Pedigree, habitat and lifestyle of the Argentine horned frog, appearance, maintenance, reproduction, diseases and interesting facts, purchase. In the world of living things on our large planet, there is one amazing specimen - this is a horned frog. This is an extraordinary beauty tree frog that can become a very original pet. If you are a lover of everything outlandish and exotic, we can confidently say that this is exactly what will interest you. But you should take into account the fact that patterned amphibians need careful care for them and it is not so easy to keep them.
Pedigree of the Argentine Horned Frog
The Argentine Horned Frog, also known as the Decorated Slingshot or Itannia. It belongs to the family of the so-called Ceratophryidae - tailless amphibians. An international scientific name is also often found, namely - ceratophrys cornuta, which translates as - horned frog.
In fact, they are not very colorful by nature. All the colors, patterns and designs that now exist in these captive amphibians were bred through a special process of crossing. Also, over time, horned albino frogs were bred in terrarium conditions.
The average life span of Italy is 8 to 10 years.
Habitat and lifestyle of itannia
The habitat of decorated slingshots in the wild is the lands of South America. To be more precise, these are Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname and Guiana. These original frogs give their preference to tropical forests with high humidity. You can meet them at an altitude of approximately 450 m above sea level.
Argentine frogs are fairly sedentary representatives of the tailless order. They give their preference to a nocturnal lifestyle, therefore, at night, "tree frogs" are most active. During the day, they often lurk in all kinds of burrows or so-called shelters, burrow in foliage or loose soil, but so that the head is visible. In this arrangement, horned frogs sit and wait for their prey.
Description and characteristics of the appearance of itannii
Horned, these unusual frogs were christened for their specific upper eyelids. They are pointed and elongated, which is why it seems as if they are horns.
The basic background of Argentine frogs is mostly green, interspersed with red, orange, yellow or brown. Also, along the length of the entire back of these amphibians, there is a voluminous strip - green in the female and red-orange in the male. The rest of the body is painted in different tones, which are arranged in the form of stripes, dots and mottling. As for the abdomen, it is often yellowish-white with bright red dots. All sorts of variations can be observed in the coloring of the Argentine horned frogs.
The length of these unusual amphibians is mainly 7.5 to 20 cm, excluding the hind limbs.
Separately, it should be noted that in itannium sexual dimorphism is noted - differences in the anatomical structure between females and males of the same biological species. If we talk specifically about decorated slingshots, then the main characteristic feature is that females are larger in size than males.
These colorful amphibians have a fairly voluminous and wide head, as well as a mouth corresponding to it in size. The tongue is quite long and sticky, with a deep cut in the back. Even in Argentine horned frogs, warty ridges can often be found on the ossified scalp.
Content of itannii, home care
Of course, in truth, not everyone adequately perceives the possibility of breeding and keeping frogs at home. Many people treat such an idea with disgust and disgust. But there are also a lot of those who happily acquire colorful frogs and, as strange as it may sound to someone, these exotic amphibians for many become not just pets, but real family members. Like any other pets, itannians need care and attention.
- Your frog's home. If you decide to take on an Argentine slingshot, you will need, first of all, a special horizontal terrarium, which is designed for tropical animals. The minimum volume for one amphibian should be 40 liters. Dimensions 50 x 35 x 35 cm, excluding the height of the luminaire. Humidity is not very significant for them. The presence and availability of small quantities of water should always be monitored.
- Content temperature. The most acceptable for the habitats of colored amphibians are heat indicators of 26 degrees during the day and 22 degrees at night. At the very point of warming up, during the day, it should be about 32 degrees. The systematic change of day and night also plays a significant role. This procedure must be done without fail.
- Filling the terrarium. Here you can show all your imagination. In the abode of the Argentine horned frogs, you can reproduce the landscape that will resemble their habitats in nature. For this, you can use a wide variety of driftwood. You can design and make shelters for your pet yourself, place live or artificial plants in the terrarium. Here will suit you: ivy, small ficuses, scindapsus, etc. It makes no sense to plant new "flavors" in the ground, as the tannins will dig them out anyway. If we talk about the substrate, then in this case a layer of gravel is suitable for you, about 5 cm, then fresh soil is at least 10 cm, you can use moss or coconut fibers on top. It is important to remember that rocks should never be placed in the terrarium.
- Equipment for dwelling in Italy. Nowadays, you can buy a considerable amount of various equipment for terrariums. For the comfortable existence of Argentine horned frogs in captivity, a list of the necessary equipment is highlighted. There are also some accessories that are not required in the purchase, they will simply improve the convenience of your pet a little more.
The required equipment includes:
- Lamps for lighting, irradiation and heating. These include fluorescent lamps, which provide excellent conditions for the growth of living vegetation in the terrarium. For irradiation, you can purchase erythema lamps, they are capable of producing sufficiently strong ultraviolet radiation or quartz irradiators. For heating, mirror or infrared lamps are suitable, the latter are very useful to use at night, since the red light will not bother your pet.
- Thermal cord or thermal carpet. The thermal cord is an insulated cable, inside which the heating element itself is located. It can be used both inside the terrarium and outside. With regard to the thermal carpet, it is a flat heating device, the peculiarity of which is that the heating temperature in it is distributed differently, in the center of the rug it is often a couple of degrees higher.
- Day and night thermostats. You will need thermostats to maintain the optimal temperature for your diet, as well as to control your daily rhythm. Install a thermostat inside the terrarium.
- Sprayer. In order to regulate the level of humidity, you can use conventional sprayers, which are sold in flower and hardware stores. This is a very simple and inexpensive option.
- Thermometer. Temperature control in the terrarium is a must for owners of decorated slingshots. Based on this, a thermometer will become an indispensable assistant for you, so its acquisition will be necessary.
