Kingsnake.com
Dante Fenolio
Amphibians
February 25, 2007

PHFaust: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at kingsnake.com, I'm very pleased to welcome Dante Fenolio to our Eighth Annual Chat Week.

PHFaust: Dante Fenolio has always loved field work and particularly has enjoyed amphibians. A Ph.D. Candidate with the University of Miami, Department of Biology - Coral Gables, he holds a BA in Environmental Studies and in Biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and has a Masters degree in Zoology from the University of Oklahoma. His studies have ranged from Ozark blind cave salamander ecology to the herpetofauna of termite mounds in Brazil to canopy dwelling amphibians of Madagascar's northeastern rainforests.

PHFaust: His primary area of research involves the ecology of challenging microhabitats. Dante is also a known field photographer having traveled extensively through the Americas working in the field as well as taking some amazing shots. He has also worked in East Africa and Madagascar. Dante is joining us this evening to discuss amphibians in general, with emphasis on the upper Amazon Basin region.

PHFaust: Thank you so much for joining us, Dante, and welcome!

Anotheca: Thank you for having me

PHFaust: AmericanBull your amphibian question please

americanBull_nr: How many crickets should I be feeding my American Bullfrog?

Anotheca: Hi...depending on its size and age, several to a dozen or so a week should keep it healthy.

PHFaust: StevenF

Anotheca: I'd also recommend feeding it earthworms and every now and again, pink mice.

StevenF: Would you say that poison dart frogs are a good first time amphibian to get into?

americanBull_nr: She is almost 1 pound in weight looks healthy but lunges so aggressively I think she is still hungry? I feed her 3 crickets gut loaded per day. Do you think that is enough?

Anotheca: Poison frogs aren't probably the best frogs to start with. They require a bit more intensive care than other amphibians.

Anotheca: Fruit fly feeding and the attention to detail is more than a beginner is usually ready for- GA

StevenF: What is a good beginner frog?

PHFaust: Munch

munchkins: what in your opinion is the most beautiful amphibian you have ever found?

Anotheca: I think something very simple like a marine toad or a white's tree frog is a good place to start. - GA

Anotheca: Munchkins, I think I am fond of toads of the genus Atelopus. They probably take the prize for color and beauty. GA

BuckyTheSnakeman: My heart is in herpetology, but I'm currently a grad student for exercise science because I was told that was not a solid field to go into.... what are your thoughts?

Anotheca: Herpetology is a tough field to be in. There aren't a lot of jobs directly hiring herpetologists. Most folks study the ecology of specific ecosystems and focus on herpetology because they like it. Science is a tough place to make a living. I'd feel bad about telling someone that if they get into the field, they will have no problem finding a job. GA

BuckyTheSnakeman: thank you

DemonFrog: Having an abundance of red wriglers I was wondering if they are ok as an occasional treat for my green tree frogs? Also are appropriate size silkworms a better staple diet than crickets?

Anotheca: Back to the large bullfrog, I'd definitely increase the weekly food and add earthworms and pink mice. GA

Anotheca: Red wriglers are problematic. That is a trade name under which several species of worm fall. At least one of those worms have a toxic slime that can kill amphibians. I would exercise extreme caution feeding them to an amphibian. If they have rings around them of any color other than the base color, I would not use them. GA

DemonFrog: thank you

DemonFrog: Are appropriate size silkworms a better staple diet for green tree frogs than crickets?

Anotheca: Silkworms are a good thing to add to a diet. I would still recommend gut loaded crickets. I like to gut load with squash, kale, chard, bok-choy, etc. GA

JayP: We had a debate a few weeks ago about what the poison dart frogs eat to make them poisonous. What's your opinion on it?

Anotheca: As far as I understand it, the ants that the frogs eat produce the precursors to their alkaloids. I think the diversity of ants in neotropical forests are the key to their toxins. GA

JayP: thank you

RiseAbove: In your opinion, what kind of pacman or related frog is the most attractive and would make a good display animal or a good pet? And how much handling would you suggest, if any at all?

