Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I asked an associate at Petco about the differences between the albino and the regular frog, and he said that their isn't one... only the color difference. Now, I've read on here that the albino is more prone to diseases, and that it is inbred and such. Is this completly true all of the time??? Or is it just a hit or miss situation? Also, I was wondering if there is a difference in the behavior of the male and female. Such as biting and hiding and stuff like that...

Well that's how they get albinos...they inbreed them, to an extent. Mine seemed more prone to diseases though I do not think this is always the case. Just go with your gut. If you want the albino, get it. If you like the standard, get that. But whatever you do, DO NOT buy from petco. I have ended up with frogs that had red leg. I mean...you can always exchange it, but why go through it at all? Buy off the net or a herp store/expo. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Who are you who can say it's ok to live through me? Alice In Chains

Albinism in any animal is a recessive trait, meaning that both parents must carry and pass on the gene for it. In nature, it is rare because such animals are more susceptible to UV damage as they lack the melanin that serves this protective purpose. Breeders do selective breeding to bring out the albino characteristics. This often involves a lot of inbreeding and with this, you also get undesirable recessive traits that may make the animal more susceptible to other problems. This is a very simiplified explanation. In general, albino animals are just not as hardy and resistant. So albinism is not just a color morph; it has been deliberately bred from rare albinos in nature.
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Patty
Lost River, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
3 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
5 D. imitator
4 D. leukomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos

I really wouldn't get the frog at Petco. I have gotten three frogs from that store in the past, and they kept dying of red-leg one after another; I finally just gave up taking them back, after two replacements. I'd get a frog from one of the reputable breeders online instead; I am sure there are people on this forum who could recommend a good breeder. Or you could go to a locally-owned shop and have them order you a horned frog from the breeder if you are squeamish about geting it delivered to your house or can't for some reason. Just a warning!
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*~Ginevive~*

I have bought my last three frogs from petco and they have all died within like 2 weeks of getting them. The original pac that I bought that got me loving them is still doing great and I bought him from a little wrinkydink no name pet store in my town.

OK, I must have the only decent Petco near me. While it's true some of the associates are ignorant and probably couldn't give accurate advice on raising a cockroach, I have gotten some really good and really accurate advice from others. They have a care sheet for everything they sell and most of them are almost identical to the care sheets I've seen on the web pages of the very experienced people in this forum.

At the Petco near me species are always kept separate and are never mixed. There never seems to be overcrowding. There are never any sick looking or dead animals on display, in any department. Their displays are not, for obvious reasons, as elaborate or "natural" as ours in our homes, but the animals have what they need to live and appear to be healthy. I have bought several living things from them and have had them for a while now, with no deaths to report.

I know there are a lot of really bad pet stores out there, but there are some good ones, too. I think a lot depends on the management of individual stores. Maybe it's not fair to always bash ALL PET STORES. By the way, there are also a lot of really bad breeders out there.

All of the PetCOs by me have the sickest and sorriest looking animals I have ever seen. Not even just frogs but all of their amphibians and reptiles look like crap. I always complain and they always give the same excuse that it is a new shipment and that is why they are skinny and sick-looking. On the otherhand, the PetSmart by my house takes great care of their animals, especially the FBTs. The ones that I got seemed to be almost too fat. In general though, the smaller independant stores seem to be better.