Encyclopaedia
AmphibianTerrestrialAdvanced
©AI Generated·Proprietary
Pied warty frog
Theloderma asperum
The Pied Warty Frog features bizarre, bark-like camouflage perfect for blending into tree hollows. This secretive, tiny Southeast Asian frog flourishes in wet paludariums filled with cork bark tubes.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Rhacophoridae
Subfamily:Rhacophorinae
Genus:Theloderma
Species:Theloderma asperum
Share
Check out Pied warty frog on Atlarium
Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
70 - 90 %
Day temperature
21 - 26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 21 °C
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat:
Theloderma asperum is native to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, with documented populations in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and southern China. This species is strictly arboreal, living primarily within water-filled tree cavities, bamboo internodes, and among the dense vegetation of the forest understory, where it finds constant moisture.
Taxonomy and Genetics:
Belonging to the family Rhacophoridae, known as the Old World tree frogs, Theloderma asperum shares with its congeners a distinctly warty skin texture. From a taxonomic perspective, this species showcases unique evolutionary adaptations geared toward crypsis, relying on mimicking inanimate objects to avoid detection by predators.
Behavior and Habits:
This frog is predominantly nocturnal. During daylight hours, it remains completely motionless on leaves, branches, or enclosure walls, tucking its limbs tightly beneath its body to maximize the illusion of being bird waste. They activate after sunset to hunt small insects and communicate. Males produce a soft, chirp-like vocal call, especially after misting.
Morphology:
The morphology of Theloderma asperum is its most defining trait. The skin is covered in asymmetric white and dark brown warty tubercles. This texture, combined with a contrasting pattern of white, black, and reddish-brown, mimics bird droppings. Adults are relatively small, reaching an average length of 3 to 4 centimeters.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup:
Requires a vertically oriented terrarium (minimum 45x45x60 cm for a pair) replicating a humid forest environment. Climbing branches, hollow cork bark tubes, and broad-leafed live plants like Pothos or Bromeliads are essential. A water section or shallow water containers must be integrated, as these frogs spend significant time resting in water.
Lighting and Heating:
Does not require intense lighting; low-intensity LED lights are sufficient for plant growth. A 12-hour light cycle is ideal. A low-strength UVB source (2% or 5%) is recommended to aid vitamin D3 synthesis. Temperatures should be moderate, ranging from 22°C to 26°C (71°F to 79°F) during the day, dropping to 18°C-20°C (64°F-68°F) at night.
Humidity and Hydration:
Relative humidity is a vital factor and must be maintained between 70% and 90%. Mist the enclosure twice daily using RO (reverse osmosis) water to prevent mineral buildup on glass and plants. The water in dishes and hollows must be kept clean, dechlorinated, and refreshed daily to prevent bacterial growth.
Feeding and Supplementation:
The diet should consist of small, live insect prey suitable for their mouth size. Appropriate prey items include pinhead crickets, flightless fruit flies (Drosophila), newly molted mealworms, and small roaches. Dusting feeders with a high-quality calcium and D3 supplement twice a week, and a multivitamin once a week, is mandatory.
Compatibility:
This is a peaceful species that can be housed in small single-species groups if adequate space and hiding spots are provided. Males may engage in vocal competition but rarely fight. Cohabitation with other amphibian or reptile species is strongly discouraged due to pathogen risks and stress from interspecific competition.
Health and Common Diseases:
Most common illnesses stem from poor hygiene or incorrect environmental conditions. Red Leg Syndrome (a systemic bacterial infection) can develop in dirty water. Fungal skin infections are associated with stagnant air. A well-ventilated terrarium with dual-mesh ventilation screens is crucial to prevent respiratory and skin issues.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Theloderma asperum is native to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, with documented populations in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and southern China. This species is strictly arboreal, living primarily within water-filled tree cavities, bamboo internodes, and among the dense vegetation of the forest understory, where it finds constant moisture.
Origin
Extra-Amazon South AmericaSouth and Southeast AsiaEast Asia
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 3.45 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 3.45 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 3.45 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