Anotheca: JayP. There has been some great research looking into the over 200 toxins frogs of the family Dendrobatidae produce. I would recommend looking there for a more detailed answer. If you can't find the papers, email me later and I'll send you PDFs. GA

Anotheca: I don't think any handling of an amphibian is a good idea because of their permeable skin. Our skin salts are without a doubt an irritant. I like Ceratophrys cornuta for their complicated mix of colors and intricate patterns. GA

MikeMoore: I want to know..what is an easy to care for amphibian to get. Something that is cool, easy care and low price. something like a frog or newt

Anotheca: Mike Moore, I recommend starting with a toad like a marine toad if it is legal in your state. Xenopus can be fun if they are legal in your state. These frogs are simple to keep and live a long time. Marine toads get huge. GA

PAC-man: I have a tiger salamander about 8-9 inches long and healthy...what is your opinion on housing another tiger salamander with the one I already have? I know some people are against it but if they are around the same I see no problem....and what is your favorite amphibian to work with?

Anotheca: If you are looking for salamanders, I think that Necturus are easy to keep and live for quite some time. GA

Anotheca: Tiger salamanders can be kept in groups. I have done it a number of times. It is important to make sure they are similarly sized and that each gets access to plenty of food. I really enjoy working with poison frogs but have had the good fortune of working with some real exotics. Perhaps my favorite were Darwin's frogs. GA

PAC-man: OK cool thanks

sarah_nr: What is a perfect or good size tank setup for a bullfrog, and can more than one live together?

Anotheca: Bullfrogs can be tricky keeping them in groups. Make sure there are not size differences. The best accommodations would be small to medium sized tubs with plenty of water and good filtration. GA

sarah_nr: Thank You

DemonFrog: As you might know the northern leopard frog is becoming rarer in north America, is it ethical to raise wild frog eggs and release the froglets back into the same area they were found, or could this cause an imbalance in the genepool of the area?

Anotheca: I strongly discourage releasing any amphibian into the wild unless wildlife authorities are involved and have a clear cut plan for the release. It is extremely dangerous to do this in that you can easily release a virus or chytrid fungus into non-infected populations.

DemonFrog: thank you

Anotheca: We are having a real problem with diseases ravaging our amphibian populations. The problem is complicated but disease is taking its toll. releasing amphibians into the wild can drastically complicate the problem. GA

GM_nr: I noticed when feeding pheonex worms to a P. terribilis, I was finding whole dead worms in the enclosure a day or two later. Would you think the frog might be regurgitating the worms, or possibly passing them through "as is"? Is it possible there is something about their digestive system that makes pheonex worms not suitable?

GM_nr: as an aside, they are only fed for variety. The staple is flies

Anotheca: I was just witness to chytrid wiping out an amazing amphibian fauna in Central America. We are truly facing a disaster with regard to amphibian biodiversity. I can't stress enough how serious the problem is and what we stand to lose. We are nearly out of antibiotics to fight staph. infections.. Only 1 antibiotic left and resistance is developing quickly. Amphibian skin toxins may be our saving grace if we can manage to save them from this devastating decline event world - wide.

Anotheca: The dead worm likely was regurgitated. I wouldn't use them any longer as a food item. GA

PAC-man: I have 2 PAC-man frogs both in separate containers and both from the same person but one of them recently died...he seemed to get very bloated. What causes them to get bloated, and is there much I can do for future reference?

Anotheca: I have not used those worms myself so I can't provide further insight. GA

GM_nr: thank you

PHLdyPayne: phoenix worms are black soldier fly larvae

Anotheca: There are a few things that can cause a condition like that. Let me state first that I am not a vet and I always advocate speaking with a vet before administering meds. The condition you describe can be caused by bacterial infections and / or undigested food rotting in the digestive tract when the animal is to cool to digest efficiently. GA

myLongshanks: what attracted you to learning about amphibians? I mean, rather than snakes

Anotheca: I grew up in an aquarium my family owned. My father impoprted fish from South America and his business partners there knew me as I grew up. When they found that I liked amphibians, they would ship "gifts" up with the fish. I was able to work with some amazing frogs that way. Great question! GA

PHFaust: Munch

myLongshanks: cool, thanks

munchkins: what is chytrid?

