Care Sheet for Low Land Leptopelidae
Author : Henry Capobianco
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The Leptopelidae originate in Africa. In the savannah of northern tropical Africa we have Leptopelis viridis, L. nordaequatorialis, L. oryi, and L. bufonides. In the eastern savannah lowlands, along the coasts of Somalia, Kenya and inland Tanzania is found the L. concolor-argenteus-broadleyi complex. Forest dwellers at medium and low latitudes include L. uluguruensis, L. vermiculatus and L. babouri and in the bushlands of West Africa we have L. flavomaculatus. (1) Each of these areas have varying altitudes and temperatures, areas that are drier and other areas that are more humid. Husbandry should correspond somewhat to native climate, but in general, due to reduced air circulation in captivity, tank conditions should be cooler and less humid than native habitat. |
| L. uluguruensis (Photo:H.Ciegler) |
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Identification The most widely available are L. vermiculatus and L. brevirostris. The former is often sold as a Tanzanian Leaf Frog and several species are sold as the African Big-Eyed Treefrog. Color is the least dependable identifying feature as the frogs not only vary quite a bit from species to species, but color in any individual may also change considerably with age. L. vermiculatus is usually bright green as a froglet or juvenile but tends to develop more gold and brown as they mature. Most species have enormous eyes and a characteristically concave appearance to the lower jaw. They also have a sacral hump, not unlike common Ranidae, rather than the round back of Litoria caerulea, Hyla gratiosa or H. versicolor, for example. Leptopelidae can also be very athletic, with the ability to jump a good distance very suddenly. |
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| L. vermiculatus (Photo:H.Capobianco) |
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Husbandry I have found the Leptopelis vermiculatus and L. brevirostris very hardy and easy to keep. A maximum of two adults can be kept in a 20 gal tank; more room is better. A setup that works well and is very low maintenance is to use a two-inch layer of a composting substrate, like a soil/peat mix or shredded coconut husk with a layer of sheet moss over the top to prevent substrate from sticking to the frogs. If terra cotta water dishes are used, they will leach enough moisture into the substrate to provide sufficient humidity without misting, but will not allow the soil to become soggy. I have found it not necessary to mist them at all under these conditions. |
| L. natalensis (Photo:H.Ciegler) |
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They are likely to soak every night and often leave waste in the water
dish, so it's critical to change the water daily. Under these conditions,
it may be necessary to change the substrate only three or four times per
year. Temperatures of 85¼F (30¼C) at the basking spot are sufficient for day time and night time lows can drop to 68¼F (20¼C). Because they will often choose the same spot for sleeping day after day, it's a good idea to take a temperature reading where they are sleeping. The montane species (L. modestus, L. yaldeni, L. susanae, L. vanutelii, L. karissimbiensis and L. kivuensis) need no heat source and can be kept in temps comfortable for humans. |
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| L. vermiculatus (Photo:H.Capobianco) |