Amphibians are more than just frogs. They are some of the most colorful pets that you can imagine, and watching them can provide hours of fun. Not only is the amphibian pet enjoyable, but you can also plant the terrarium to make it an attractive feature. And one positive is that these animals are very easy to keep.

Amphibians were on planet earth before any humans, and in fact before any reptiles, birds or mammals. They truly are the link between man and the creatures of the ocean. Amphi is the Greek word for life, and bios is the Greek word for both. Amphibians derived their name from the fact that the can live on both land and water. Amphibians have two stages to their life cycle - the first in the water, and the second during which they spend more time on land.

Ectotherms cannot regulate their own body temperature, and rely on the external environment to regulate their body temperatures. Amphibians are ectotherms, and they hibernate in cold climates in order to avoid the most extreme temperatures. In captivity your pet amphibians may need a heat mat or lamp in order to keep warm. Although the heat lamp must be guarded by mesh to avoid burning flesh. You will note that your amphibian sheds its skin from time to time, and then eats it. The tropical pet amphibian is certainly an interesting one.

One thing that you may remember from a school science class is that amphibians are vertebrates with a full skeleton. They even have toe bones. They do have teeth, but these are to hold the prey before it is swallowed rather than to chew. The skeleton helps protect the internal organs of the amphibian.

Amphibians reproduce by laying thousands of eggs, of which less than one percent survive into adulthood. This is because amphibian eggs are a rich source of nourishment for predators, and the amphibians all lay their eggs in the same place which makes them easy to find. Sometimes they are laid on leaves overhanging water, but most of the time it is in the water.

These are just a few basic pieces of information about these exotic pet amphibians. You will learn more if you decide to keep them. One final interesting fact is that they both breath and drink through their skin. So make sure you provide them with good quality water as this water-permeable skin makes them very sensitive to their environment.

For more information on the amazing world of tropical pets then why not look at with site http://www.squidoo.com/amphibians-exotic-pets. Good luck!

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