DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Code of Practice for the Welfare of Amphibians in Captivity DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Acknowledgements Documents provided by the Australian Capital Territory Animal Welfare Authority and its Animal Welfare Advisory Committee are acknowledged as important references in the development of this code. Cover photographs by Damian Goodall. Code of Practice for the Welfare of Amphibians in Captivity Published by the Victorian Government Department of Primary Industries Bureau of Animal Welfare 475 Mickleham Rd, Attwood Victoria 3049 Australia Telephone: +61 3 9217 4200 Facsimile: +61 3 9217 4299 Also published on http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/animalwelfare Published in the Victorian Government Gazette, 7 September 2006. © The State of Victoria, Department of Primary Industries, 2006. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Victorian Government 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia ISBN 1 74146 737 3 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without fl aw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. For further information, visit the DPI Website at http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au or contact the DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186 Code of Practice for the Welfare of Amphibians in Captivity DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................1 2. Defi nitions .................................................................. 1 3. Licences ......................................................................2 4. Responsible Ownership ..............................................3 5. Handling .....................................................................4 6. Quarantine ..................................................................5 7. Housing and Environment ..........................................6 8. Species recommendations ..........................................8 8.1 Burrowing Frogs ..................................................................8 8.2 Tree Frogs ............................................................................ 8 8.3 Stream Dwelling Frogs .........................................................9 8.4 Axolotls .............................................................................10 9. Lighting requirements ..............................................10 10. Temperature requirements ....................................... 11 11. Humidity requirements ............................................. 12 12. Water requirements .................................................. 13 13. Substrate requirements ............................................ 14 14. Community living and compatibility ......................... 15 15. Cleaning ....................................................................16 16. Nutrition ................................................................... 16 16.1 Tadpoles ............................................................................16 16.2 Frogs .................................................................................17 16.3 Axolotls .............................................................................18 17. Health Care ............................................................... 18 17.13 Diseases ............................................................................ 19 17.13.1 Red Leg ......................................................................19 17.13.2 Chytrid Fungus Infections ..........................................19 17.13.3 Nutritional Diseases ...................................................20 18. Transport .................................................................. 20 19. Breeding .................................................................... 21 20. Placement of Offspring and Unwanted Animals .......21 DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES 1. Introduction This Code of Practice has been prepared by the Victorian Bureau of Animal Welfare to outline the welfare needs of amphibians kept in aquaria. This has been done with the assistance of the Melbourne Zoo (Herpetofauna Department), the Department of Sustainability and Environment (Biodiversity and Natural Resources Division), the Amphibian Research Centre, the Australian Veterinary Association and The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals. Its purpose is: • To provide minimum standards of care for keeping of amphibians in captivity; and • To encourage the protection of wild populations of amphibians from illegal take and introduction of disease and genetic contamination. A person in charge of amphibians has a legal obligation under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 to ensure that each individual animal receives appropriate care to remain in a healthy condition. Animal welfare considerations are becoming increasingly important in the keeping of animals. This Code is based on established experience, current scientifi c knowledge and technology. 2. Defi nitions “Amphibian” – An amphibian is an exothermic (cold-blooded) vertebrate animal typically living on land but breeding in water, e.g. frogs, axolotls. “Sell” - Under the Wildlife Act 1975, “sell” includes “barter or exchange and also agreeing to sell or offering or exposing for sale or keeping or having in possession for sale or sending forwarding delivering or receiving for or on sale or authorising directing causing suffering permitting or attempting any of such acts or things”. For the purpose of this code “sell” also includes – (a) supply for value (or offer or expose for supply for value); and (b) supply for free (or offer or expose for supply for free) to gain or maintain custom, or otherwise for commercial gain. 1 3. Licences All frogs, tadpoles and frog spawn are protected in Victoria. The collection of frogs from the wild or the release of frogs to the wild is prohibited. The release of frogs to your backyard or the raising of tadpoles for the purpose of release is illegal. It is necessary to obtain a licence from the Department of Sustainability and Environment (Phone 136 186 Customer Service Centre) to keep most species of frogs in captivity. All species of native amphibians are protected in Victoria under the Wildlife Act 1975. However, a wildlife licence is not required to keep the following amphibians for private purposes, provided they have come from a lawful source. Plains Froglet Crinia parinsignifera Common Eastern Froglet Crinia signifera Spotted Grass Frog Limnodynastes tasmaniensis Eastern Banjo Frog Limnodynastes dumerilii Southern Brown Tree Frog Litoria ewingii The following amphibians may be kept for private purposes under a Private Wildlife (Basic Category) Licence, provided they have come from a lawful source. Water-holding Frog Cyclorana platycephala Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog Litoria fallax Dainty Green Tree Frog Litoria gracilenta Giant Tree Frog Litoria infrafrenata Whistling Tree Frog Litoria verreauxii Peron’s Tree Frog Litoria peronii Green Tree Frog Litoria caerulea Lesueur’s Frog Litoria lesueuri Blue Mountains Tree Frog Litoria citropa Leaf Green Tree Frog Litoria phyllochroa Brown Striped Frog Limnodynastes peronii Great Barred Frog Mixophyes fasciolatus Giant Barred Frog Mixophyes iteratus Haswell’s Frog Paracrinia haswelli Southern Smooth Froglet Geocrinia laevis Common Spadefoot Toad Neobatrachus sudelli Code of Practice for the Welfare of Amphibians in Captivity 2 DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES The following amphibians may be kept for private purposes under a Private Wildlife (Advanced Category) Licence, provided they have come from a lawful source. Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis Southern Toadlet Pseudophryne semimarmorata Giant Burrowing Frog Heleioporus australiacus Red-eyed Tree Frog Litoria chloris Orange Thighed Tree Frog Litoria xanthomera Roth’s Tree Frog Litoria rothii Northern Dwarf Tree Frog Litoria bicolor A Commercial Wildlife Licence is required to keep any native amphibian species for a commercial purpose in Victoria, such as a Dealer, a Demonstrator, a Displayer or a Taxidermist. It is recommended that you contact the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment for the latest information about wildlife licences, entitlements and obligations. 4. Responsible Ownership Minimum standard 4.1 Owners must maintain the welfare of all progeny produced by their animals. 4.2 An owner must hold the appropriate licence to keep and sell amphibians under the Wildlife Act 1975. 4.3 New owners must obtain and understand information about diet, accommodation, management and general health care relevant to the species they intend to keep. Recommended practice 4.4 Responsible ownership means providing for the needs of the animal, including adult supervision of children who have amphibians as pets. 4.5 Breeding should be limited to encourage healthy offspring and to reduce the possibility of amphibians for which homes cannot be found. 3 Guidelines 4.6 Provision should be made for a suitable retreat to minimise stress from excessive sight or sound intimidation from humans and other animals. 4.7 When taking on the responsibility for an animal its potential life span should be considered;