Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi there:

I own an Argentine flame-bellied toadlet. He was the last one left at the store, and I really love that little guy a lot! He appears in public shows. Anyway, I hear that they love company and like to live in lage colonies together. I gave him an awesome semi-aquatic vivarium. I've had him for about 8 months now, and he seemed really happy. He's still eating, still looks in great physical condition, and acts normal. But he seems so sad. I just can't describe how pitiful he looks. He's lonely!
My local pet stores all said that they never plan to get any evr again. Chile stopped exporting their fauna, they told me, and it is now shut down. I feel so guilty! I know they aren't too much, but I recently got a Spanish ribbed newt, and shipping costs too much for me at the moment. I'm so sad. What should I do?

DAVE

Reptiles and amphibians do NOT require a member of their species, or any other animal to not be miserable. This does not mean you are depriving them of any stimulation, that is what their habitat is for. To say that a herp is lonely is anthropormorphic, and it isn't always fair to the animal in question when people insist upon projecting human emotions on them (ie,people don't always make the best decisions for their animals when they go by what they THINK the animal feels). I am not down playing your concern for your pet, but you can't assume it would be happier with a conspecific.

Your frog is fine the way it is, I promise.
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...the oldest task in human history: to live on a piece of land without spoiling it."
Aldo Leopold (1938)

"Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us."
Calvin and Hobbes (Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink', 1991)

They really don't need companionship. Most, if not all, frogs and toads live solitary lives; the only reasons they're together in the wild are during mating, and during chance encounters when they both want to be in the same habitat. You should not feel any guilt over having your toad housed alone; a cagemate would compete for food, and could even give your toad some sort of parasite. So don't despair; you're doing the right thing!
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2.1 Ball pythons
1.0 Boa Constrictor Imperator
0.1 huge fat albino Cranwell's horned frog
etc..

If you look in the amphibian classifieds there is a gentleman there selling cb babies of this species. If you want to get some more and breed them I suggest contacting him.
Chile has closed again but Chile may reopen next year as they have allowed limited export quotas for the last 5 years.

Ed

Hi there:

I live near the greatest pet store that I have ever been to. I think I only saw 2 dead animals there in my life (an emerald swift and a green tree frog). They said that they would ask there wholesalers to find one, and then they would ship it right to the pet store so I could go get it. They are on the job right now. The cost: $6.95!

Thanks anyway.

DAVE