Caring for Albino Frogs
The most common type of albino frogs found in pet stores today are a variation of the African Clawed Frog, however albinism appears in most types of aquatic frogs. Despite what is commonly thought, albino frogs live just as long as their more colorful counterparts in captivity. In the wild their life span is shortened only by their inability to camouflage into their natural habitats.
The African Clawed frog grows to an average of five inches in length, with females being just slightly smaller. They are hardy and entertaining to keep as pets, a fact which has made them a popular choice for beginners that wish to keep frogs as pets. This care sheet is designed to help the novice successfully keep and raise albino frogs.
Aquarium
Albino frogs are aquatic dwellers, but it is important to understand they do not have gills. They must travel to the water surface every few minutes to breath. Because of this, the aquarium must not have a depth of more than ten inches of water. Albino frogs enjoy moving around, and in the wild can be found digging and climbing over rocks and mud at the bottom of ponds. With their natural habitat in mind, a shallow and wide aquarium is a more preferable choice over the fancier types and shapes that do not provide as much ground area.
The aquarium should be thoughtfully placed, and in general the goal is to avoid extremes. Exposing the tank to direct sunlight is harmful for the albino frogs skin, as lack of pigmentation makes them more susceptible to damage from the sun.
Water
The temperature of the water should remain between 90 degrees Fahrenheit at the high and 40 degrees Fahrenheit as at the lowest temperature to keep your albino frogs comfortable. Some variation between night and day temperatures is fine, but as a general rule if your house fluctuates in temperature significantly an aquarium heater is a good investment.
The water should have a very slow flowing filtration system installed, or in lack of this option frequent water changes should be made. Do not use bottled water due to the chemicals these often have, instead leave water out to age or invest in a commercial water conditioner that you can add to your tap water. When changing water 25% should be changed every four weeks. This helps keep ammonia levels in check, which can be harmful to the albino frogs if they reach a high level.
Feeding
Albino frogs should be fed daily, with a diet consisting of commercially prepared frog and tadpole bites, dried tubiflex worms or dried bloodworms. It is very important to be sure that the bloodworms you purchase state clearly that they are bacteria free, as the bacteria these worms often carry can cause a disease called bloat or dropsy in albino frogs.
Observe your albino frogs carefully if you use sinking pellet feed, as uneaten bits of food can spoil and wreck havoc on your aquariums chemical balances. Do not feed fish flakes as the sole diet because albino frogs cannot properly digest them. While they are unlikely to fall ill as a result of snacking on fish food, over time it will significantly impact their health as they cannot pull nutrients from this type of feed.
Habitat Design
Albino frogs like to hide during the day and become more active at night. Provide plenty of stable shelter by building up rock formations or buying commercial decorations that resemble caves. Avoid small gravel on the bottom of the tank, as it can accidently be digested while the albino frogs dig for food.
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