Building a new one!

[Jace]

Thanks Kurt. Appreciate the advice. It's now a toss up between the White's and the Rubber frogs. Decisions decisions.

[Kurt]

Everybody has White's. Be different!

[chumpy100]

i dont have any white's =p what are rubber frogs like?

[Kurt]

They are small Microhylid frogs of the genus Phrynomantis. There five species, the most common in herpeculture is the red-banded rubber frog, Phrynomantis bifasciatus. It is also known as the red-banded crevice creeper, Tanzinian red-banded walking frog, and so on. Frogs of this genus have a tendency to look like a hybrid of frog and salamander. Being toxic and slow-moving they are brightly colored.

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...is+bifasciatus

The other rubber frog that is sometimes availible is the West African rubber frog or Ghana fire frog, Phrynomantis microps

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...mantis+microps

I have both species in my collection.

[SludgeMunkey]

Well, you have me sold on them Kurt. It appears to be the exact type of exotic frog I have been looking for.

[Kurt]

Well, you have me sold on them Kurt. It appears to be the exact type of exotic frog I have been looking for.

Yeah, Phrynomantis frogs rule! Just wished there were more available. Of the five species only seem to be available, bifasciatus and microps. The other three, annectens, affinis, and somalicus, are never offered for sale. And to tell the truth, I have no idea what Phrynomantis somalicus even looks like.

[Jace]

Everybody has White's. Be different!

You have a point there. Don't rubber frogs like to burrow though? I am looking for something that will be seen and admired. They are interesting looking frogs though...I'll check out the sites you suggested. I'm just wondering if they are available here in Canada. I like the fact they are from Africa, though-fits in with my collection rather nicely .

[Kurt]

Mine never really burrow, they are usually visible. My microps use their hide box about 75% of the time. My bifasciatus are usually not hidden much. Of course the more you have the more likely you are to see them.

[Jace]

Mine never really burrow, they are usually visible. My microps use their hide box about 75% of the time. My bifasciatus are usually not hidden much. Of course the more you have the more likely you are to see them.

Actually, the more I look up these little frogs, the more I like them. I only buy my frogs from one place, so I am going to phone them today and see if they are available for me.

I am having a hard time finding a care sheet on them-could jot down some basics for me (temp, humidity, food etc) and what would be the best habitat for them. I would like to include a water feature-maybe a waterfall-would that be beneficial for them? Thanks Kurt-really appreciate the advice.

[Kurt]

You're welcome. I keep mine on sphagnum moss and feed them small insects such as fruit flies, small crickets, and been weevils. Don't know what the humidity should be, but I keep the sphagnum moist and they seem to do well. They are kept upstairs where is warm most of the year, upper 70's - 80 or 82F. The bifasciatus have a hide box but don't use it much, maybe because they have a bunch of artificial plants to hang out in. Which reminds me, they are excellent climbers. The microps just have a hide box for now, which they definitely use.
There isn't much written on the husbandry of this species, but one of these days I will get my #### together and write some thing on it. I need to do more research and I want to try breeding them, that way I will have actyually have something to write about.

[Jace]

Thanks Kurt! The more information I'm finding about them, the more I think I would like to have them. It's going to take a bit to set up the viviarium, and hopefully I can get them here in Canada. Fingers crossed!