Budgett's Frog

Lepidobatrachus laevis

A grumpy, wide-mouthed water balloon of a frog — a fascinating ambush predator that screams when bothered and eats anything that fits.

4.5–6 in15–20 years

Habitat

Enclosure

10–20 gal shallow water setup

Temperature

75–82°F

Humidity / Water

Aquatic swamp · shallow water, warm

Heating & lighting

A wide, shallow-water 'swamp tank' with a gentle heater — they're aquatic ambush blobs that aestivate dry in the wild. Strong, messy eaters need excellent filtration.

Diet

Feed these

Earthworms
Dubia roaches
Frozen-thawed rodents occasionally
Nightcrawlers

Never feed

Any tank mate — it's food
Handling — a wide, powerful bite
Deep strong currents
Overfeeding

Feed every 2–3 days. They sit buried with just their nostrils and eyes exposed, then explode out at anything edible.

Cohabitation

Can live with

No one — house this species alone.

Never house with

Any tank mate — it's food Other Budgett's frogs — cannibalistic

Strictly alone. Two Budgett's frogs in one tank is a frog-eats-frog situation.