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 Tomato Frogs
(Dyscophus
antongili)
Tomato Frogs are native to northwestern
Madagascar, where they are found in
rainforest areas or in vegetated areas near
water. Dyscophus antongili is
now on the Endangered Species
List because
its habitat is being deforested. This
Endangered
listing protects
Tomato Frogs by making it
illegal to capture or sell them,
so most Tomato Frogs available
as pets are captive bred.
Adult Tomato Frogs (sometimes called
Halloween Frogs because of their vivid
orange color) are among the most beautiful
frogs available as pets. Males grow up
to 2½" in length, and females range between
3-4". Their colors range from
reddish-orange to bright or dark red, with
yellowish bellies. Many Tomato Frogs
(males and females) have black spots over
their throat areas. Males and
juveniles are generally a duller orange or
brownish-orange, though the juveniles will
brighten as they grow.
Habitat
Tomato Frogs require a soft substrate they
can burrow into. Do not house them on
gravel, or they may turn brown and then die.
A mixture of playground sand and potting
soil (with no embedded chemicals) works very
well. Half an inch of chopped oak or maple
leaves, sphagnum moss, river sand, small
cypress chips, orchid bark, or Spanish moss
are also acceptable substrates. Make
sure they have plenty of live plants in
their tank, to simulate their native
environment. Since they occasionally
enjoy climbing, set a piece of cork bark or
bogwood in one corner, and a shallow water
pan in the other corner.
Tomato Frogs like it warm, but they aren't
obsessive about it. Keep their tank
between 65 - 80º F. Mist their tank
daily to keep their humidity level high.
Lighting should be subdued rather than
shining directly on them, as they are
primarily nocturnal. They hunt insects
by burying themselves into the ground, and
waiting for nearby movement.
Occasionally they may mistake a human hand
for a careless insect--so handle them with
care.
Tomato
Frogs should be fed a variety of
insects like crickets, waxworms,
butterworms, grasshoppers, and
superworms. Larger Tomato
Frogs may take pinkie mice.
Tomato Frogs sometimes secrete a white
mucous from their skins. This is
sticky, and may be a defense against
predators. Certainly it is irritating
to human eyes (I know this from personal
experience, my eye felt like it was on fire
for hours!!), so always wash your hands
after handling any frog.
Tomato
Frogs usually breed during the season of
heavy rainfall, and prefer to
breed in stagnant or very slow
moving bodies of water. The
eggs, which they deposit in the
water, usually hatch within two
days.
Tomato Frogs are a hardy breed which do well
with proper care. They make a bright,
colorful addition to any large terrarium. |
