Scientific Name: Phrynomantis bifasciatus.
Common Names: Red-banded Crevice Creeper, Red-banded Rubber Frog, Fire Walking Frog, Snake-necked Frog, Creeping Frog
Distribution: Swaziland, South Africa, Somalia, and the Congo.
Size: 5cm.
Sexing: Males can be heard making a melodious trill.
Colouration: Glossy black-brown with orange red markings, these markings can be in either an irregular light swirling pattern or in stripes running down either side of its back and spots of the same colour on its limbs.
Requirements: Crevice Creepers are very nervous and secretive animals that become easily stressed and they require quite a spacious terrarium with lots of hiding spots. A 24"x12"x12" tank would be ideal for an adult pair. They require a woodland type set up with a deep substrate of topsoil with areas of live moss. The tank can be furnished with a selection of logs, cork bark, flat smooth rocks, and sturdy leafed plants (Live or artificial). These items should be arranged in such a way that they provide a number of hiding areas for the frogs. A very shallow water bowl (no deeper than the frog's height at rest) should be provided with clean de-chlorinated or spring water. The enclosure will need to be heated to a daytime temperature of 24 - 25°C with a drop at night to 20-22°C. This can be done using an under tank heat-mat controlled by a thermostat. Spot bulbs / heat lamps are not recommended for use with amphibians and so a fluorescent UVB tube should be provided as a light source.
Maintenance: Water will need changing daily to avoid the build up of ammonia and bacteria. Whilst changing the water it is a good idea to spot clean the tank and remove, clean, and replace any soiled items. At least once a month the entire terrarium and it's contents should be striped, cleaned, and sterilized using an amphibian friendly disinfectant.
Feeding: Young should be fed daily with a mixture of suitably sized insects including whiteworm, springtails, aphids, and fruitflies. These food items should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement two-three times a week. Adults will take slightly larger insects including crickets, mealworms, small earthworms, waxworms, and caterpillars. They should be fed every two-three days and the insects dusted with calcium and vitamin supplements once a week.
