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Yearly Archives: 2010

The Red-Eyed Treefrog – Notes on Captive Care and Natural History

July 2, 2010 2 Comments 10348 Views

Red-eye Tree Frog in camo modeThis article is one of a series in which I plan to provide a brief introduction to both popular and rarely-kept amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates.  I’ll cover such topics as unique habits in the wild, common mistakes or concerns in captive care, pet pros and cons, little-known husbandry tips and so forth.  Detailed care articles will follow…until then, I would enjoy receiving your questions and comments.  Today we’ll take a look at the Red-Eyed Treefrog, Agalychnis callidryas.

Night Shows Only!

Ranging from southern Mexico to Panama, this striking beauty (its scientific name translates as “Beautiful Tree Nymph”) has become something of a “rain forest darling”, appearing on more calendars, book covers and travel brochures than any other amphibian.  Frog keepers, enamored of its huge, brilliant red eyes and lime-green skin, have taken to it as well.  Read More »

The Penn Plax Turtle Pier – a Useful New Basking Site for Turtles and Amphibians

June 30, 2010 Comments Off on The Penn Plax Turtle Pier – a Useful New Basking Site for Turtles and Amphibians 6725 Views

Late Stage TadpoleAfter decades of struggling to create makeshift land areas for semi-aquatic reptiles and amphibians, I was very happy when pre-formed Turtle Docks, Turtle Logs  and Turtle Banks became available.  Today I’d like to review the recently-introduced Penn Plax Turtle Pier, which eliminates certain drawbacks associated with the previously mentioned products.

Drawbacks and Advantages of Various Platforms

Since their introduction, I’ve put the first line of basking docks and platforms to good use in my collection and in several of the aquarium and museum exhibits I’ve designed (please see article below).  Their only limitations are that large turtles tend to sink them below the surface (which keeps the plastron from drying out completely) and robust individuals sometimes dislodge the platforms from the aquarium’s sides. Read More »

The Natural History and Captive Care of the Smokey Jungle Frog – Part 1

June 28, 2010 6 Comments 7929 Views

Smokey Mountain FrogI’ve studied and cared-for a great many frog species in my time, but count the robust Smokey Jungle Frog, also known as the South American Bullfrog (Leptodactylus pentadactylus), as one of the most beautiful and mysterious of all.  I’ve been very fortunate in having bred this frog in captivity, and today will examine its natural history and reproduction.  I’ll move on to diet and its unique habits in Part 2.

Range

This frog occurs from Honduras and northern Nicaragua through Venezuela to French Guinea and south to southern Columbia, Ecuador, northern Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.  Due to its secretive nature, the southernmost limits of its range are not well known. Read More »

The Conservation and Captive Care of the Diamondback Terrapin

June 25, 2010 6 Comments 7646 Views

Diamondback TerrapinTurtle enthusiasts find the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) very difficult to resist. Sporting a beautiful carapace that is deeply etched with concentric rings, and clad in a bewildering array of gray, silver and black markings, this estuary specialist does, however, present a few challenges to prospective keepers.

A Unique Natural Habitat

The Diamondback Terrapin is the only North American turtle completely restricted to estuaries, tidal flats, lagoons and salt marshes. Neither a fresh water nor marine species, it is uniquely adapted to brackish habitats. Read More »

Something New for Insect-Keepers – The Aquatic Sunburst and Green Diving Beetles – Part 2

June 23, 2010 10 Comments 20714 Views

Diving BeetlePlease see Part I of this article for information on the natural history of the Sunburst or Marbled Diving Beetle (Thermonectes marmoratus), the Green Diving Beetle (Thermonectes sp.) and related insects.  These wonderfully interesting aquatic beetles sometimes appear in the pet trade, and they and related species are also rather easy to collect.  Today we’ll take a look at their captive husbandry.

Habitat

The beetle aquarium should be tightly covered, as all species can and do fly, especially at night.  The tank should be stocked with a variety of live aquatic plants (i.e. Elodea, Anachris, Water Hyacinth) and sticks…despite being strong swimmers, Diving Beetles need to take frequent breaks by clinging to submerged objects; egg deposition occurs on live plants. Read More »

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