Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Male Great Crested Newts undergo an amazing change in appearance during the breeding season.  In Part I of this article I introduced the natural history of this most beautiful newt, and discussed how to bring it into breeding condition.  I’ll cover breeding details and raising the larvae here.
Courtship and Egg Deposition
Breeding [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  The tadpoles of American Toads (Bufo/Anaxyrus americanus) and Fowler’s Toads (B. woodhousei fowleri), and of related US natives, are frequently collected by herpers young and old and taken home to raise.  They usually prove quite hardy, and, even on nutrient-poor diets (i.e. lettuce), transform into tiny toadlets within a few weeks. 
Toad [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  Few amphibians exhibit a more dramatic change in appearance than male Crested Newts in breeding condition.  It really is something to see and, fortunately, breeding this species is actually quite feasible.  Breeding the crested newt in captivity also has great conservation value, as this species is in decline throughout Europe.  Furthermore, [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article to learn about the natural history of the Panamanian Golden Frog , Atelopus zeteki, including it’s unique mode of communication.
Status of Wild Populations
Panamanian Golden Frog numbers are plummeting, most likely due to an epidemic of the largely incurable fungal infection

Chitridiomycosis. The fungus responsible, Batrachochytrium [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for a general discussion regarding the collection of insects and other invertebrates and their use in the diets of captive reptiles, amphibians, birds, invertebrates and fishes. Today I’d like to focus on some areas of special concern.
Toxic and Biting/Stinging Invertebrates
While not involving pesticides per [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  In the late 1980’s I was privileged to breed the now rarely-seen Smoky Jungle Frog, Leptodactylus pentadactylus, a large (8 inch snout-vent length) Latin American native that constructs foam nests on land.  In the wild, rain washes the tadpoles into a nearby pool, where they develop in normal frog fashion…following suit, [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. The Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) is one of the world’s most highly endangered amphibians, but has entered the pet trade from time to time and is sometimes seen in private collections. I’ve had the good fortune of working with these Neo-Tropical gems at the Bronx and Staten Island Zoos, and [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Aeromonas hydrophila is a common species of gram negative bacteria that often infects captive frogs and salamanders. It is particularly prevalent during the warmer months, when high temperatures stress amphibian immune systems (even tropical species often spend much of their time in cool micro-habitats) and leave them vulnerable to microorganisms that [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.  One of the world’s rarest amphibians is being bred by dedicated hobbyists and is now available in the US pet trade. Anderson’s salamander, Ambystoma andersoni, which was only formally described in 1984, is limited in range to a single high altitude (6,000+ feet above sea level) lake and stream in south-central [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Please see Part I of this article for information on other aspects of breeding the White’s treefrog (Litoria infrafrenata): distinguishing the sexes, preparation for breeding and egg-laying.
The Tadpoles
At 80-85 F, White’s treefrog eggs will begin to hatch in 24-40 hours. The tadpoles remain largely inactive for the first 1-3 days, during [...]