Top Four Biggest Pet Frogs

January 25, 2016January 25, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

The absolute biggest frog in the entire world is the Goliath Frog (Conraua goliath). It can reach up to 12 and a half inches long (snout to vent) and weigh upwards of seven pounds! However, we’re not including this behemoth frog on our top four biggest pet frogs list because they are currently endangered and due to the strict exportation regulation of this species, we don’t recommend keeping them as pets.

So now that we’ve gotten the Goliath frog out of the way, read on to find out more about our top four biggest pet frog species.

Gladiator Tree Frog (Hypsiboas boans)

This is a frog known by many names – the giant tree frog, the rusty tree frog, the giant gladiator tree frog – to name a few.

The Gladiator grows to around 4 inches long snout to vent. It gets its name because the males possess a bony spike on their hands that they use in combat with other males when it comes to defending territory or fighting for a mate.

Gladiators can be grey or brown in color. They possess stripes, bars or blotches on their backs. Their feet have a lot of webbing and oversized toe pads.

Like all tree frogs, the Gladiator is arboreal and as such its enclosure should support its climbing habits. These frogs are also fond of adhering to the glass walls of their tanks, giving their owners a view of their underbellies.

Cuban Tree Frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis)

The Cuban tree frog makes our list at number three because it is commonly known to be the largest tree frog in North America.

Although these frogs might not be the largest in terms of weight or girth, they are definitely the longest tree frog in North America, reaching over five inches long from snout to vent when fully grown.

Most frogs that grow to be this long will also grow in diameter (i.e. their bellies will bulge and they will be quite wide animals), but the Cuban tree frog is actually very slender for a frog of its size. This is probably because they spend a lot of time in trees and weighing too much would make it tough for them to cling to a perch or leaf while being so high off the ground.

Cuban tree frogs are originally from Cuba, as their name suggests, but have become an invasive species in the U.S. They are sometimes considered a nuisance in their natural habitat because the males actually bark very loudly in the mating season.

A single Cuban tree frog can be housed comfortably in a 15 to 20 gallon tank. Due to their arboreal lifestyle, the tank should be able to accommodate vertical space (i.e. be taller than it is wide) because your Cuban tree frog won’t spend a lot of time on the ground.

Pacman Frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli)

Pacman frogs are commonly sold as babies that are no larger than a quarter, but boy, do they grow fast! Pacmans have almost insatiable appetites and will not only expand in terms of length, but girth as well. In fact, many Pacman frog owners have to watch their frog’s weight and feed them a low-fat diet because these frogs can and will overeat if they’re not watched.

When fully grown, female Pacman frogs can be around four to seven inches long. Male frogs are slightly smaller, maxing out at around four inches.

Baby Pacman Frog — This baby Pacman frog is pictured next to a nickel. They start out tiny but grow into very massive frogs.

Pacman frogs are very popular pets not only because they are very appreciative eaters and put on a show at meal time, but because they are bred to be a variety of different colors. Captive breeding has produced some truly colorful Pacman frog morphs.

Because Pacmans are not picky eaters, we feed ours crickets as their staple food, and supplement with meal worms, night crawlers, and roaches. Occasional wax worms or horn worms are nice juicy treats, but just be sure to feed these to your Pacman in moderation.

Pixie Frog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)

Pixie frogs (AKA Giant African Bullfrogs) are true behemoths. These frogs not only grow long, but they grow hefty. It’s not unheard of for them to be large enough to eat adult mice!

large Pixie frog (Pyxicephalus adsperus) — Here’s a juvenile Pixie frog, perhaps four months old.

Male Pixies can reach lengths up to ten inches, while females will get to around five inches long, which is still impressive! Males have been recorded to weigh as much as two pounds, which might not seem like much, but in terms of frogs, this is really heavy!

Baby Pixie Frog — You can fit several baby Pixies in your hand at once!

Pixies are burrowers, so we recommend substrate that holds moisture and allows for this behavior. Coconut fiber is ideal. They will probably hide most of the time, but you better believe that when its lunch or dinner time, the Pixie comes running…or rather, hopping. We feed ours low-fat diets that include crickets, mealworms, and roaches since it’s so easy for these frogs to become obese.

