Ornate Horned Frog
(Hyla cinerea)

Habitat
: Basic Terrarium    Diet: Carnivorous    Adult Size: 4-8 inches    Lifespan: 16 years or more
Native To: Brazil and northern Argentina

Did You Know:

  • The Ornate Horned Frog is nicknamed “Pac Man Frog,” because when it attacks prey its large wide-open mouth resembles the video game character.

  • In Argentina, there’s a myth that a grazing horse will die if an Ornate Horned Frog has bitten it on the lips. This is not true, the frog’s bite is not poisonous, but it probably stems from the fact that the fearless Ornate Horned Frog will not hesitate to attack a much larger animal if disturbed.

  • The Ornate Horned Frog gets its name from the folds of skin over its eyes. It does not really have a horn.

What You Should Know About Ornate Horned Frogs

The Basics:

Ornate Horned Frogs are eating machines, with mouths as wide as their heads and steel-trap jaws. There is little distinction between their broad heads and beefy bodies. Their legs and eyes are both relatively small. In nature, their green, white and yellow skin, touched with red and black, camouflage the frog when it lies on the forest floor. When a prey animal happens by, the frog moves forward and gobbles up the unfortunate victim. Usually, it will consume prey in only one or two gulps. Snakes, lizards, rodents, birds and other frogs are all on its menu in nature. Waiting for prey to
walk by the Ornate Horned Frog moves its body slightly forward by pushing with its thin, short legs, grabbing and killing its next meal. It takes only a gulp or two to swallow the
prey whole. The Ornate Horned Frog is a diurnal animal, which means that it is active during daylight hours.

Enclosure:
They Have Simple Requirements
:

Since they are relatively inactive, except when
eating, Ornate Horned Frogs do not need a lot of space. A single adult can be housed in a standard 20 gallon aquarium tank. (More than one Ornate Horned Frog should not be
housed in the same tank, since they will eat each other.) Ornate Horned Frogs are not agile climbers, so placing a few climbing rocks in their enclosure will provide them with
ample climbing opportunities. The enclosure should offer plenty of hiding places. Plants, live or artificial, can be used to provide hide areas. Position plants over a dry area of the
tank, as well as over the water dish to increase the frog’s sense of security. Unlike with climbing treefrogs, the Ornate Horned Frog’s enclosure should not be vertically oriented.
The enclosure should be set up for easy cleaning.

Substrate:
Material They can Burrow Into Works Best
:

Sphagnum moss, husk fiber and other material that the Ornate Horned Frog can burrow into are good substrates. The
substrate should be sprayed every day to maintain humidity levels. Aromatic wood substrates like cedar must also be avoided, since they can cause serious and even fatal
health risks. Substrates must be inspected daily, so soiled material can be removed. The Ornate Horned Frog will do fine with a paper substrate, which offers the advantage of
easy cleaning/replacement.

Temperature:
They Like It Warm
:

Hailing from the tropics, Ornate Horned Frogs do best
when the temperature in their enclosure is warm, in the low to mid 80s Fahrenheit during the day, and slightly lower at night. An under tank heater can be used during the day to
provide this heat, as long as the tank is glass, not plastic. Follow manufacturer’s instructions when using a heater to protect from fire risks. A low wattage overhead bulb
can also be used to provide heat, during periods when the pad is not used. However, care should always be taken not to overheat the tank with external heat sources. In all cases,
the temperature much be monitored carefully to be sure it doesn't rise too much. Never guess the temperature. Position a thermometer about one inch over the substrate level to
monitor heat. An enclosure should never be positioned in direct sunlight.

Lighting:
They Must Be Exposed to UVB Rays
:

Ornate Horned Frogs are active during the day and must have daily exposure to ultraviolet rays. Ornate Horned Frogs should be exposed to supplemental UVB light using a fluorescent bulb designed for a frog terrarium.  Prolonged exposure to light can stress these frogs, which spend most of their time in nature burrowing under leaves. Total light exposure should never exceed nine hours for a one day period, and may be shorter depending on the frog. If the frog seems stressed by prolonged lighting exposure, reduce the amount of time that the light is left on. The fluorescent bulb should be replaced every six months. Glass blocks out UVB light, so overhead light sources should be kept behind a wire mesh cover, not a glass or acrylic tank top.

