Tiger Leg Monkey Tree Frog Phyllomedusa Tomopterna
Tiger Leg Monkey Tree Frog Phyllomedusa Tomopterna
Description: From the South America tropical rainforests, pretty green tree frogs with orange bellies and thighs showing tiger-striped markings. Mostly nocturnal, but is occasionally active during the day. They have an odor that is not altogether unpleasant. Females grow to be 3 inches and males are about a half-inch smaller. Also called a monkey frog, they do not hop much, but climb about using their hands and fingers in a way similar to monkeys. In the wild, they often sleep in the center of a leaf out in the open. Also known as the Lemur Tree Frog. Temperature: 75° to 80°F daytime temperature, a few degrees cooler at night. Humidity: High humidity should be provided, approximately 80% is good. Lighting: Plant grow lights are necessary for the live plants in a jungle habitat, use a timer to simulate the tropics, 12 hours on / 12 hours off. Seasonal day length fluctuations are not needed but could help to stimulate breeding. A dim night light is required for viewing nocturnal activities. Feeding: Crickets are the main staple diet along with mealworms and various other insects when available. Sometimes these frogs grow too accustomed to the same types of insects and may refuse to eat anything different. Dusting food items with a supplement (twice a week for adults and more often for young frogs) is good husbandry and will help keep them healthy. Using a food dish is helpful and the frogs will quickly learn to utilize it. Clean water must be provided and they will often soak their rear ends to absorb water. Habitat: A ten-gallon tank will work for a single frog but a larger and taller tank would be more suitable. These frogs can be seen actively roaming about their enclosure at night. During the day, they will sleep on plant leaves or on the glass walls, etc. Use thick wooden sticks and sturdy plants with fairly large leaves to make an arboreal habitat. They will also walk around on the ground hunting and going about their business. A water area with plant leaves hanging over it provides a place for egg deposition. Breeding: In their natural habitat there is a slightly cooler, dry season and then a warmer, wet season that signals breeding time. This cycle must be simulated to induce breeding. Slightly cooler/drier and an hour or two shorter days plus a bit less food is the "dry" season. Then, gradually increase the temperature, humidity, day length and feed them very well for a few weeks. Simulating the "wet" season is the most important step. Some breeders use a separate "rain chamber", where a pump continuously recirculates water, spraying the tank down for most of the night. Breeding should occur in less than a week, if it doesn’t, go back to feeding them well and try again in a week. Tadpoles can be raised together and fed with fish food flakes and algae. |