A big HI from South Africa

[Kurt]

I keep my Phrynomantis on sphagnum with a false bottom, at least the bifasciatus are, the microps are just on sphagnum for now. Three is a PVC cap with large holes drilled in it that is utilized as a hide box by the bifasciatus. They don't seem to use it anymore. The microps have a black plastic hide box which they still very much use. The bifasciatus have a few artificial plants in their enclosure which seem appeal to them more the PVC cap. The microps have no such plants, maybe that's the reason they still use the hide box.
I feed my Phrynomantis frogs mostly fruit flies, but they also get been weevils and small crickets. They do have good appetites. I have 5 P. bifasciatus, what I believe to be two females and one male in the main enclosure and two more in quarantine, that I believe to be male. Sadly, one of the frogs in quarantine has thinned out big time. Will take both of those frogs to the vet this weekend, not sure he can do anything for it at this point. I have two P. microps, not sure of the genders of these two frogs. My big regret with them is I only bought two. They appear to be thriving just like my trio of bifasciatus.
I plan on building a rain chamber for breeding terrestrial types. It will be similar to my arboreal chamber. (see red-eye care article) I have all the material to do so, just need to find some ambition and energy.
One thing I noticed is my Phrynomantis bifasciatus have more intense color than the one in the photo. Mine are jet black and blood red.

[Buck Rogers]

I plan on building a rain chamber for breeding terrestrial types. It will be similar to my arboreal chamber. (see red-eye care article) I have all the material to do so, just need to find some ambition and energy.
One thing I noticed is my Phrynomantis bifasciatus have more intense color than the one in the photo. Mine are jet black and blood red.

Kurt these are some really good point you have brought up here. One thing I have noticed is during the day they are hiding under a dry piece of termite mound, these frogs can be found in semi arid areas in Botswana that are dry as bone so they do not seem very dependent on moisture to survive (though they would probably bury themselves in the ground if it was too dry like our rain frogs (Breviceps)) but I have noticed that if they have been on what would be the dry side of the enclosure they are a rusty brown colour and the bands are more skin colour/pink. At night they are either soaking in the water bowl or in the sphagnum moss and that colour turns really black and the red is intense. But I doubt that humidity alone (unlike white's tree frogs) is dependant on the colouration in this species, I think stress and hormones also play some part of this but would be great to observe over time.

I am moving them into a 40cm x 30cm x 40cm cage once it is completed and will have a lot of soil (I am planning on using only peat moss) and having varies indoor plants with no drainage system (only perlite at the bottom layer). I will make a cutom water bowl with a deep end and a shallow end, the deep end I am hoping they will naturally use for breeding but if not i have a back up plan.

To add a rainchamber is a really great idea. To hibernate the species in Winter and bring them out with rain is an excellent idea. To give you some inside insight, on the highveld (where the species occurs) we usually have late afternoon thunder showers which come down hard and heavy at around 4pm. They usually last less than 2 hours but are extremely heavy and the storms carry on for 4 months or so some days for 2-4 days in a row but generally is every second to third day. I am hoping that with being in Africa the rains outside accompanied by spraying the viv and barometer dropping will encourage breeding (a friend has ensured this worked for him with certain species)

Hope that helps out a bit.

p.s I am sorry to hear that your one fellow is not doing well. Based on the sexing are you looking at the throats or the size of the male in comparrisoan to female?

[Kurt]

My sexual identification is based on size. Last night I discovered the thin one dead. It was expected, so I am not torn up. Besides the factors you mentioned, I have also noticed that light can determine the intesity of color in frogs. After lights out I have notice that a lot of my frogs do darken in color, this is especially true of my treefrogs.

Thanks, for the insight on their natural enviroment. The only info I have to go on as far as natural history are filed guides. So thanks.

[John]

Darryn, I think you might find this useful: Endangered Wildlife Trust