African bullfrog
Pyxicephalus adspersus
Photo: Pyxicephalus adspersus 2zz · Photo by David J. Stang · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Changes and credits
These guides provide general husbandry information and do not replace veterinary assessment. If your animal shows symptoms or its condition worsens, contact a veterinarian experienced with exotic animals.
These notices cover the cited provisions, not every possible national or local rule. Check additional requirements with the competent authority.
Description
Pyxicephalus adspersus is a large frog from sub-Saharan African savannas. It has a heavy body, broad head and dorsal ridges; males become much larger than females. It spends dry periods buried and breeds after rain. Males may guard tadpoles and open channels towards deeper pools.
Behaviour
It is an ambush predator with a strong feeding response. Do not offer food from your fingers and keep animals separate.
Housing together
Keep Pyxicephalus adspersus alone: it can swallow other frogs, including its own species. Do not place juveniles with adults or introduce other species. Breeding encounters need supervision and separation housing ready; organise tadpole rearing by size to limit predation.
Enclosure and climate
Provide moist digging substrate, hides and an accessible basin of treated water. Measure temperature at substrate level, where the frog spends its time.
Setup
Prepare new water in a dedicated container and treat chlorine and chloramine before using it for dishes, substrate or misting, following product instructions.
Air 25–28 °C; night down to 20 °C, without a dry basking spot.
Warm area, cool area and hides
If heating is specified, place it at one end and distribute hides between that area and the cool side. Choose openings and internal space suitable for the body; after adding bedding, check that entrances remain clear. Set the dish on a stable base and leave routes between retreats; use low supports only where suitable for the species.
Burrowing and furnishing stability
Secure rock and platform supports to the floor before adding substrate to the specified depth. Leave a continuous digging area and remove material beside bases as a test: furnishings must remain supported. Complete the digging layer before adjusting lamp heights, as it changes the height the animal can reach.
Testing and access
Connect specified heat sources to compatible thermostats and guard against contact. Secure probes according to device instructions; measure air at resting sites and heated surfaces separately with independent instruments. In housing with water, also check water temperature and quality: one zone’s thermostat does not control the others.
With the complete enclosure running, record day and night readings and compare them with the sheet. Test doors, cable openings and cleaning access, keeping vents clear. Change one variable at a time and recheck after each adjustment.
Lighting and UVB
Ferguson zone not assigned with sufficient precision to this taxon.
At the exposed position aim for approximately UVI 1–2, measured at the back or head. The animal must choose its exposure and reach UVI 0 retreats. This local target differs from the Ferguson ecological band and should not be maintained everywhere throughout the day.
UVB is recommended at an intensity appropriate to the species, with the option to withdraw from the light. Evidence of its necessity varies between animals: assess exposure alongside diet and species identification.
UVA: the precise requirement is not established for this entry; no separate UVA source is prescribed. Evaluate illumination, retreats and life stage together.
Linear UVB tube with reflector. Indicative UVB percentage stated on the lamp: 2–7%; final selection depends on UVI achieved at the actual distance.
For maintenance, a cycle of approximately 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness can serve as an initial reference. Use a timer to switch lights off at night, and keep retreats available so the animal can withdraw from light during the day. Adapt day length to species and origin, following the specific guidance for seasonal care and breeding.
Light in the animal’s daily life
Allow burrowing and withdrawal from light. Check the back of the emerged frog, accounting for the substantial growth of the adult body.
An example layout in the enclosure
To make the layout concrete, take housing measuring 60 × 45 × 45 cm, using the first dimensional configuration in the sheet. This is a mounting example: retain the conditions and any alternatives attached to the stated minimum.
In a wooden enclosure with internal lighting, imagine the tube 40 cm above the floor and the back or head at 17 cm. The geometric distance is therefore 23 cm. The branch or platform lies below animal height, according to body size. Place lighting over one side, with a route to fully screened retreats.
