Argentine Horned Frog - Keeping As A Pet

Keeping As A Pet

Known in the pet industry as Pacman frogs, the Argentine variety is usually the hardiest species and is easy to care for. The Argentine Horned frog has simple requirements as a pet. An aquarium of at least ten gallons will do. Because they are very poor swimmers and spend their time buried in soil and leaf litter in the wild, the only water in the tank should be a shallow bowl - with water shallow enough that they cannot possibly drown in it. The rest of the tank should be peat moss or coconut fiber or similar substrate, deep enough that they can bury themselves in it as they would in their natural habitat. Care must be taken to avoid substrate with rocks or gravel that could be eaten by accident while hunting, causing fatal impactions in the stomach.

It is recommended to keep horned frogs alone to avoid cannibalism. A preferred temperature for the cage is from 78 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, and humidity between 60%-70%. A heating pad can be used to regulate temperature, however the pad should be placed on one side of the tank and not underneath in order to prevent burrowed frogs from overheating. A thermometer and hygrometer are also needed to evaluate temperature/humidity. Daily misting with distilled water (eliminates hard water stains on tank glass) can help achieve optimal humidity levels. Do not directly spray your frog with distilled water or offer distilled water for soaking. Only de-chlorinated tap water, or preferably spring water should be used for soaking purposes.

Juveniles can be fed 3-4 appropriately sized vitamin/calcium dusted crickets every other day. Adults can be fed adult crickets, roaches, or earthworms three times a week. Also dust with supplements once a week for adults. Mice can be feed once or twice a month but should not be a diet staple. Frogs have difficulty digesting mammalian tissue and the high fat content of mice can lead to fatty liver disease.