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This information is provided by
Provet for educational purposes only.
You should seek the advice of your
veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the
diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.
Amphibians are
popular pets - but they have very specific environmental requirements which
need to be maintained to ensure good health Amphibians (eg frogs,
newts) are unusual, interesting pets to keep. One of their main features
is that they have delicate semi-permeable skin and most species require a
damp, humid atmosphere and relatively high environmental temperature to keep
healthy. Keeping amphibians is a challenging hobby because it is so important
to maintain strict environmental conditions, including the following :
- When handling amphibians hands
should be thoroughly washed with soap and water and latex or vinyl gloves
should be worn to protect the amphibians skin, and to protect the handler
from noxious secretions. Powders should not be used with these gloves as
they can irritate the amphibians skin.
- Bleach (diluted 30ml/litre water)
should be used to disinfect all utensils for 30 minutes on a regular
basis. It can also be used to clean out tanks used to keep the amphibians.
Once the tank/utensils have been disinfected all residues of the bleach
should be washed off using copious amounts of clean water.
- Amphibians rely on environmental temperatures to maintain their internal
metabolic activity and if they are kept at a lower temperature than they
require they may suffer from malnutrition and disease. So it is important
to keep the environmental temperature
within the normal range for the species using a thermostat and heaters
including :
- Under gravel heaters
- Low-watt incandescent spot lights
- Ceramic heating lamps
- Aquarium heaters for water
All exposed heat sources eg lamps, should be inaccessible to the
amphibians - because direct contact can cause serious burns to the skin.
- Because amphibians have skin that will dry out quickly in dry
conditions, most require an environment with high
humidity and this can be generated by providing a humidifier,
an artificial waterfall or by spraying water regularly into the
environment.
- A clean, fresh supply of uncontaminated, aerated water
must be available at all times. It must be free from potential
toxins including :
- Heavy metals - lead, mercury - often present in natural water
sources near Industrial areas
- Nitrites - often present in natural water supplies near agricultural
land
- Chlorine, fluorine - often added to water supplies intended for
human consumption
- Pesticides - often present in fresh water sources draining from
agricultural land
- Ammonia
- Stagnant water
- Water contaminated with blue-green algae - often occurs in lake
water following a drought
If necessary natural water supplies should be filtered to remove all
impurities, for example by using:
- Under gravel filters
- External filters
- Sponge filters
- Regular air changes are important - with a recommended rate of at least
1-2 air changes per hour. So adequate ventilation
needs to be provided through the lid of the tank
- Exposure to light and ultraviolet light is
necessary for healthy amphibians and this is best provided by natural
sunlight gaining access through non-absorbing screens in the tank lid.
Ultraviolet light does not pass through glass or plastic. Alternatively,
ultraviolet light can be provided by using special fluorescent light
bulbs with ultraviolet light source inside the environment, about 18
inches above the animals. UV light is important for the manufacture of
vitamin D. The light should be switched on for periods of time that mimic
the species' natural environment.
- Clean flooring materials should be
used - eg soil, gravel. These should have been heat treated (200 degrees Fahrenheit
for 30 minutes) to kill parasites and frozen (less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit)
to kill infectious micro-organisms, and they should be free of any
pesticides, fungicides or other chemicals. Peat moss should not be used as
it can irritate amphibians skin because it is so acidic. Mulches made from
pine and cedar should also be avoided because their oils are potentially
toxic to amphibians
- The addition of plants to an
amphibians environment is very important because they serve many useful
purposes including the following :
- Aquatic plants - oxygenate water, remove nitrogenous waste products
from the water, provide an naturalistic environment in which to hide,
and provide food for some amphibian stages
- Terrestrial green plants - generate oxygen for the air, utilise
waste products in the soil, provide a naturalistic environment for
perching and hiding.
- When buying-in plants they are often contaminated with
snails and these should be removed (using a copper sulphate
solution) prior to introducing them into the environment because can
transmit parasites to the amphibians, and they may eat some amphibian
life-stages.
Last updated :September 2013
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