold the frog; they have chemicals in their skin which may cause an allergic reaction for some people). Listen to him sing! (males sing, females don't).

Benefits

The African Clawed frog if bought as a tadpole is a great learning tool for children. They will get to watch the frog grow from tadpole to adult swimming frog. If you buy a male and a female frog, with some luck, you can watch the mating process and enjoy the babies that may result.

The male frog has interesting vocalizations for different occasions. There is the 'feed me' song, the 'I want a mate' song, and the singing for singing sake song. Both sexes use their front legs to grab and eat, and look like they are begging for more food.

If you want a non-allergic pet with interesting habits and simple requirements, than the African Clawed Frog is for you!

By Mary Casey Mary Casey is the proud owner of a sixteen-year-old African Clawed Frog named Mup. Article Source: EzineArticles

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