Scientific Name: Conraua alleni.
Common Names: Allen's Goliath Frog, Allen's Slippery Frog.
Distribution: Western Africa.
Size: Sizes in excess of 6" can be expected, we have heard reports of individuals of 9”.
Sexing: The males of this species have 2 visible vocal sacs on the throat.
Colouration: The dorsum is a dark grey/brown with irregular back markings, some may have a small amount of green present. The ventral surface has a high proportion of black with orange - yellow blotches and small white specks.
Requirements: These frogs are large individuals and therefore should be housed in a large terrarium, a 20-gallon (36”x12”x12”) tank would be adequate for 1-2 juveniles of 3” but will need to be moved to correspondingly larger tanks as they grow. They require a semi-aquatic set-up of approx. 60/40 water/land ratio. The land area should be free draining with a substrate of sandy topsoil and moss. Pieces of cork bark, logs, rock and sturdy plants can be arranged to provide a number of hiding places. The water area should be graduated from 2cm - 10cm with a base substrate of either gravel or sand, the water area can be lightly planted and rocks and logs should be placed to break the waters surface in a few places to provide areas to rest. The water will need to be filtered and partial water changed on a regular basis to avoid the build up of ammonia and bacteria in the water. We recommend you use the filter to produce a slight current on the surface of the water. Whilst doing the partial water changes it is a good idea to visually inspect the tank and remove, clean and replace any soiled items. The tank will need to be heated to a daytime temperature of 25°C this can be done with a submersible water heater with built in thermostat. A light source should be provided by the means of a fluorescent UVB tube set on a 12hour light cycle.
Feeding: Juvenile frogs should be fed daily with a mixture of suitably sized insects including crickets, locusts and earthworms. The food items should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement two-three times a week. Adult frogs should be fed every two-three days with a mixture of earthworms, adult locusts, crickets, cockroaches, super giant mealworm, beetles and it may be possible to train them onto suitably sized rodents. The food items should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement once a week.
