Ornate Horned Frog Natural History
Size
The Ornate Horned Frog can grow to up to 16cm long, and weighs up to 480g.
Habitat and Distribution
The Ornate Horned Frog is a ground dwelling species, usually among leaf litter in the rainforest in South America. They are solitary animals and only come together during the breeding season.
Age
The lifespan of an Ornate Horned Frog in the wild is 6 years, but in captivity they can live up to 10 years old.
Diet
Ornate Horned Frogs are carnivores and will eat anything they can fit in their mouth. This includes insects, other frogs, mice, small birds, baby snakes and lizards.
Groups and Breeding
Females can lay as many as 2,000 eggs which are attached to the vegetation in shallow water. They hatch within 2 weeks and are carnivores from birth. The tadpoles transform into small frogs after 1 month.
Threats
These frogs are under threat from the international pet trade, habitat loss and pollution. The IUCN Red List classes this species as Near Threatened.
Interesting Facts
The Ornate Horned Frog has a ‘horn’ on their head which is actually a flap of skin along the edge of the upper eyelid; it is thought that this horn makes the wide head appear wider and more off-putting to potential predators. They are also known as the ‘Pac Man frog’.
The Ornate Horned Frogs During Your Day Out in Kent
These frogs can be found in our new Reptile House, next to the Hognose Snakes.