Scientific Name
- The scientific name of the Tomato Frog is Dyscophus antongilli, D. guineti and D. insularis.
Description
- Tomato frog has orange to red back, a yellowish underside, and sometimes have black spots on the throat.
- The bright colors serve as a warning mechanism. While not toxic, it gives off a yucky, sticky white mucus that is irritating to mucous membranes & serves to ward off predators.
- The frog can inflate its body when disturbed.
- Dyscophus antongilli is endangered in its native country as a result of deforestation and over-collecting for the pet trade.
- This type of Tomato frog is protected under CITES Appendix I and is ILLEGAL in trade!
- Two other species of tomato frogs in Madagascar, D. guineti and D. insularis, neither of which are presently endangered.
Distribution
- These frogs are found in Madagascar, Africa.
- It is limited to the northwest part of the island.
Breeding
- The male frog has bright yellow-orange skin, while the female is reddish orange.
- 18 – 32°C temperature.
- Mid to high humidity is ideal for breeding.
Size
- Approx. 3 inches (7.5 cm) for adult males.
- Approx. 4 inches (10 cm) for adult females
Life Span
- 5 – 10 years.
Tomato Frog Diet and Feeding
- Insectivorous (insects-eating); crickets, moths, flies, grasshoppers, etc also worms and fishes.
- Remove all the remaining insects because they (especially crickets) will disturb the frog at night, resulting in unnecessary stress.
- All food items should not be larger than 1/3 of the size of its head.
Natural Habitat and Housing
- Terrestrial; lowlands, swamps, and shallow pools.
- They live well in temperatures from 64°F and up to 80°F.
- The container should be large enough but does not need to be high because they do not leap or climb high.
- A large water bowl should be available all the time.
- It needs a soft substrate to burrow into.
- If they start to turn an icky brown color, it’s a sign of an unhappy frog.
- Ideally should have about 6 cm of a damp but not overly-wet base substrate mixture for the frog to dig into.
- This substrate can consist of pre-sterilized chopped oak and maple leaves, sphagnum moss & river sand, or you can go for some regular potting soil as long as it doesn’t contain any chemicals.
- You can put a few large pieces of cork bark or bogwood on top and add a shallow water pan towards one corner.
- You should mist the vivaria once or twice daily with dechlorinated or stale water to retain moisture in the substrate.