Frog Identification

[photoninja]

I purchased three of these frogs from Petco. The people there had no idea what kind of frogs they were, and were listed under generic "tree frog." I can't seem to get an ID on them. I have never seen them before, and can't find them anywhere on the internet or in books. They're a little smaller than adult White's tree frogs, with red and black tiger stripes in the folds of their arms and legs.

[scribbles]

Looks like a Red-legged Walking Frog (Kassina maculata) to me.

[photoninja]

Yeah, that looks like them. Thanks!

[scribbles]

Yeah, that looks like them. Thanks!

You're welcome, glad I could help.

[photoninja]

Any idea how much they usually cost?

[scribbles]

I have seen them being sold at Petco for around $20 (I think), but Petco misidentified them as Phrynomantis bifasciatus, a microhylid. Sorry I can't help you out better, as I have no experience with this species. I just recognized it when I saw the picture.

[Kurt]

They are usually not too expensive, expect to pay around $10 to $15 on average. Kassina maculata is a toxic frog, so keep that in mind. Wash your hands after handling it and do not house it with any other frogs, other than its own kind. It is a member of the family Hyperoliidae, reed and African treefrogs.

[photoninja]

Oh, it's toxic? i didn't know that. I'm housing them with my white's right now. How toxic are they?

[Ebony]

Hi photoninja. Your Red-legged Walking Frog looks gorgeous.

I would advise you to separate them asap, It's never a good idea to mix different frog species at all.

[Kurt]

Oh, it's toxic? i didn't know that. I'm housing them with my white's right now. How toxic are they?

Toxic enough that you want to seperate them immediately. They are also wild caught, so they will need deworming, and so will your White's since you have housed them together.

[photoninja]

Thanks. They were kept with white's at the store, so i figured it would be ok to stick them with mine. Now i just have to find another tank and a spot to put it

[Ebony]

Grrrr, that's terrible. Another example of a pet shop that has no beep idea.
Someone needs to tell them.

It's not your fault photoninja, you did not know and you had your trust in the pet store like many others will.

[Paul Rust]

Grrrr, that's terrible. Another example of a pet shop that has no beep idea.
Someone needs to tell them.

It's not your fault photoninja, you did not know and you had your trust in the pet store like many others will.

Happens all the time Ebony and I am with you, it sickens me too but the almighty dollar is all that matters, the animals are nothing but a vehicle to get at it.

[photoninja]

Happens all the time Ebony and I am with you, it sickens me too but the almighty dollar is all that matters, the animals are nothing but a vehicle to get at it.

I think i'm going to go say something to them. It's not the employees' fault that they didn't know what kind of frogs they were, but it was definitely the store's.
As for now, i don't have another tank for them....but it seems like they stay pretty far away from each other, so i'm hoping they whites will be ok for now

[Kurt]

Well, they use the same water and that is the most likely source for the exchange of toxins. You could house the Kassina in a Rubbermaid box for now.

[tgampper]

This species has three toxins - a peptide that stimulates the colon, evidently having a "laxative" effect, the second a tachykinin, which is responsible for lowering the blood pressure and increasing the heart rate and the third affects the gall bladder. Any mammal eating it will become violently ill.

Keep it away from other frog species, as it is a predator and known to prey on "reed frogs" and "leaf-folding" frogs.

[photoninja]

Do they create the toxins on their own, like toads? or from food they eat in the wild, like dart frogs?

[tgampper]

There isn't much material available on how the frogs create their skin secretions. I am reasonably sure that they will create their own toxins, like toads. It is quite interesting that this species is closely related to the "reed frogs" (Hyperolius) and "leaf-folding" frogs (Afrixalus). They use the toxins as a defensive mechanism.

In Mark-Oliver Rodel's book, Herpetofauna of West Africa, mentions another species, Kassina fusca, is associated with the very aggressive ponerine ants. The skin secretions protect the frog from being stung by the ants.