Sunday, December 27, 2009

All About Pet Amphibians

By Dakota Davies

There are all types of amphibians. Beyond frogs there are axolotls, newts, and more. Once you have seen a few amphibians in your local pet store you will know that they are some of the most colorful creatures out there. This makes them great to watch, and you can also select colorful and attractive plants for their vivariums.

Amphibians and distinguished by the fact that they can live on both water and land. Usually they spend the first part of their lives in the water, and the next stage of their development on land. In fact the name amphibian comes from this trait, with amphi being the Greek for life, and bios the word for both. When you look at your pet amphibian, you should realize that amphibians set foot on earth long before any mammals, and that they are the link between man and fish.

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.

In order to protect all their internal organs amphibians have a full skeleton. Some amphibians also have small teeth, but these are used for holding food, not for chewing it. The skeleton of an amphibian extends from its skull all the way to their toes.

Amphibians reproduce by laying thousands of eggs, of which less than one percent survive into adulthood. This is because amphibian eggs are a rich source of nourishment for predators, and the amphibians all lay their eggs in the same place which makes them easy to find. Sometimes they are laid on leaves overhanging water, but most of the time it is in the water.

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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