Pyxicephalus adspersus — This is a Pixie frog at a healthy weight. This frog is clearly well-fed, but not obese and that is key to keeping these behemoths healthy.

Conclusion

All large frogs have complimentary large appetites which makes feeding time a fun and entertaining experience.

We would highly recommend any of these frogs for a pet. If you think you’re prepared to adopt any of these great frog species, Backwater Reptiles has many large frog species for sale.

Is My Pet Snake Going to Shed Its Skin?

January 20, 2016January 20, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Maybe you’ve never owned a pet snake before but you’re considering it. Well, we’re all about education and potential owners making informed decisions about the animals we sell, so this blog article is dedicated to explaining the process of how snakes shed their skin.

In this article, we’ll answer four important questions regarding snake shedding:

-Why do snakes shed their skin?
-How can I tell if my snake is going to shed?
-What do I do when my snake sheds?
-How often will my snake shed?

Bullsnake Prior to Shed — This is a bullsnake (P. sayi) prior to shedding its skin.

Why do snakes shed their skin?

Snakes are reptiles and as such possess scales instead of elastic, stretchy skin like mammals. A mammal’s skin grows and expands as the mammal grows, but a snake’s skin doesn’t actually grow along with it, so the snake must shed the skin in order to comfortably grow. This process of shedding skin is also called ecdysis.

In truth, the snake doesn’t actually shed its entire skin. Once the top layer of cells has accommodated as much growth as it can, the snake will slough it off in one single, hollow, sheath leaving behind a shiny, iridescent, and much more vibrant outer layer.

In addition to allowing for growth, getting rid of the top layer of old skin allows the snake to shed any unwanted skin parasites that may have attached themselves. This is not a common reason for captive pet snakes to shed due to human interference and prevention of parasites, but in the wild, this is a huge advantage to the animal.

How can I tell if my snake is going to shed?

When your snake is preparing to shed its skin, both it behavior and its physical appearance will change.

Your snake’s scales will acquire a grey sort of tone to them and lose iridescence. The snake will also appear to get cloudy, milky, or grey eyes. You might think your pet snake has developed cataracts, but in truth, eye clouding is 100% normal and you only need to be concerned if your snake has shed its entire skin and its eyes still appear cloudy afterwards.

Bullsnake Pre-Shed — This bullsnake will shed its skin in a day or two. A great indicator of this is that its eyes are clouded over.

Don’t be surprised if your pet snake also becomes lethargic, more secretive, or even more aggressive. Snakes, like people, have different dispositions and some will go through the shedding process smoother than others.

Some pet snakes might strike out more if you attempt to remove them from their enclosure and others might hide and not come out until they are ready to actually slough off their skin.

It is also very common for snakes to refuse food a week or so prior to shedding. Do not be alarmed if your snake is just not hungry. This is normal.

What do I do when my snake sheds?

More often than not, snakes will shed their skin in secret. The entire process could occur in under an hour and you might not even realize it has happened until you discover the skin in the enclosure.

If you happen to come upon your snake in the physical process of shedding, do not disturb it. You could injure the snake and the snake could become stressed and injure you unintentionally too.

Once you can see that the entire skin has been detached from the snake in one piece, remove it from the cage and dispose of it.

Pay close attention to your snake’s eyes in this time as you want to be sure that the shedding process occurred without any issues. Sometimes, particularly in instances where the humidity level in the cage is not high enough, snakes can have trouble ridding themselves of the skin cap that protects their eyes.

How often will my snake shed?

Snakes will shed their skin as long as they are growing, even if they grow at a much slower rate as they advance in years.

Young snakes who are growing rapidly will shed as often as every two weeks. Adult snakes who are considered mature will shed far less frequently – usually around two to three times per year.

Cornsnake Prior to Shedding — This baby blood red corn snake (Elaphe guttata) hs dull skin and clouded eyes. It will shed its skin soon.

Conclusion

Snakes make great pets for people who are educated and aware of the care requirements for these slithering reptiles.

