Shape and color of a Female and Male African Clawed Frog
Male - The males lack vocal cords, which most male frogs have.
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Instead of moveable eyelids, a horny transparent (see-through)
covering that
protects their eyes; the body is more flattened than
other frogs and the head
is wedge-shaped and smaller than the
body, unlike most other frogs, that have
the same size of head as
the figure, males weigh two ounces (60 grams), and are
about
two to 2.5 inches (5 to 6 cm) long. Females are much larger.
They weigh
seven ounces (200 grams) and are about four to 4.5
inches (10 to 12 cm) long.
Females also have cloacal
extensions at the end of their abdomen, (Stomach.)
Female- Females are much larger. They weigh seven ounces (200
grams) and are about four to 4.5 inches (10 to 12 cm) long. Females also have
cloacal extensions at the end of their abdomen, (Stomach.)
Female and Male- All African Clawed Frogs Lack a long tongue
and a visible ear The African clawed frog's front limbs are small with
un-webbed fingers that are used to push food into their mouth. Its hind legs are large and webbed; the three
inside toes on either foot have claws, (Our ring, middle, and pointer finger) name
which it uses to tear apart its food this is where they get their common… However, while they may look like claws, they
are not true claws but cornified tips. This
frog has smooth slippery skin, which is multi-colored on its back with blotches
of olive gray or lite brown. The underside (Stomach area) is creamy white with
a yellow tinge of color. African clawed
frogs have the ability to change their appearance to match their background.
They can become dark, light, or mottled. They also have a lateral line system
that is very sensitive to movement of water.
Distribution and Habitat
These frogs are found along the African Rift Valley south of
the Sahara in east and southern Africa. They are also found in South Africa and
Namibia and Angola in western Africa. As an invasive pest species they are now
found in freshwater areas all over the world.
They prefer warm stagnant pools, and quiet streams; they are rarely
found in running streams. They can tolerate wide variations in water pH, but
metal ions are toxic. They thrive in temperatures from 60 to 80 degrees
Fahrenheit but also they can tolerate ice-covered lakes to desert oases and
high salinity; African Clawed Frogs leave the water only when forced to
migrate.
Diet in the Wild
African clawed frogs are carnivorous and eat anything they
can find. They are scavengers and eat living, dead, or dying arthropods and
other pieces of organic waste including aquatic insect larvae, water insects,
crustaceans, small fish, tadpoles, worms, and freshwater snails. They have a voracious appetite and will
attack anything that passes in front of it. They use extremely sensitive
fingers, an acute sense of smell, and lateral line system to locate food and
then use a hyobranchial pump to suck food into their mouths. The tadpoles are
exclusively filter feeders.
Zoo and Pet Diet/Care
TANK---they are
fed earthworms two to three times a week.
There are many variations in recommendations for tank size for these
amphibians, but being a fairly large frog they will need a good sized tank.
Approximately 10 gallons per frog is a good rule of thumb. The frogs are
strictly aquatic and do not need a land area. However, the water should only be
about 12 inches (30 cm, not even a foot but really close to one) deep so that
the frog will be able to easily reach the surface, as they must breathe oxygen
at the surface (a minimum of 6 inches is recommended to allow the frog room to
maneuver). A secure lid is also a must - these frogs are adept at propelling
themselves out of the water and escaping, given the chance. The tank can be
kept at room temperature - 68-75 F (20-24 C). No special lighting is required
(indirect lighting is fine and may be preferred). A 12 hour light: 12 hour dark
light cycle can be used.
WATER---the water
in the tank must be de-chlorinated (Which means there is no chlorine) using a
product from the pet store designed to remove chorine (and chloramine, if
necessary). It is also said that these frogs are very sensitive to toxic
effects of metal ions in the water, so it is important to ensure that their water
does not come in contact with metal (e.g. on the tank cover). The issue of
filtration is somewhat controversial. The frogs have a sensory system (lateral
line) that allows them to sense vibrations in the water, so some experts
believe that using filters provides constant stressful stimuli to the frog
(compared to a human constantly being exposed to the noise from a jackhammer).
However, gentle filtration is used by some owners with success, and this will
keep the water a lot cleaner. These frogs live in stagnant water in the wild,
but that is not the same as dirty water in an aquarium. If no filtration is
used, the water should be nearly fully changed every week, if not more often.
Feeding---these
frogs will take many kinds of foods, live or not. Many owners are feeding
floating reptile sticks with success. While these are relatively well balanced,
feeding a variety of food is still a good idea. Items such as bloodworms, wax
worms, earthworms, feeder fish such as guppies, brine shrimp, and dog and cat
food can all be fed. In addition, a commercial food for clawed frogs can be
purchased via mail order from companies such as Xenopus Express (these frogs
are used fairly extensively in research so are available along with supplies
quite readily). As long as a balanced food is used as the basis for the diet,
supplementation with vitamins and minerals is not necessary. Feed the amount they will clear from the
water in 10-15 minutes, daily. Some sources say fully grown frogs only need to
feed 3-4 times a week. In general over feeding is more of a problem than under
feeding, so you can feed daily and keep an eye on the body shape of your
frog--if it seems to be getting overweight, then you can cut back a bit. Clawed frogs often become quite tame over
time, taking food directly from the fingers of their owners. They do sometimes
accidentally nibble on the fingers, but lack teeth so this is not a big
problem. These frogs are also lack tongues, and feed by stuffing food into
their mouths with their front legs. They can be quite messy as a result!
Mating
These frogs are sexually mature in ten to 12 months. Mating
can take place during any time of year, but is most common from early spring to
late summer, depending on location, and may take place up to four times a year. Males vocalize, even though they lack vocal
cords, to attract females. Instead they use rapid muscle contractions in their
throat to produce a type of clicking noise. The female will then either respond
with an acceptance call or a rejection call.
Mating usually takes place at night where they engage in pelvic am-plexus,
in which the males clasp females about the pelvic region. Eggs are about .04 inches (.1 cm) in
diameter. Sticky jelly around the eggs causes them to adhere to objects
underwater like sticks, stones, and other substrate. Females lay 500 to 2,000
eggs at one time and 2,000 to 8,000 eggs per year. Eggs hatch within one week and tadpoles are
about .16 inches (.4 cm) long. The total change from egg to small frog takes
about six to eight weeks. Adults exhibit no parental care.
Life Span and Shedding
This is a rather inactive and hardy creature that may live
up to 15-20 long years. African Clawed
Frogs shed every 1-2 weeks; it will appear as a see-through (transparent) skin hanging
off its body. Then your frog will kick at its head a few times to remove the
skin. Usually when this happens the frog eats the skin. It is a fast process
lasting less than a minute and sometimes you may never see your frog shed.
Sometimes frogs won’t eat their skin and you will find a thin filmy substance
stuck on the tank decorations. This is the skin that was shed so just remove it
from the tank and throw it away.
