African Bullfrog Facts: The African bullfrog is a large-bodied African frog species in the family Pyxicephalidae. The African bullfrog is known as the pixie frog due to its scientific name. It is lives mostly in the central part of sub-Saharan Africa, such as Namibia, Botswana, Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and maybe the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Know Your Amphibians – African Bullfrog Facts
1 Scientific name of African Bullfrog
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Pyxicephalidae
Genus: Pyxicephalus
Species: P. adspersus
2 African Bullfrog Physical Description
The male bullfrog is olive green, with a throat area of yellow or orange shades, while female throats are cream-colored. A big male African bullfrog can be the size of a dinner plate! The female African bullfrog is much smaller and olive green to light brown, though her throat is white or cream. African bullfrogs are large, usually weighing more than 2 kg (4.4 lbs).
3 Height and Weight of African Bullfrog
African bullfrogs are large, usually weighing more than 2 kg (4.4 lbs), and may reach 20-25 cm (8-10 in) in length.
4 Head shape of African Bullfrog
The African bullfrog comes from the Pyxicephalus genus. The name has nothing to do with “pixie” as in fairies but means “round box head” in Greek. It describes the shape of the frog’s large head.
5 Origins of African Bullfrog
African bullfrogs are native to tropical and southern Africa. They live in various dry and semidesert climates, such as brushland, steppes, semideserts, and savanna. They spend most of their life underground during the dry season. Bullfrogs need to live in water and are usually found near water sources, like lakes, ponds, rivers, or bogs. Warm, calm, shallow waters are their favorite places. However, bullfrogs are becoming much more common in areas that humans have changed.
6 Personality and Temperament of African Bullfrog
African bullfrogs are only somewhat active, but they can be delightful to observe in their tanks. Overall, they’re typically flexible, low-maintenance creatures. Some bullfrogs will endure a bit of handling for a short duration. But it would help if you still used caution when holding them to protect their delicate skin. They are mainly carnivores and eat other frogs and birds. In addition, the African bullfrog is aggressive; it may expand its body and attack an intruder with its huge mouth agape.
7 What does the African bullfrog eat?
Bullfrogs are ambush predators and eat practically any creature they can catch and eat, including worms, insects, crayfish, fishes, other frogs, snakes, small turtles, small mammals, and even birds. They are the largest North American frog, weighing 1 pound and measuring 8 inches.
8 FAQ for African Bullfrog
Are African bullfrogs hard to take care of?
Pet frogs are relatively simple to care for, but you must confirm that your habitat is set up perfectly. The bigger your frog, the larger your tank needs to be
What do African bullfrogs need to survive?
African bullfrogs also require access to calcium to keep their bones healthy. Insects such as beetles and worms are a good source of calcium. For this reason, African pet bullfrogs must be provided a good amount of insects in their diet, as they can get the needed calcium from these sources.
Do bullfrog bites hurt?
Most African frogs do not harm you if you get bit by a frog. That is because they hold small teeth inside their mouths to hold back prey. However, some bigger species – like the Pacman Frog or African Bullfrog – can have enough bite force to hurt.
Do African bullfrogs need heat lamps?
Heat lamps are not advised as they can dry your frog out. You should also only keep heating pads on one-half of the tank, so your pet can thermoregulate themselves. African Bullfrogs are predatory creatures, and as such, they will eat a wide variety of insects and small animals.
How do you keep a bullfrog as a pet?
As pets, they can be maintained outside in a large pond habitat if the area is enclosed so that the animal cannot escape. Indoors, adult bullfrog can accommodate a 55-gallon glass enclosure, or Exo Terra’s 36″ x 18″ works well. Larger is better because this species needs space.
Do African bullfrogs have teeth?
The African bullfrog has a giant skull and robust skeleton, and they do not have teeth. Instead, their bottom jaw has three structures called odontodes.
What is the lifespan of a bullfrog?
Tadpoles take one to three years to change into adults. Bullfrogs can live seven to 10 years.
What are bullfrogs favorite food?
Bullfrogs mostly eat worms, insects, crayfish, fishes, other frogs, snakes, small turtles, small mammals, and even birds.