If you are prepared to deal with an animal that wears a new skin every few months, then feel free to check out Backwater Reptiles’ many species of snakes for sale.

Freddy Krueger Frog Care

January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Have you heard of the “Freddy Krueger” frog? If you haven’t, we bet you’ll always remember them after reading this blog article. These frogs are bizarre and entertaining which makes them not only memorable, but delightful pets. We’re going to focus on how to care for Freddy Krueger frogs.

Freddy krueger frog care — The Budgett’s frog (aka Freddy Krueger frog) is flat and “blob-like,” which makes them fun aquarium subjects. They are easy to care for when setup correctly.

Also known as Budgett’s Frogs (Lepidobatrachus laevis), the Freddy Krueger frog’s physical appearance is reminiscent of a blob of green, olive, or yellow-colored Jello. They are flat, fat, and sort of jiggly when at rest. They have tiny but protuberant eyes that sit atop their head as well as pretty long fingers…at least as far as frog fingers are concerned. We imagine that’s partially where they get their Krueger moniker.

When stressed, threatened, or upset, a Budgett’s Frog will puff itself up, rear up on its hind legs, open its big mouth as wide as possible, and emit what can best be described as a scream. The frog’s mouth is toothless with the exception of two tiny sharp protrusions on their lower jaw that make them look like they have tiny fangs. What an interesting and strange defense mechanism.

Screaming Budgetts Frog — This is an angry Freddy Krueger Frog. He is puffed up, screaming, and showing off his two little “fangs.”

We actually sell quite a few of these unique blob-frogs at Backwater Reptiles. We think this is not only due to their comical appearance and screaming capabilities, but because they are great pet frogs overall.

Although their body shape might suggest otherwise, Budgett’s Frogs are mainly aquatic and prefer to stay in the water rather than to be on land. Their arms are quite strong making them adept swimmers. Because their eyes sit directly on top of their head, they can easily submerge themselves completely in the water and just leave their eyes poking out of the surface to see.

When kept in captivity, the Freddy Krueger Frog’s type of watery environment should be replicated as closely as possible. For a single, solitary, full-grown frog, we recommend a tank that is at least 12 inches wide and 24 inches long. Make sure the water you put in the tank is dechlorinated and in the range of six to nine inches deep. Although your Budgett’s Frog might not actually leave the water of its own accord, it is always recommended that a platform or place where the frog can escape the water completely and be on dry land is provided.

The water temperature for a Budgett’s Frog is also important. In order for the frog to thrive, the water should stay in the temperature range of 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be acheived by using a thermometer or thermostat and a small tank water heater. Because Budgetts frogs are hefty and can dislodge water heaters, we recommend a mounted heater that has a safety cut out, just in case.

It also should be noted that Budgett’s Frogs create a lot of waste for a frog. Their tank should have a filtration system in place, unless you want to change the water every few days. A good rule of thumb when it comes to water filtration systems is that you do get what you pay for. Depending on the frequency you want to change the frog’s water, it might make sense to purchase a pricier unit that filters better so you don’t have to change the water too often.

Because Budgett’s Frogs are such hearty eaters and therefore produce a lot of waste, we don’t usually line their tank bottoms with any kind of substrate. It makes it easier to handle the frequent water changes and also ensures that the frog doesn’t accidentally ingest anything it shouldn’t.

We recommend aquarium decor that is minimal as well as functional. Items that provide good hiding spaces and are aesthetically pleasing such as decorative caves purchased from a pet store, terra cotta pots, or similar items are all good options. Just make sure that whatever decor you do choose is too large for the frog to eat because they really are voraciously hungry and will try to ingest items you wouldn’t imagine they would.

No Budgett’s frog care sheet would be complete without mentioning their feeding habits. Due to their hefty appetites, you should feed your young Budgett’s frog as much as it will consume in a single sitting on a daily basis. Adults don’t require feeding quite as often – every other day is fine for a mature frog.

Lepidobatrachus laevis — Although its legs make it appear stumpy, the Budgets Frog is actually a really good swimmer.