In a glass enclosure with a mesh roof, retain the same animal height and imagine the tube 5 cm above the mesh: distance becomes 33 cm. Mesh attenuates UV variably; ordinary glass roofs block UVB. Increasing the percentage alone is insufficient: measure beneath the mesh and adjust height, output or layout as needed.
These distances describe the example, not a safe clearance for every lamp. Select the source and adjust mounting until approximately UVI 1–2 is measured at animal height in the exposed position. Also respect the minimum clearance specified for the model used. Recheck with furnishings, guards and mesh installed, including the highest reachable points and animal growth.
Choosing and checking lighting
First define the patch that should illuminate the whole body and the route to a screened retreat. For a broad patch, select a linear tube with reflector; consider a compact only if its useful patch covers the body and leaves an accessible gradient. Check model, output, reflector and mounting distance, then compare measured UVI with the species target. Label UVB percentage alone cannot determine distance and intensity.
The decisive check uses a UVI meter facing the source at animal height. Check the centre and edges of the exposed patch, the highest supports and retreats, which must allow withdrawal from UV. Repeat after moving equipment, changing lamps and plant growth. Without a meter, use the manufacturer’s instructions and measurements for the exact configuration, including safety clearances.
When UVB or UVA are absent
When keeping without UVB, D3 must be supplied through a complete diet or species-appropriate supplementation. Calcium alone does not replace D3. Check existing amounts in prepared diets and multivitamins before combining products; dosage also depends on diet and cannot be derived from lighting hours.
UVA has no dietary replacement. Maintain appropriate illumination and photoperiod without adding an intense source to compensate for unverified information: amphibian exposure must be evaluated by species and life stage.
Humidity and ventilation
Maintain humidity at 80–90% and ensure ventilation. Measure near hides without letting the hygrometer touch wet bedding, and also inspect substrate beneath retreats. If readings stay outside the specified values, check blocked vents and standing water before adjusting water input; recheck after the change.
Feeding
Offer Pyxicephalus adspersus varied invertebrates with appropriate supplementation. Young animals below about 8 cm grow rapidly; reduce frequency as growth progresses. Do not build the diet around mice and meat.
Recommended foods
The tiers describe dietary use: rotate foods within each tier rather than treating them as an absolute nutritional score.
| Food | Dietary role | Benefits and limits | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crickets and locusts | Main choices | Supply protein and encourage hunting; calcium is low relative to phosphorus, so preparation and supplementation are needed. | Use captive-bred insects and gut-load them as described below. Select suitably sized feeders, place the meal’s batch in a clean container and apply a thin calcium coating immediately before offering them. |
| Feeder roaches | Main choices | These feeders provide a useful second protein source for rotation, but do not constitute a complete diet or replace calcium supplementation. | Offer well-fed soft nymphs sized to the mouth; avoid excessively hard adults. |
| Earthworms from controlled cultures | Main choices | Soft prey with a generally more favourable mineral balance than unsupplemented crickets; particularly useful for amphibians. They are not a reason to eliminate all variety. | Rinse and cut only if required for mouth size. Avoid dyed fishing bait, cultures on contaminated manure and collection from treated soil. |
| Waxworms, mealworms and superworms | Occasional | Fat-rich larvae concentrate energy and often contain little calcium: use as a small part of variety, not the sole food. | Replace part of the meal instead of adding them to a full ration. Avoid hard or oversized larvae for small animals. |
| Wild insects, fireflies and contaminated prey | Avoid / not a staple | May carry pesticides, parasites or toxins; a healthy appearance does not establish safety. | Use traceable feeder cultures; do not collect insects beside roads or treated gardens. |
Comparable nutritional values
Protein, fat, calcium and phosphorus are percentages of dry matter, excluding water; dry matter itself is a percentage of fresh weight. These are reference analytical values compiled in a clinical table, not guaranteed contents of your batch or a universal ranking. Age, rearing, feeding and supplementation change composition. Do not compare them directly with fresh-food percentages or already diluted prepared diets. Comparable numbers are not provided for other foods.
