Sit and wait predator activity patterns

[Mercedesherp]

I wonder if the " sit and wait " predation of Ceratophrys has been compounded into an in-appropriate understandinding
in the husbandry of these frogs.

Hank

[Ra]

Would you care to elaborate on this at all? In what way has it contributed to a misunderstanding of the captive care of these animals, in your opinion?

[GrifTheGreat]

I wonder if the " sit and wait " predation of Ceratophrys has been compounded into an in-appropriate understandinding
in the husbandry of these frogs.

Hank

Hmm Could be possible, but I have seen hunting activity in some of my frogs. Especially those who have not been trained to tong feed yet. I believe that in the wild that since food doesn't always just happen by that they would venture out from the safety of their burrows to scour the forest floor for insects, spiders, rodents, lizards, other frogs, etc. Doesn't mean that they're any less of a sit and wait predator, but more that if needs be they will adapt to a need to hunt rather than wait for what may or may not come to pass by.

So do you believe that captivity has made the species lazy Hank?

[IvoryReptiles]

We have seen them use their hind feet as lures, especially the cornuta. I know it isn't professional, but I giggle every time I see it!!

[Namio]

We have seen them use their hind feet as lures, especially the cornuta. I know it isn't professional, but I giggle every time I see it!!

The technical term for that prey luring tactic is called, "toe wiggling." LOL!

[Bruce]

We have seen them use their hind feet as lures, especially the cornuta. I know it isn't professional, but I giggle every time I see it!!

I've been my pyxie frogs do this as well. Maybe at some point these frogs, maybe all terrestrial frogs shared a common ancestor that developed that trait? Who knows, south American and Africa were once connected, maybe pacman's and pyxies did share a common ancestor..

[Ra]

Ive witnessed pyxies stalk and hunt as well, my Budgetts frog does the same thing. When my Fantasy Frog sees a nightcrawler, he goes for it. But for the most part, they are in fact ambush predators of the sit and wait style but that doesnt mean they are a one trick pony.
I think the notion that these frogs should be fed a diet consisting primarily of insects is a much bigger misunderstanding of their captive care. Not that they dont eat insects, but I dont believe it makes up a very large part of their diet.

[GrifTheGreat]

Ive witnessed pyxies stalk and hunt as well, my Budgetts frog does the same thing. When my Fantasy Frog sees a nightcrawler, he goes for it. But for the most part, they are in fact ambush predators of the sit and wait style but that doesnt mean they are a one trick pony.
I think the notion that these frogs should be fed a diet consisting primarily of insects is a much bigger misunderstanding of their captive care. Not that they dont eat insects, but I dont believe it makes up a very large part of their diet.

Insects are usually more common than say a rodent passing by their burrow, but since a lot of rodents and other frog species are nocturnal as well there would be a large possibility that another frog out hunting would be ambushed and thus making up a large part of the diet. Their mouths are designed to puncture other frogs that inflate as a defense.

I feel that in captivity insects make a better diet since most feeder mice and frogs are just not as nutritious as say a wild healthy mouse or frog. Disease plays a serious roll in whether those florals are actually good or not since most captives live longer on captive diets that are more easily made disease free. There is always that one out of 10 feeders may carry a disease or parasite though.

[Ra]

Rodents, birds,frogs, snakes, lizards etc probably make up about 80%-90% of their diet in the wild.

Crickets have a terrible calcium to phosphorus ratio and offer little calcium and next to no nutrition at all if they are not properly gut loaded. And even crickets can carry parasites. As far as insects go I prefer Dubia roaches and nightcrawlers as staples over crickets. As far as vertibrate prey in captivity, I do feed occassional mice and fat head minnows, but Iam thankful for products like Pacman food that offer a complete diet of whole ground fish with other added nutrients for balance.

[GrifTheGreat]

Rodents, birds,frogs, snakes, lizards etc probably make up about 80%-90% of their diet in the wild.

Crickets have a terrible calcium to phosphorus ratio and offer little calcium and next to no nutrition at all if they are not properly gut loaded. And even crickets can carry parasites. As far as insects go I prefer Dubia roaches and nightcrawlers as staples over crickets. As far as vertibrate prey in captivity, I do feed occassional mice and fat head minnows, but Iam thankful for products like Pacman food that offer a complete diet of whole ground fish with other added nutrients for balance.

Very true. Crickets are notorious for carrying pinworms and other parasitic worms. I dislike crickets as a feeder, but they are very easy to offer to froglets. Pacman Food is an excellent food source, but can be pricey so I only offer it as a treat. I prefer Night Crawlers as a staple and do offer Dubia Roaches as well. Crickets are not even nutritious gut loaded. They are very lacking in almost all aspects of that area. Their spastic movements make them very good a getting a feeding response from your frogs though. I only use them for Baby frogs while teaching them to eat other foods.

It is difficult to offer a wild frog diet in captives. Obesity, Kidney failure, Liver Failure, and Cholesterol build up are serious problems with feeding rodents and fish. Also Cloudy Eyes from too much protein intake which is also common when feeding rodents too often, but this also has a lot to do with climate conditions and all around housing. Correct near unfluctuating climate assists greatly in digestion and metabolizing vitamins and nutrients from food as well as calcium. So I can wild amphibians diet being possibly less hazardous to their health in some ways, but with wild food items their is always far more risk. Another note that can be added though is that the wild frog may have a farely strong immune system to fight off most diseases and parasites.