Description: Native to forested areas of northeast Madagascar. An attractive, stout bodied frog with various blends of red, orange, yellow and brown on the back and a yellowish underside. Males stay a bit duller and more brown and young frogs all start out looking brownish. A large female can get up to 4" long while males are a bit smaller. When in extreme danger, they produce a non-toxic secretion, which is irritating to mucous membranes. Normally, they try simply inflating their bodies when threatened. Have been known to live 15 to 20 years or more. Active day and night.

Temperature: 78°F to 82°F normal daytime temperature, 5°F to 10°F cooler at night. They may hibernate or estivate if the temperature is kept too low or too high. Colors will become dull if proper needs are not met and the frogs are not happy.

Humidity: High humidity should be provided, approximately 80% is good.

Lighting: Not important, a regular day and night cycle should be provided. Seasonal day length fluctuations are not needed but could help to stimulate breeding. A dim night light is required for viewing nocturnal activities.

Feeding: Pretty voracious, will eat a large variety of foods including mealworms, crickets, earthworms, moths, roaches, beetles, even pinky mice. Dust the food items occasionally with a calcium and vitamin supplement. Twice a week for young, growing frogs and no more than once a week for adults. Tomato frogs tend to get overweight, which is unhealthy and will shorten their lives. As the young frogs grow it is important to taper off the amount of food given. Adults do not need to be fed every day, they would only get fatter and less healthy. Two to three times a week is plenty for a full grown adult. You should never see a skinny Tomato frog, it would be starved or sick.

A clean bowl of water must be provided at all times to soak in. They tend to defecate in it so it will be necessary to change the water daily.

Habitat: These frogs are "ambush" hunters that remain hidden until they see something move and then strike at it. They can make due with a fairly small terrarium; a 10-gallon will suffice. Provide a deep, loose substrate for them to burrow into and hide. Plants, artificial or live, may be dug up and moved around so be clever in the placement of rocks, etc, to keep them in place. Tomato Frogs like to soak in the water, a dish that is deep enough to submerge in yet easy to get in and out of will work, or better yet, put in a partition to provide an area of water on one side of the vivarium.

Breeding: Takes place during the cooler rainy season in slow moving, still or stagnant water. The numerous small black and white floating eggs are laid near the surface of the water and hatch within 48 hours. Metamorphosis is complete after about 45 days and sexual maturity is attained at 9 to 14 months. Adults will cannibalize small frogs.

ENJOY YOUR PET LIFE FORMS, Dave & Donna