Pet African Clawed Frog

When it comes to exotic pets, few can argue the interest that people have these days for odd pets such as the African Clawed Frog.

This interesting little from is one of at least 14 different species of (Xenopus) or strange foot frogs. These great little frogs can be found throughout much of Africa in the wild, as well as in many laboratories for research purposes. The African Clawed Frog is considered by many to be a very social and intelligent creature. While there really is not a lot known about these elusive yet funny frogs more and more people today are finding a way to introduce them into their homes as pets. Within the wild habitat that they live in, they spend practically 100% of their time in water. Should you elect to keep an African Clawed Frog at home as a pet, there are a few things you will need to keep in mind.

First and foremost, one of the most important aspects of African Clawed Frogs, is that they are originally considered a wild frog. What this means is that should you decide not to keep it anymore it realistically should be handed over to a pet store or local zoo. By releasing this frog into the wild in your area can cause many problems both for the pet and the natural eco system of the region you live in. if one of these African Clawed Frogs is released to the wild in say North America, it could easily deplete the native frogs of the region rather quickly as they like to dine off of smaller frog species in the wild. This type of frog should be seriously considered prior to becoming a household pet. This will ensure the safety of the frog as well as the natural habitat that other frogs live in. African Clawed Frogs are best suited to live within an aquarium setting if you decide that this great frog is the right choice for you.

When placing African Clawed Frogs in an environment such as an aquarium in your home, you will want to make sure that you are not housing these frogs with any small fish. If for whatever reason you elect to do so, you will run the risk of the fish becoming a meal for the frog as they eat fish in their natural habitat. Placing the African Clawed Frog in an aquarium with fish that are larger will really not pose a problem and the fish and the frog will co-habitat. African Clawed frogs can indeed be rather aggressive towards smaller housemates, so safe practices are always suggested if you intend on keeping them with other species.

Considering the fact that African Clawed Frogs can get rather large, try to consider this fact when choosing a home for the frog or frogs. A good-sized aquarium would be a long 55-gallon tank. This is a good-sized tank, and will allow you to have a considerable amount of water for the frog to be comfortable. Another very important issue with the African Clawed Frog is their diet.

If you decide on one of these frogs the best diet for the frog will consist of:

• Krill
• Reptomin sticks
• Wax worms
• Bloodworms
• Shrimp pellets
• Mealworms

It is very possible for the African Clawed Frog to become friendly over time, and will likely allow you to hand feed them. This will give the frog a sense of trust, and give you the peace of mind that you are forging a bond with your pet. A few very important reminders for new African Clawed Frog owners, first they will shed their skin quite a bit it would be a good idea to have a good filtration system in your tank.

This will ensure that there is no bacteria buildup or diseases forming in your tank. Second you will want to make sure that you have all holes covered around the top of the tank, as African Clawed Frogs are great jumpers and excellent escape artists. This can be a very fun pet endeavor should you decide to give it a try, this is very different from the norm like a cat or dog. The change and interesting new facets of African Clawed Frog keeping will have you entertained for years to come.