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Care Sheet: Peters Grey Treefrog (Chiromantis petersii)

Common Name: Peters Grey Tree Frog.

Scientific Name: Chiromantis petersii.

Distribution: Eastern Africa.

Size: 45-90mm depending on sex and subspecies (see notes below for more information).

Sexing: The males of this species show pale nuptial pads on the first & second fingers of the fore limbs, males can also be heard calling this a heard as a slow "creaking noise".

Varieties: There are two subspecies of C.petersii the first being the nominal form C.p.petersii which ranges from Tanzania to southern Kenya. This is the smaller of the two with males reaching only 45mm, the dorsal surface varies from a greyish-brown to a whitish-grey and is often marked with irregular longitudinal lines. The second subspecies is C.p.kelleri found ranging from Kenya to northern Somalia this is the larger form with males reaching 55 mm and females 75–90mm.

Requirements: These agile frogs can jump over a long distance and so require a large terrarium. 20-gallon tank would be adequate for a group of 4-6 adults. They require a well-planted woodland type set-up with a substrate of bark chips, topsoil or moss. Furnishings such as logs, cork bark and sturdy leafed plants can be arranged to provide a number of climbing, perching and hiding places. A medium sized water bowl (no deeper than the frog's height at rest) must be provided with clean de-chlorinated or spring water. The water will need to be changed daily to avoid the build up of ammonia and bacteria in the water whilst changing the water it is a good idea to visually inspect the tank and remove, clean and replace any soiled items. The tank will need to be heated to a temperature of 20-25°C this can be done with an under-tank heat-mat controlled by a thermostat. It is not advisable to use spot / heat lamps with amphibians and so a separate light source should be provided by the means of a fluorescent UVB tube. Once every two-three weeks the tank and its contents should be completely cleaned and sterilised using an amphibian / reptile friendly disinfectant.

Feeding: For adults a mixture of suitably sized insects including crickets, flies, locust, and moths should be fed every two-three days. A calcium and vitamin supplement should be used once weekly. Young frogs will take hatchling crickets and fruitflies. These should be fed every day and a calcium and vitamin supplement used two-three times a week.