Welcome to no 10 of 16 Reptile Roadshow Reptile Profiles – Giant Sulcata Tortoise – celebrating 16 years of Reptile Parties and Events
- The South American Horned frog belongs to the Leptodactylidae family
- The two main species of Horned Frog are the Argentine horned frog and the Cranwells horned frog, both found in the rainforest and tropical swamplands of Argentina.
- The Argentine horned frog is the most common species of horned frog.
- South American horned frogs are also known as “Pacman frogs” due to their large mouth and abdomen resembling the video game Pac-Man character.
- The female frog will not “chirp” or “croak” as often as the male but both have large mouths that allow them to swallow their smaller prey whole.
- Horned frogs grow up to 14-20cm (5.5-8in) and can weigh between 320 – 480 grams (11.2-17oz).
- A fully grown female Argentine Horned Frog is generally larger than the male and can easily eat a grown rat.
- South American horned frogs are typically brown, white, and yellow in colour with permeable scales. The male often has a spotted chest and at about a year old develops spots on his “pads” or “fingers.”
- Their average lifespan varies between 1 and 5 years in the wild, though in captivity and as pets, they can live up to 6 to 10 years or longer.
- The main prey of the South American Horned frog is worms, roaches and insects. The Argentine horned frog in particular is well known for being a voracious eater, and will attempt to swallow anything that moves close enough to eat.
- South American Horned frogs are carnivorous, hunting anything from insects and fish to small birds, other frogs and small reptiles. They are also cannibalistic, and have been known to eat their mates.
- Their large mouth has a row of sharp bony projections in the upper jaw. This makes it nearly impossible for them to release prey after taking it in their mouth, which can leads to death by choking in some cases.
- The horned frog is an extremely popular exotic pet in North America as it is one of the easier exotic pets to look after due to its hardiness.
- The South American Horned frog leads a solitary lifestyle
- The horned frogs predators are mainly birds, snakes and bears
- Reptile Roadshow has one South American Horned frog
Reptile Roadshow celebrates going strong for 16 years. We hope you enjoyed this animal profile. This reptile is just one of many you can see at Reptile Roadshow events.
To book your own Reptile Roadshow party contact us at 01908 640 072 or email.
Make sure you checkout the other animal profiles on our blog.