People automatically think of frogs when it comes to amphibians, but there are also plenty of other animals to consider, such as salamanders and the paddle-tailed newt. Once you start investigating amphibians you will see that they come in a wide range of colors, and their aquariums can also be brightened up with all sorts of plants.

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.

Amphibians are ectotherms which means that they rely on the external environment for warmth. So if you keep one as a pet you may need to provide a heat mat or lamp, depending on the species. In the wild amphibians hibernate to avoid cold temperatures. Their amazing range of colors is for the purpose of camouflage, and to ward off predators. The moist skin of an amphibian is shed/sloughed from time to time, and they generally eat their old skin. Tropical pets like amphibians exhibit some interesting characteristics!

In order to protect all their internal organs amphibians have a full skeleton. Some amphibians also have small teeth, but these are used for holding food, not for chewing it. The skeleton of an amphibian extends from its skull all the way to their toes.

Amphibian reproduction is a hit and miss affair: of the thousands of jelly-coated eggs that are laid in the water, and on the leaves overhanging the water, only a handful will ever make it to the next stage of the life cycle. Often this is less than one percent. The reason is that amphibian eggs are a good source of food for predators.

So there you have it. Some basic information about the amazing world of amphibians. When you have one to keep as a pet you will soon learn more, and research is important. Your pet amphibian’s health is dependent on your level of knowledge. These days amphibians are not so unusual as to be considered exotic pets, but they do require more knowledge than keep domesticates animals such as dogs and cats.

For more information on the wonderful world of tropical pets then why not see with site http://www.squidoo.com/amphibians-exotic-pets. Happy reading!

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