| Insect | Dry matter | Crude protein | Crude fat | Calcium / phosphorus | Ca:P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult house cricketAcheta domestica | 32% of fresh weight | 62.6% DM | 20.4% DM | 0.3 / 1% DM | 0.3:1 |
| Migratory locustLocusta migratoria | 31% of fresh weight | 67.5% DM | 14% DM | 0.1 / 0.7% DM | 0.14:1 |
| Mealworm larvaTenebrio molitor | 32.8% of fresh weight | 52.8% DM | 36.1% DM | 0.3 / 0.8% DM | 0.37:1 |
DM = dry matter. Ca:P describes calcium relative to phosphorus before supplementation: a protein-rich feeder may still be calcium-poor. Offered portions remain those for this species and life stage.
Meals by age and size
| Stage and size | Frequency | Amount per meal |
|---|---|---|
| Newly metamorphosed: tail absorbed and terrestrial feeding established | Daily, small portions | Pinhead crickets or other microfeeders in small batches; count catches for about 5 minutes. Do not leave large crickets with newly emerged froglets. |
| Growing juveniles and subadults | Daily, moving to alternate days as growth slows | Initial trial portion: 3–5 small insects, one at a time. Count those eaten in about 5 minutes; stop when interest wanes rather than continually refilling. Adjust the count to actual prey size and growth. |
| Adults with slowed growth | 2–3 meals weekly | Initial trial portion: 3–5 small insects, one at a time. Count those eaten in about 5 minutes; stop when interest wanes rather than continually refilling. Adjust the count to actual prey size and growth. A suitable earthworm can replace part of the insects in species accepting it. |
Adjusting portions
To assess the portion, compare the amount and type of food eaten with growth and body condition. Weekly weighing of juveniles and monthly weighing of adults helps follow the trend. Adjust the ration gradually when growth or reserves require it; reduce it if body condition indicates excess weight or leftovers remain. Investigate unexpected weight loss or abnormal swelling rather than addressing it only with more or less food.
Preparing and offering meals
Prepare insects during the 24–48 hours before feeding: keep them in their culture container with a complete feeder diet and safe hydration. Check access to food and water and remove spoiled leftovers. Then select feeders of the specified size and prepare only the batch to be offered. This step, called gut-loading, improves prey quality; bran or potato alone do not correct deficiencies.
At feeding time the prey should be easy to swallow. As an initial guide, choose insects no wider than the space between the eyes, then adapt size to the mouth and the animal’s response. Offering them individually or in an escape-resistant dish lets you see actual intake and remove leftovers.
Use clean equipment and water treated for chlorine and chloramine for tongs, bowls and rinsing; avoid soap residue. Offer near the animal without making it swallow substrate.
Calcium and vitamins
Immediately before feeding, lightly coat low-calcium insects with phosphorus-free calcium: they should remain visible, without clumps. Common insects often have an unfavourable calcium:phosphorus balance; rotating them alone does not correct it.
Choose one supplementation programme: plain calcium for ordinary meals and a species-appropriate multivitamin at its labelled feeding intervals. Record the product and its existing D3 and vitamin A; do not add a second dose to meals using a combined product. With measured UVB, agree the oral D3 provision; product concentrations are not interchangeable.
For amphibians choose a product appropriate for vitamin A as well; beta-carotene alone should not be considered equivalent in every species. Therapeutic vitamin A doses require a veterinarian.
Daily care
First days
Before arrival, run the complete enclosure and check conditions at resting positions. Prepare water, food and a transfer container. Record the portion offered, leftovers and weight; observe from outside and open hides only when necessary for cleaning or transfers.
Cleaning
Each day check water and collect waste, including beneath retreats, with dedicated tools. Clean dishes and replace their water; for pools follow the species’ water-change plan. Wash your hands afterwards. Keep animals and equipment away from kitchens and food areas, use tools dedicated to each enclosure and wash your hands with soap and running water after handling animals, food, tank water or furnishings. Quarantine new arrivals separately and agree the duration and checks with a veterinarian before introducing them to established animals.
