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Amphibians
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Fly River Turtle
They are grey, with varying hues of brown, olive on top, and yellow, off white or white on the underside. They have light coloured jaws and a similarly coloured streak over the eye. The shell is covered with skin and has a median keel near the back. The plastron is somewhat small but still forms a plate. Being mostly aquatic, they have developed paddle-shaped limbs with two claws per limb. The top of the tail has a single line of scales. Males can be distinguished from females by their larger tails. Hatchling Fly River Turtles have strong, well-developed limbs, but their shells are not fully developed. Loose flaps of skin surround the shell. These flaps become firm after a week. Like many shy turtles, the Fly River Turtle was once thought to be quite rare. Now, however, it is known that the Fly River Turtle is quite common in its range, although its numbers are decreasing. The Fly River Turtle can be found on the Strickland, Morehead, Kikori, and Fly Rivers of New Guinea. They can also be found in Irian Jaya and in the Daly River region of Australia. While seeing a Fly River Turtle in Australia is a rare occurrence, there is evidence in the form of eggs lodged with the Victorian Museum, indicating that the Fly River Turtle has been breeding in Australia since 1918. Aboriginal rock paintings that date back 7000 years suggest that the Fly River Turtle, or a species very much like it, has lived in Australia for thousands of years. The Fly River Turtle, while relatively common where it is found, is decreasing in numbers. One reason the population is dropping is that many indigenous people in Australia and New Guinea think of the Fly River Turtle as a gourmet food item and collect both the eggs and the adult turtles. Aboriginal men in Australia used to spear the turtles out of the water by climbing trees near the banks and waiting for the turtles to surface. Now, they are usually caught on lines baited with buffalo meat. Fly River Turtles are also threatened by feral water buffalo. The buffalo use the same banks the turtles nest in as access to water and as places to rest during the night. The buffalo tramples the nests and the vegetation, from which the turtles feed. Mining activities are also responsible for the decrease in population of the Fly River Turtle. Care: Relatively Difficult Breeding and Propagation: In the wild, Fly River Turtles nest in clean fine sand near water. They lay clutches of between 7 and 39 eggs, depending on the size and location of the turtle. More than one female may lay eggs in a single nest. The eggs hatch after about 60 or 70 days of incubation. Relative Breeding Ease: Uncertain Specific Care Information: Fly River Turtles should be kept in a large pond or pool with water temperature of between 79 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (26.1 to 30 Celsius). Adult females must have access to land for nesting purposes. Captive Fly River Turtles will do well on a diet of fruits such as kiwi, figs, and bananas and vegetables. They should also be offered fish and shrimp occasionally. Like other species the Fly River Turtle also eats turtle pellets as well as the roots of aquatic plants. Like many soft-shelled turtles, Fly River Turtles are particularly susceptible to fungal white spot, which if not treated promptly can kill an immature individual within a week. Some hobbyists report that it can be effectively treated externally. First all loose skin and scabs should be removed then the area should be treated with anti-fungal medications. If you suspect your turtle has white spot consult your veterinarian. This condition can lead to death if left untreated. Signs of serious illness are lethargy and loss of appetite. It has been reported that Fly River Turtles should not be kept with 'sucker fish' (any fish that attaches to things to eat algae etc.). The reason being is that if the Fly River Turtle has any open wounds on their shells, the 'suckers fish' will further wound their shells and may even make them bleed. Additionally it has been reported that water changes and tank cleaning should be done quickly. The reason for this is that both of these procedures cause the turtles stress. The stress can in turn cause them to 'self crack'. 'Self cracking' means that their skin will peel and they will become much less active, though they usually feed normally. When this happens it takes a week or so on average for them to return to normal.
Axolotl
The Axolotl is an amphibian, a salamander, part of the order Caudata/Urodela. Because it's a salamander, it's part of one of the three branches of class Amphibia, which also includes the frogs and toads (the Anurans), and the mainly eel-like order Gymnophiona which are also known as the Caecilians. One common misconception is that axolotls and other salamanders are lizards or reptiles - in actual fact, amphibians are a completely separate group of animals. Axolotls of various colours occur in captivity, including grey, shades of brown, leucistic (white with black eyes), golden albino, white albino, as well as other varieties, such as the melanoid (a near-black animal). The normally coloured axolotl, the "wild type", can be near-black like the one in the group photo to the left, chocolate brown like the one in the site's logo, or even creamy in colour, and anywhere in between. There are even "piebald" axolotls in various colours, and a variety that is piebald in more than one colour, known as the "harlequin". The name "Axolotl" comes from the Aztec language, "Nahuatl". One of the most popular translations of the name connects the Axolotl to the god of deformations and death, Xolotl, while the most commonly accepted translation is "water-dog" (from "atl" for water, and "xolotl", which can also mean dog). The Axolotl is a fascinating creature for a number of reasons, including its grotesque appearance, its ability to regenerate, and primarily the fact that it exhibits the phenomenon known as neoteny. Ordinarily, amphibians undergo metamorphosis from egg to larva (the tadpole in frogs is a larva), and finally to adult form. The Axolotl, along with a number of other amphibians, remains in its larval form throughout its life. This means that it retains its gills and fins, and it doesn't develop the protruding eyes, eyelids and characteristics of other adult salamanders. It grows much larger than a normal larval salamander, and it reaches sexual maturity in this larval stage. Another term to describe this state is "perennibranchiate". The animal is completely aquatic, and although it does possess rudimentary lungs, it breathes primarily through its gills and to a lesser extent, its skin. Breeding: http://www.axolotl.org/breeding.htm Feeding: http://www.axolotl.org/feeding.htm African Clawed Frogs
We frequently have African Clawed Frogs in the shop on sale. These are quite small and can be kept in a tropical aquarium setup. I have three in my community aquarium at home. A good site for info on these is http://www.pipidae.net/adcf_tank.php Dwarf clawed frogs are bottom feeders and should be fed sinking foods. Live, frozen foods, or freeze dried foods can be used, and a variety is probably best. Bloodworms, tubifex worms, daphnia, brine shrimp, blackworms, or chopped (bite sized) earthworms. Dwarf clawed frogs gulp the food into their mouths and swallow it whole. They rarely accept flaked food; some will accept pelleted food (get frog-specific pellets). Sexing. Male frogs have a lump behind the forearms, females do not. See http://clawedfrogs.tripod.com/id29.html.
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