CHAPTER XX 



BATRACHIANS 



In the list of pet possibilities, the batrachians probably stand 

 the lowest. An uninitiated person, even though a confirmed 

 lover of animals, would hardly consider a toad or a frog a 

 desirable addition to the household. And yet the squat, 

 warty toad, once his acquaintance has been made, becomes an 

 almost fascinating creature. Frogs, though less friendly 

 than toads, repay equally well the time expended in caring 

 for them, and the wonderful metamorphosis of the tad- 

 pole, easily observed in the balanced aquarium, leaves an 

 impression which will never be forgotten. Salamanders 

 and newts are not difficult to keep, and their observation 

 under the conditions of captivity will reveal much of the life 

 of these otherwise little known creatures. 



Frogs and Toads 



Both frogs and toads may be kept in an aquarium with 

 a wire top, or in a box cage with wire or glass front. In 

 any case, unless the cage is very large, the door is best at 

 the top. The bottom should be covered with sand or gravel, 

 with a basin of water at the lowest level large enough to 

 enable the inmate to submerge itself. Frogs are more 

 aquatic than toads, and will spend more time in the water, 

 but as moisture is absorbed through the skin only, bathing 

 facilities are, for both, an absolute necessity. A water- 

 soaked bit of bark or piece of branch placed near the edge 

 of the water will be appreciated. 



Several South American and Old World species are en- 



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