The African Bullfrog is one of the biggest frogs in the world, they are large and robust with weights recorded up to one kilogram!
African bullfrogs frogs are very large and robust with its weight recorded at 1.075kg. The male may grow up to 230mm long with a 90mm wide jaw. The female is smaller than the male. The back has distinct longitudinal skin folds. Colouration is variable, mostly with brown or dark green background but a bright green component is usually present. The side of the body around the arm and throat is often deep yellow especially in breeding males. Juveniles are bright green with a yellow vertebral stripe.
These large bullfrogs are widely distributed in drier savannas , reaching north eastern coast plains. It is found wherever large pans fill with water during rains. They are native to Angola; Botswana; Kenya; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; South Africa; Tanzania; Zambia; Zimbabwe.
A tank with a floor space of 24x18" would be sufficient for a single adult female, or a floor space of 36x18" for a larger male. They require a dry savannah set-up with a deep substrate of sandy soil mixture deep enough to allow them to burrow. Areas for hiding can be arranged such as pieces of flat cork bark. A large shallow water bowl must be provided with clean de-chlorinated water. The ideal daytime temperatures should range from 23-28°C with a drop at night to 20-22°C this can be done with a low wattage bulb or a heat-mat positioned on the side of the enclosure controlled by a thermostat. A light source can be provided by a fluorescent tube.
Juvenile bullfrogs should be fed daily with a mixture of suitably sized insects including crickets, locusts and waxworms. The food items should be dusted with a calcium/vitamin mix two-three times a week. Adult bullfrogs should be fed every two-three days with a mixture of large adult locusts, cockroaches, super giant mealworm, and occasionally suitably sized rodents. The food items should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement every other feed.
These frogs should be sprayed once a day with de-chlorinated water and the water bowl should be cleaned everyday to prevent the build-up of ammonia.
