Tomato frog

Latin name: Dyscophus antongilii

Tomato frogs are native to Madagascar, specifically swamp forests, rainforests, freshwater ponds, and marshes. They are nocturnal, spending the daytime either buried in the soil or hidden under fallen leaves.

Hunting and self defence

They are ambush predators (see the Glossary) so they hide often near water or under leaf litter and when prey is close enough, they rapidly flick out their sticky tongue to snatch it, using a hydraulic system in their jaws for quick extension. They are bright red to ward off predators and show that they are poisonous. When threatened, they secrete a sticky, gluey substance, which can cause allergic reactions even in humans. They also inflate to be larger and trickier to eat.

Can they be pets?

Yes, tomato frogs can be pets, due to their low-maintenance and hardy nature. But they do need a humid, burrowing-friendly environment and minimal handling because of their sensitive skin. They eat crickets, locusts, worms and larvae (mealworms, waxworms, and calciworms) .They should also be kept alone to prevent stress or cannibalism. They should be kept in a 10-20 gallon tank, and make sure that the tank has a secure lid. See this link from “thesprucepets.com” for more help with this.