Anotheca: Chytrid is a fungus that breaks down chiton in frog skin. It also breaks down the mouth parts of tadpoles. For some reason, an aggressive strain is attacking frogs world-wide and wiping out entire populations of many species. We are witness to an extinction event that humanity has not seen before. GA

munchkins: wow, thanks

DemonFrog: Do you think it is important to create a base of captive bred animals from a wild line of a critically endangered amphibian as a "backup" in case the wild population can not be saved? I believe that Herpetoculture can play a big role in saving herp species from complete annihilation much like zoos have done with cheetahs, do you think that the same thing could be done with amphibians?

Anotheca: DemonFrog. That is a good question. There are efforts to do exactly that going on now in Atlanta and with zoos and aquariums all over the world. This is the amphibian ark idea. It will be a long and tough road. We don't know how to keep and reproduce most amphibians. A lot of skilled people are needed and the private folks out there that are good with amphibians have a lot to offer. GA

sarah_nr: What are the names of the random frogs i find in my ponds or garden I live in Canada Ontario? and are they okay to keep as pets as I did when I was younger as far as I know it is legal we get hundreds of them all the time?

Anotheca: I have not been to Ontario. I am guessing you have a couple of ranids and at least one bufonid (toad). I'd need more to go off of there. GA

RiseAbove: Do you think a 12x12x12 vivarium is suitable for any dart frogs, or is that too small? If its too small, what other amphibians could that size vivarium comfortably house? I found a kit with a 12" cube tank that includes everything needed to start a vivarium. Thanks.

Anotheca: That sounds like an acceptable size for a few frogs. It depends on the species you are considering. Some can be kept in small groups, some do better in pairs. GA

PAC-man: I am very interested in amphibians and keeping them...I have kept quite a few different frog species and a couple newts and salamanders...I think i want to move on to dart frogs. I was looking at the Dendrobates leucomelas. Are they a good starter dart frog or would Dendrobates auratus be a better choice?

Anotheca: PAC-man, yes that's a good species to start with and they do well. D. auratus are also good to start with. Just remember, you need to be on top of culturing your own food or have a ready supply so you can keep them healthy and well fed. GA

Rouen: Hi , what would you consider the coolest most interesting species of tree frog?

Anotheca: I never owned many species of smaller Epipedobates. I like many of them and would like to work with them in the future. GA

Anotheca: I study species of frogs that inhabit forest canopies. I like the idea of a species that never needs to go down to the ground. The frog's entire life cycle can be completed well above the forest floor. Frogs like this are species like Anotheca spinosa and Gastrotheca cornuta. GA

jeffb: In the past the mass decline of frogs was supposed to be linked to global warming as an indicator species now we find out its a fungus. When was this determination made?

Anotheca: Jeffb - The problem is a complicated one. It isn't any one problem. Amphibians are declining owing to pesticides in the environment, deforestation, chytrid fungus, probably global warming based on last years great paper, etc. The problems are many and may well be working in a way that one problem complicates and enhances the effects of another. GA

PAC-man: how could I get involved in conserving the amphibian "race"? I'm only 16 but I would really hate to see them die out.

Anotheca: By the way, I'm typing too fast and my brain is too slow. Chytrid affects and breaks down keratin in amphibian skin not chytin. Chytin is another material and is unrelated. My mistake. GA

Anotheca: I recommend getting online and visiting amphibian decline sites. There are a lot of folks out there trying to ward off this process and to understand what is happening better than we do now. Just google amphibian decline and you should be able to find lots of web pages. Try starting with tree walkers international...they are a good one I know of...the amphibian arc program is a great one. GA

PAC-man: OK thank you

PHFaust: Is there anything you would like to add before we finish dante?

PAC-man: I really enjoyed this chat :D not to many amphibian hobbyist come in here

Anotheca: Thanks guys, I appreciate your time. Lets try to save what is left in amphibian biodiversity. Remember to vote with the environment in mind! Cheers

PHFaust: On behalf of Kingsnake.com, Jeff B, and myself, I want to take a moment to thank Dante Fenolio for being part of our chat week. Dante, thanks for taking the time out to chat with us on amphibians.

Anotheca: Thanks so much for having me!