Common Name: Chubby Frog, Banded Bullfrog, and Asian Painted Frog
Scientific Name: Kaloula pulchra
Family: Microhylidae
Location: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
Size: 2.2 – 3 inches (5.4 – 7.62 cm)
The Chubby Frog is a common frog in the pet trade. They are a hardy species which makes them easy to take care of for beginners. The frogs are nocturnal though so don’t expect that much movement from them during the day. Also, they enjoy burrowing into the substrate of their enclosures, making them hard to find. Shockingly, the frogs are capable of climbing meters up in trees. They can produce a sticky secretion when they are threatened. It is not poisonous but doesn’t taste great. Their diet consists of ants, termites, and other invertebrates.
The breeding season coincides with the rainy season. The males move to temporary ponds and form a breeding chorus with their calls. Once the female arrives, the male grasps her from behind in the amplexus position. Next, the female lays her eggs and the male fertilizes them. Neither parent provides any parental care for their offspring. The tadpoles take very little time to complete their metamorphosis, only two weeks!
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes the Chubby Frog as Least Concern for Extinction. They have a wide range and are common throughout it. Also, the frog has been introduced to other countries and have maintained stable populations.