Budgett’s Frogs will eat invertebrates like nightcrawlers, crickets, roaches, and wax worms. They will also happily eat small feeder fish and de-shelled land snails. You can feed them in the water or place the food on their land platform. Because these frogs are not picky eaters, they will usually take whatever you offer them and feeding time is quite an entertaining event.

Budgett’s frogs grow quite large and will reach lengths of up to six inches, although three and a half to five inches is more common. They can live 15 to 20 years.

Freddy Krueger frog care – conclusion

We very highly recommend Budgett’s Frogs as pets. Not only are they visually interesting and appealing, they are also quite interactive and great eaters, sometimes even jumping out of the water to attack prey. If you’re ready to spring for a Freddy Krueger frog of your own, Backwater Reptiles has Budgetts Frogs for sale.

The Best Small Pet Snake

January 1, 2016December 31, 2015 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Are you considering a new snake, but would like to know what species would make the best small pet snake? Probably the smallest pet snake sold by Backwater Reptiles is the Ringneck Snake (Diadphis sp.), with the Worm snake another contender.

This snake is perfect for someone who definitely wants a small pet snake and doesn’t want to deal with having a large tank or enclosure in their home. They’re great compact little pets and can be kept in a home as small as a shoe box quite happily.

Maybe you’re someone who is attracted to the cuteness of small animals or baby animals. Although the Ringneck Snake won’t be a baby forever, it can certainly pass for a baby snake!

Ringnecks won’t get longer than 15 inches and usually won’t surpass the diameter of a pencil in thickness of body. This means that a full-grown Ringneck Snake is the size most “normal-sized” pet snakes start off as when they’re hatchlings. Now that’s a small snake!

Best small pet snake — This photo shows the scale of the Ringneck Snake. They’re definitely little animals and are considered the best “small” pet snakes.

Ringnecks are a dark brown, black, or grey base color with a bright orange or yellow ring around their neck, which explains the origin of their common name. It’s almost like these little snakes wear orange necklaces. The bellies of Ringnecks are yellow or orange to match their neck band. Depending on the specific region the snake is from, the belly might also have black speckles or bars.

The Ringneck Snake has a very widespread distribution in the wild. They can be found throughout most of the United States and even into Southern Canada. They can acclimate to many types of habitats but seem to prefer wooded areas with plenty of hiding places like rocks, logs, and leaf litter. Due to their small size, a good hiding place is an essential survival tool for these little snakes.

Believe it or not, Ringnecks actually have a small amount of venom in their saliva that they utilize when hunting prey. This venom is harmless to people however, so don’t let that frighten you off. Their teeth are also so small that even if you were bitten by your pet Ringneck snake, you probably wouldn’t even feel it! We’ve never even had one attempt to bite, though.

In captivity, Ringnecks are pretty easy to maintain. They like to hide a lot, so they’re not the most entertaining or energetic pet, but they can still be rewarding to care for.

Although we always recommend replicating natural environments through substrate, hiding spaces, and other cage accessories and methods, Ringnecks can actually thrive with a very minimal cage set up. As previously mentioned, they need not have a large living space – a plastic shoe box will do just fine. This is great news for people who live in small spaces and have minimal room to store a tank or vivarium.

You can use paper towels as a substrate or go with something more traditional like peat moss and soil. Just be aware that no matter what you line the enclosure with, your pet Ringneck will more than likely burrow underneath it.

This is why we don’t advise that lots of heavy accessories be kept inside the enclosure with the snake. You don’t want the snake to accidentally dislodge a heavy fake plant or unnecessarily large water dish and injure itself.

Obviously these snakes are too small to consume the standard snake fare of frozen/thawed pinkies, fuzzies, and other rodents. This is good news for the squeamish who don’t want to have to feed their pet snake rodents! Well then, you might be wondering – what do you feed such a tiny carnivore?

At Backwater Reptiles, we have had success feeding our Ringneck Snakes nightcrawlers. In the wild, they eat lots of small invertebrates and sometimes even vertebrates that will fit in their mouth, so you can also try to feed your Ringneck crickets and other appropriately-sized insects, although earthworms are the tried and true food that we recommend.

