Argentine Horned Frog and Chacoan Horned Frog - Ceratophrys ornata and Ceratophrys cranwelli 

 

			Argentine horned frogs, Ceratophrys ornata, get their name from the horn-like projections of skin above their eye.  The primary function of these projections is to assist in camouflage.  Many frogs that sit and wait for their prey in the leaf litter share this trait with the horned frog.  (Photo: Joshua V. Feltham)		Frogs are notorious for eating smaller cage mates.  For this reason, you should only house frogs of approximately the same size together.  In the case of horned frogs, such as this albino Argentine horned frog, each frog should be housed separately.   (Photo: Joshua V. Feltham)			Although they start out as a small little lump of frog, Argentine horned frogs, Ceratophrys cornuta, quickly grow to a large size.  Fortunately, they are not particularly active frogs which results in relatively minimal space requirements.  (Photo: Joshua V. Feltham)

General Information

Distribution — Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina

Habitat — The Argentine Horned Frog inhabits temperate and tropical grasslands

Adult Size — Adult females attain snout-vent lengths of between 8.5-12 cm (3.75-5.5 inches). Males are slightly smaller - 6-9 cm (2.75-4 inches).

Temperament — Argentine Horned Frogs look like a big soft lump of frog that's mostly mouth. Mostly mouth is what you need to remember. These frogs quite frequently mistake little wiggling fingers for food and will bite; however, handling this species is not difficult once in the palm of your hand.

Longevity — This species lives to be between 8 and 10 years old in captivity.

Captive Care

Rating: 2 — Due to its feeding habits and adult size it receives a good rating. Watch out for wild caught specimens - this species is easy to breed, yet, some people still prefer to import wild animals. A domestically bred Argentine Horned Frog makes an excellent starter frog. Not recommended for small children.

Diet: Juveniles - crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and other insects; Adults - crickets, meal worms, wax worms, fish, and the occasional pink mouse.

Temperature: 20C to 25C (78-85F) during the day and 22C (74) at night.

Space: An adult can be housed a 10-15 gallon terrarium. Do not keep two animals together - you'll end up with one if you do!

Breeding: Argentine Horned Frogs are usually bred with the assistance of hormones that are injected into the adults. Sometimes breeding can be induced by simulating a rainy season and a 1 to 2 month brumation. If you are serious about breeding these frogs refer to the literature listed below.

Special Requirements: As with all amphibians, care should be taken to ensure that hands are clean and free of chemicals before handling. This species eats readily and is long lived which makes it a hardy animal ideally suited for beginners; however, because of their voracious appetite, Argentine Horned Frogs should always be handled with care. They will not hesitate to bite fingers and they do have sharp bony projections that can break the skin.

Sources (Suggested Reading):

Bartlett, R.D. 1996. Frogs, Toads, and Treefrogs. Barron’s Educational Series Inc., New York. Pp. 104.

De Vosjoli, Philippe. 1990. The General Care and Maintenance of Horned Frogs. Advanced Vivarium Systems, Inc. Lakeside, CA. Pp.32.

Hunziker, Ray. 1994. Horned Frogs. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune, New Jersey. Pp. 49.

Mattison, Chris. 1993. Keeping and Breeding Amphibians. Cassell Publishing, London, UK. Pp. 224.

Staniszewski, Marc. 1995. Amphibians in Captivity. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune, New Jersey. Pp. 544.