Diet:
Bigger Feeder Animals Are Needed With Them
:

Young Ornate Horned Frogs can start out eating 4-6 gut loaded crickets that are dusted with a supplement a day, but as they grow, they will need bigger feeder animals, such as larger crickets, earth worms, frozen feeder mice and feeder guppies. (Fish can be placed in the frog’s water bowl.) No food should be larger than half the size of the Ornate Horned Frog’s body. Mice should not be fed more than once a month, and feeder goldfish should be avoided altogether because of their high fat content. Adults can be fed once or twice a week, and juveniles more often. Care should be taken to avoid overfeeding adults, because this frog is prone to obesity.  Do not offer food by hand, since the Ornate Horned Frog is liable to attack anything it sees when feeding. Important -- It is necessary to provide calcium and vitamin supplements as part of the diet. Please read the supplement section below:

Supplements: Dust insects with calcium supplement and vitamin supplement. As a rule, a growing juvenile's food should be dusted more often than an adult's. Consult product labels and outside literature for specific instructions on supplementing. Avoid over-supplementing food.

The following is a possible supplementing schedule for this reptile. Food should be dusted with a vitamin/calcium supplement every third or fourth feeding. Be careful not to “over supplement” a frog’s food, since too much calcium can cause gout and calcification. However, this is only a general suggestion -- the best specific schedule may vary depending on the supplement products used and other factors. Please consult product package directions, outside literature and a veterinarian to determine the optimal supplementing program.

A NOTE ABOUT WATER: All water given to this pet for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be free of chlorine and heavy metals. We recommend that you use bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. If tap water is used, you should treat it with a dechlorinating treatment or allow it to stand for at least 24 hours before being introduced to the pet's enclosure to allow the chlorine to escape. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.

Water & Humidity:

Ornate Horned Frogs need a 50-70 percent humidity level in their enclosure. This can be maintained by placing a large, but shallow, water bowl in the tank and misting the substrate daily. However, be careful not to over humidify the tank. Since
maintaining proper humidity levels is so important to the health of this frog, it is essential to use a hygrometer to measure them in its enclosure. Water used in their bowl and
misted on the substrate must be clean and fresh, and free of chlorine or heavy metal. The water level in the bowl should be relatively shallow, and a climbing rock should be placed in the bowl to make it easy for the frog to climb out of the water.


How to Handle an Ornate Horned Frog:
Like all amphibians, Ornate Horned Frogs are meant to be observed and appreciated, rather than handled and petted. Frogs breathe through their moist delicate skin, and this important organ can be damaged when rubbed against and handled. A startled or threatened Ornate Horned Frog is also likely to bite the fingers of anyone trying to pick it up. If it is necessary to lift the frog, use a moistened exam glove, and do so with great care, grasping the animal firmly but gently around the waist, joining your thumb and forefinger around its chest. Promptly place the frog in a safe container. Always wash your
hands, and rinse them thoroughly before touching an Ornate Horned Frog. The skin of these frogs will absorb residual traces of soap or perfume left on a hand. You should also wash your hands thoroughly after handling any frog.


Look Out For This:
This is not a pet for everyone. Although generally calm, the Ornate Horned Frog will bite when disturbed or threatened. It also requires larger feeder animals than the small insects consumed by
most frogs. In nature it will not hesitate to eat any animal that fits in its mouth. It’s not advisable to house two Ornate Horned Frogs together, since the larger one may well consume its smaller tank
mate. Its vocalizations sound like a cow bellowing.


Recommended Ornate Horned Frog Supplies:

  • A standard 20-gallon tank

  • Climbing rocks

  • Foliage in the form of live plants or artificial plants

  • Hiding places in the form of curved corkboard

  • A large, but shallow water dish with a climbing stone for exiting

  • A suitable substrate

  • A UVB fluorescent light source

  • A hygrometer

  • A misting bottle

 

 

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