- Tweezers. Regardless of size, this item is essential to facilitate the feeding of amphibians.
Additionally, you can purchase:
- Time relay. These are the so-called timers that help control the length of daylight hours in the terrarium. They are not necessary to purchase, but are especially useful for breeding Argentine horned frogs.
- Feeder and drinker. To profit or quench your patterned pets' thirst, products made from quality plastic are best suited. They come in a variety of designs, so you can purchase a feeder and drinker that best fits into the interior of your particular terrarium.
- Hygrometer. It will serve as an excellent helper for moisture measurement and is very easy to use. Just attach the hygrometer to the glass of the terrarium, and you can precisely regulate the humidity level.
- Rain installation. This device is a small box with a pumping pump and nozzles, the box with the pump itself is installed outside, near the terrarium, and only nozzles are placed inside. Sprinkling will give your horned frog a lot of fun.
- Fog generator. It differs from a rainfall installation in that it produces water droplets much smaller and, depending on the water level, the fog generator is capable of producing quite strong spray.
If you are thinking about breeding these unusual amphibians, in addition you will need:
- aquarium pump with filter;
- aquarium processor;
- water change hose.
Itannians are predators by nature. The slingshot is capable of swallowing any food, regardless of the size that is in its field of vision.
If you disassemble frogs that are in captivity, then banana or house crickets, cockroaches, worms and zoophobes, quails or newborn mice are suitable for feeding them.
You also need to pay attention to the fact that it is recommended to mix supplements together with feed, for example, crushed egg shells. Also, the use of vitamins is allowed no more than once a month.
Adults are mostly fed once or twice a week, but they do not feed during the breeding season. They are going on a so-called "marriage hunger strike."
If the decorated slingshot is not hungry or sick, you will never see it exhausted, as they are incredibly voracious amphibians. On the contrary, there are often cases when frogs suffer from excess weight, which, as a rule, causes many diseases and significantly shortens the duration of their existence.
There must be a vessel with clean water in the terrarium, so do not forget to carefully monitor this moment so that the frog can quench its thirst at any time.
Breeding Argentine Horned Frogs
They become fully sexually mature up to 6 months. In the natural environment, the rainy season, which follows the dry period, is considered favorable for the start of reproduction of these colored amphibians.
For breeding decorated slingshots in captivity, some nuances should be taken into account. First, you need an aquaterrarium, as they breed in water. Secondly, you need to artificially simulate the change of seasons. To begin with, amphibians need to be planted in a warm terrarium, where they often hibernate. Then, when they are fully awake, they are irradiated with ultraviolet rays and well fed. Next, the frogs must be placed in an aquaterrarium with several land areas. The water temperature should be at least 25 degrees.
The duration of copulation is generally several hours. The female is able to lay up to 400 eggs, and after two days tadpoles appear. During the first three days, "little boys" hang on the walls of the aquaterrarium, then they begin to be active and eat hard. In the early stages, tadpoles should be fed with daphnia - these are small cancer-like creatures. Next, a regular bloodworm will do.
A month later, metamorphosis occurs - a profound change in the structure of the body. Young itanny must be seated separately, so that they do not encroach on each other.
Possible diseases of Argentine horned frogs
Often these amphibians are famous for their good health, but, like all living things on planet Earth, they can become weak and sick. Often, ailments can occur due to improper maintenance of slingshots.
The most common diseases are:
- Obesity. Adults, mature individuals do not require as much nutrition as growing slingshots. Therefore, many owners make a huge mistake and often systematically overfeed their pets. As a result, frogs develop obesity, which in turn shortens their lifespan.
- Blindness. Oddly enough, but the cause of blindness is also the excessive nutrition of colored amphibians. When overweight, fatty deposits can accumulate on the cornea, which can lead to blindness in animals.
- Sepsis. Frogs are able to absorb fluid through their skin, so owners must seriously monitor the purity of the water, otherwise they expose their domestic amphibians to the development of sepsis - blood poisoning. The symptoms of this disease are: clouding of the eyes, unreasonable chaotic jumping and poor coordination. To heal your frog, you will need to place it in a small tray of clean water and change the liquid every 4 hours.
- Bacterial infections. The decorated slingshot's immune system is strong enough to resist various bacteria. But in case the body is stressed and weak, infections can occur. Increased shedding, abdominal redness, and loss of appetite are all signs of bacterial infections. In this case, you need to contact your veterinarian to prescribe the correct treatment. In no case should you self-medicate.
- Dropsy. Prevention and specific causes of dropsy do not exist. Basically, frogs begin to swell, because the fluid ceases to be excreted from the body, and then your pet becomes like a bag filled with water. At the slightest suspicion of dropsy, it is necessary to take the animal to the veterinarian and receive proper treatment.
Interesting facts about Argentine slingshots
There are some moments in the life of colored frogs that not many owners are aware of. Amphibian owners often mistakenly believe that frogs are harmless and peace-loving animals, from which one should not expect the slightest danger. But there are cases when it is the Argentine slingshot, which looks so cute, capable of biting hard enough and seriously. With their jaw-like teeth, they can inflict bloody wounds on humans.
There is a legend that Argentine frogs have the ability to take the life of a horse. To do this, they just need to climb onto her lips.
Slingshots are best kept separate from each other, as they are famous cannibals and rarely miss the opportunity to feast on their kindred.
Buying a patterned frog
Of course, when you decide to buy itannia, first of all, as with any other animal, pay special attention to the appearance and behavior of the frog. There should be no erythema on the abdomen, also make sure that there is no edema on the body, and the limbs are active.
The price of slingshots on average ranges from 3 to 15 thousand rubles. It mainly depends on the variety of colors and patterns on the animal's body.
More information about the horned frog in this video:
