A Detailed Guide to Setting Up a Horned Frog Habitat

Horned frogs can be kept in any space that has water. A horned frog typically squats in the same spot all day and rarely moves, so the size of the space does not matter. As long as the water depth does not exceed half its height, it can live very well. Each horned frog should be kept separately. You can lay coconut coir directly in the enclosure, or a piece of thoroughly soaked sponge 1-2 cm thick for it to rest on, but never use rocks with sharp, hard edges, as the horned frog may scrape itself while chasing prey.

Horned frogs do not have high temperature requirements either. Any live food they can swallow, such as small fish and crickets, or wiggling strips of meat and dead mice, is all readily accepted; they cannot see food that is motionless. In their native habitat, the main food of horned frogs is the young of their own kind, so they are not suitable for being kept with other frogs or with individuals of their own kind that differ too much in size.

For keeping horned frogs, you should use water that has already had chlorine removed, filtered water, or spring water. Tap water can be dechlorinated by chemical methods, by boiling, or by leaving it in an open container overnight. Horned frogs do not drink water; they mainly absorb moisture through their skin, so you need to provide a large water bowl that the frog can easily climb in and out of. The simplest setup is to place a bare tank at a slant so that the lower end holds about one inch of water, which should be changed every two days or immediately once it becomes dirty.

An adult horned frog can live quite comfortably in a plastic storage bin or a 10-gallon aquarium. Substrate can be omitted, but do not use gravel, as it may be swallowed as food. To keep a horned frog well, remember never to expose it directly to sunlight or other strong ultraviolet light. If lighting is needed, you can use a fluorescent tube designed for aquariums, or an ordinary white light tube.

Horned frogs should not be held in your hands except when needed for health checks or moving the animal. The skin of all amphibians is permeable and very sensitive to toxins, and one day your hands may be covered with substances that are toxic to the frog (hairspray, insecticides, chalk dust, ink, disinfectants, soap, and so on). When picking one up, hold its two thighs with one hand while supporting the body from underneath the abdomen with the other. Avoid holding a horned frog only by the legs (this can cause fractures) or only by the body (excessive squeezing can cause internal injuries).