Handling
Use a container for transfers; if essential, moist powder-free gloves. Avoid routine contact, soap residues and water untreated for chlorine and chloramines.
Checks
Check weight, appetite, movement and skin; consult a veterinarian experienced with the species if changes persist. Wounds or laboured breathing require prompt contact without waiting for them to persist.
Breeding
Sex, maturity and readiness
Identify P. adspersus rather than a related species. Strong dimorphism, with much larger males, requires spacious, supervised encounter housing: smaller animals may be injured or eaten. Do not use a single weight as proof of maturity.
Start a record for each breeding animal with identity, origin, documented age and previous weights. Compare the weight trend with growth and body condition; delay introductions for animals still growing rapidly, losing weight or recently acquired. Use stated ages as guidance alongside these checks. If sex cannot be identified reliably, obtain assessment by qualified personnel before pairing.
Preparation and seasonal cycle
Breeding is linked to rains and temporary pools. Prepare larval tanks, dividers and food supplies first; do not imitate extreme drought or temperature limits observed in nature. Terrarium breeding has no guaranteed outcome.
Before encounters, prepare and test offspring enclosures and have first foods available. Check records for regular adult feeding and good body condition, then verify access from exposed areas to retreats. If the species protocol includes seasonal changes, adjust settings gradually and record the response. Record night-time air, surface and egg temperatures separately, noting where each is measured. Keep water available throughout preparation.
Courtship and mating
Males call and compete for females; the pair enters amplexus. Avoid groups of males in confined space. Use accessible water, sturdy supports and broad exits while continuously monitoring aggression and the female’s ability to move.
Spawning and egg collection
Spawning takes place in water and may produce very large egg numbers. In nature some males guard tadpoles and dig channels: this does not make cohabitation safe in a small tank. Arrange separate rearing and keep group records.
Aquatic development and hatching
Different larval pathways are documented, including individuals completing development in about 19–21 days and others in 31–35 days. These biological observations do not define one home incubation temperature. Follow growth and limb development without accelerating heating.
Use water treated for chlorine and chloramine at the same temperature as the original container. Guard intakes and keep movement gentle. Check eggs and water daily, remove dead material without breaking healthy eggs, siphon leftovers and faeces, test ammonia and nitrite and change water with prepared water as needed.
First meals and juvenile care
Tadpoles may be omnivorous or strongly predatory: distribute suitable food at several sites, check bites and size differences and separate as needed. Provide land before metamorphosis; establish froglets on appropriately sized insects and individual housing.
Observe each larva’s feeding, growth and developmental stage daily, avoiding unnecessary capture for weighing. Also check water quality, injuries and size differences: a feeding group does not establish that every larva eats. Separate injured individuals or those excluded from food, and adjust space and diet as they develop. For forms that become terrestrial, prepare gentle exits and shelters before the transition to land.
Female recovery
After reproduction provide water and the usual balanced diet, initially in manageable portions; monitor weight, activity and return of appetite. Keep supplements and lighting consistent with the feeding guide. Avoid further introductions until the previous condition has recovered; later clutches may occur without another mating. Persistent straining, weakness or protruding tissue require veterinary attention, without squeezing the abdomen.
Equipment and example diary
Prepare rearing tanks, covers, a mature sponge filter or containers for regular water changes, water tests, a narrow siphon, thermometer and productive first-food cultures. The number of offspring raised must match the actual capacity to feed them and maintain clean water.
A consistent diary using actual dates helps follow reproduction in Pyxicephalus adspersus. Start with adult identity, weight and condition, then record observed encounters, laying or birth and development conditions. After emergence record the first meal actually accepted and each youngster’s growth while continuing to follow female recovery. Over time these records help identify your lineage’s pattern without turning approximate durations into deadlines.