Budgett's Frog

About the Budgett's Frog

Lepidobatrachus laevis, widely known as Budgett's frog, is a species of frog in the family Ceratophryidae, discovered by John Samuel Budgett. It is often kept as a pet. It has acquired a number of popular nicknames, including hippo frog, Freddy Krueger frog, and escuerzo de agua.

This frog has become popular in pet stores due to its comical flat appearance and intelligent behavior. Females reach a size of 100 millimetres (3.9 in) while males sometimes only grow half as large. They have a large head that makes up to 1/3 of the body, with a notably large mouth. Their mouth contains a top row of teeth and two "fangs" on the lower jaw. They have extremely short and stubby limbs and the forelimbs are unwebbed. L. laevis is dark olive green with darker blotches outlined in orange. The males have a dark blue throat.

The wide-mouth frog is well adapted to its environment, notably the harsh winter. During this time it will remain inactive underground in a cocoon of shed dead skin which protects it from losing water until it emerges. This species is generally very aggressive and will puff up when threatened to appear larger. If this behavior does not... Wikipedia →