Diadphis sp. — Even fully stretched out, Ringneck Snakes rarely get longer than 15 inches.

The best small pet snake – Conclusion

Ringnecks are fairly secretive snakes and can be a bit squirmy when held, but this behavior can be mitigated with frequent handling. Like any snake, your pet Ringneck will never be domesticated, but you can usually safely get it acclimated and used to being taken out of its cage.

While boas and pythons can make wonderful pet snakes, some people prefer a species much more manageable in size, which is why we endeavored to write an article about the best small pet snake, which in our opinion is the Ringneck.

If you think you’re ready to spring for a small pet snake of your own, Backwater Reptiles has Ringneck Snakes for sale.

The Grumpy Rain Frog (Breviceps mossambicus)

December 22, 2015December 21, 2015 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Are you familiar with the meme of the “Grumpy Frog?” It’s usually a variation of this picture with text indicating that the frog is unhappy in some way.

If you ever wondered what type of frog Grumpy Toad actually is, you’re in luck! Backwater Reptiles just got in a rare batch of these frogs, which are commonly called Rain Frogs and we’re going to tell you all about them in this post.

There are actually several Rain frog species that appear in the memes, but Backwater Reptiles has a species called the Mozambique Rain Frog (Breviceps mossambicus). They are also known as the Flat-faced Frog due to their squashed-looking faces.

These comical little frogs are balloonish, round, squat-figured amphibians with toes that face inward (i.e they are pigeon-toed). Their manner of walking, grumpy-looking features, and overall compactness generally remind us of bulldogs which makes them very comical, yet aesthetically-appealing pets.

We should also mention that even though these frogs have been nicknamed “Grumpy Frogs,” in reality they are very docile amphibians. They don’t really bite, move pretty slowly, and overall don’t mind being handled. They are not only cute to look at, but they are easy to keep as well.

Here’s a short video we took of one of our Mozambique Rain Frogs on a stroll, just to give you a better idea of how silly these little critters actually are when it comes to locomotion.

As its name suggests, the Mozambique Rain Frog hails from Mozambique, but is also found in other African countries. It’s natural habitat is dry or moist savannah grasslands, scrublands, and rural or pastoral gardens.

When the weather is dry, the Rain Frog will hide under rocks or small crevices in or around tree roots. While hidden, it will eat small invertebrates as an ambush predator. When rainfall occurs, winged termite swarms will emerge and rain frogs will come out from their hiding places en masse to feed on all the termites.

Breviceps mossambicus — Squat, fat, round, and balloon-like are all good adjectives to describe the Mozambique Rain Frog. They’re the bulldogs of the frog world!

While the Mozambique Rain Frog is listed by the IUCN as a species of “least concern” due to its widespread range throughout Africa, they are actually pretty uncommon in the reptile/amphibian hobby world.

These frogs also have very distinct calls. Unlike a traditional frog’s croak or clicking calls, the rain frog lets out a small noise that sounds like a squeak, squeal, or kitten’s cry. It can be very amusing, so long as the frog is not crying out in distress.

When keeping a Mozambique Rain Frog in captivity, keep in mind that these frogs are burrowers. They are not jumpers or climbers and would much prefer having horizontal tank space to walk around in than vertical space as they won’t climb branches or trees. To satisfy the burrowing habits of the rain frog, make sure to coat your enclosure in a substrate that retains moisture and also holds its shape. We also recommend that there are no heavy decorative items in the enclosure since the frog might burrow underneath it and accidentally injure itself. Plastic hide rocks and a small fake plant or two should be suitable.

Since the natural diet of the Mozambique Rain Frog consists of small invertebrates, we feed ours crickets, dubia roaches, meal worms, and occasional wax worms.

flat faced frog — The rain frog’s short legs make it a poor jumper. It much prefers to waddle around.

As we previously mentioned, Backwater Reptiles currently has Mozambique Rain Frogs for sale. We just received a shipment of these humorous little frogs. They are relatively hard to come by in the reptile/amphibian pet trade, so we recommend buying yours now if you’re interested before they sell out since we likely won’t get any more until next breeding season.

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