The Amphibian Species

Amphibians are more than just frogs. They are some of the most colorful pets that you can imagine, and watching them can provide hours of fun. Not only is the amphibian pet enjoyable, but you can also plant the terrarium to make it an attractive feature. And one positive is that these animals are very easy to keep.

Before any mammals ever set foot on planet earth their were amphibians slithering, crawling and leaping all over it. These amazing creatures are an important step in the evolution of man. Their name is from the fact that they can live on both land and in water: Amphi is Greek for life, and bios is the Greek word for both. Typically amphibians spend most of the first part of their life cycle in water, and the second part of the life cycle on land.

Amphibians slough their skin from time to time, and usually then eat it. Their skin comes in a remarkable array of colors, in order to ward off predators, and for the purpose of camouflage. Another strange fact about amphibians is that they are ectotherms. This means that they rely on the external environment in order to regulate their body temperatures. These external temperatures can be recreated in the terrarium by using heat lamps or heat maps. Exotic pets need thoughtful care.

One thing that you may remember from a school science class is that amphibians are vertebrates with a full skeleton. They even have toe bones. They do have teeth, but these are to hold the prey before it is swallowed rather than to chew. The skeleton helps protect the internal organs of the amphibian.

When it comes to reproduction amphibians produce soft, jelly eggs and they lay them in water. These eggs are in clumps and they are laid by the thousands as amphibians tend to congregate in the same places to lay their eggs. Despite the fact that masses of eggs are laid, only a few eggs survive to the next stage of thee life cycle. Not only are there many natural predators, but also schoolchildren wanting to bring frogs home.

So there you have it. Some basic information about the amazing world of amphibians. When you have one to keep as a pet you will soon learn more, and research is important. Your pet amphibian’s health is dependent on your level of knowledge. These days amphibians are not so unusual as to be considered exotic pets, but they do require more knowledge than keep domesticates animals such as dogs and cats.

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