Understanding Rain Frogs: A Guide to Finding and Caring for Your Pet

Rain frog care has gotten complicated with all the conflicting advice online. As someone who kept desert rain frogs for four years before relocating, I learned everything through trial, error, and one very patient veterinarian. Today, I’m sharing what actually works for these grumpy-faced little burrowers.

What Are Rain Frogs?

Probably should have led with this section, honestly. Rain frogs belong to Brevicipitidae, a family scattered across Africa. These guys have adapted to life in forests and grasslands, with some species living at higher elevations than you’d expect for amphibians.

What makes them different from your typical frog? They burrow. Like, a lot. My first rain frog disappeared into the substrate within twenty minutes of coming home and I thought I’d killed him already. Nope – just doing rain frog things. They surface mostly when conditions are right, particularly during rainy weather (hence the name).

Rain Frog Species Common in the Pet Trade

You’ll mainly encounter three species if you’re looking to buy:

• Breviceps breviceps: South African species with that impossibly round body everyone loves from the viral videos. These need their humidity dialed in precisely or they suffer.
• Breviceps adspersus: The Bushveld Rain Frog runs larger with a distinctive digging snout. A bit hardier in my experience.
• Breviceps gibbosus: Cape Rain Frog from southwestern South Africa. Harder to find but gorgeous animals.

Each species has quirks, but the general care principles overlap considerably.

Where to Buy Rain Frogs

That’s what makes finding a rain frog tricky for us hobbyists – they’re not exactly at every pet store. Reptile and amphibian expos are your best bet for meeting breeders face-to-face. Some specialty online retailers carry them, but you’re paying shipping costs for overnight delivery.

I’m apparently one of those people who obsesses over breeder reputation, and trust me – it matters here. Wild-caught rain frogs arrive stressed, often carrying parasites, and have terrible survival rates. Ask where the frog came from, how long they’ve been breeding, and whether they can provide health history.

Setting Up a Rain Frog Habitat

This is where most people mess up. These frogs burrow for a living, and your setup needs to accommodate that reality.

Enclosure Size

A 10-gallon tank works for one or two frogs. Bigger isn’t always better here since rain frogs don’t really explore horizontally – they go down. Don’t overcrowd them though. Stressed frogs stop eating.

Substrate

Coconut fiber mixed with organic potting soil works beautifully. Make it deep – at least 4-6 inches so they can fully disappear. Keep it damp but never waterlogged. I stuck my finger in daily to check; the substrate should feel like a wrung-out sponge. Soggy substrate leads to skin infections fast.

Humidity and Temperature

70-90% humidity is the target range. Get a hygrometer (the digital ones are cheap now) and mist as needed. Temperature should stay between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. My apartment naturally hit this range, but some people need cooling systems in warmer climates.

Lighting

These are nocturnal burrowers, so they don’t need special lighting. A simple LED on a timer gives them day/night cycles, which seems to help with feeding patterns. No UVB required like reptiles need.

Feeding Rain Frogs

Insectivores through and through. My rain frogs went crazy for:

• Crickets (staple food)
• Mealworms (occasional treat)
• Waxworms (fatty – use sparingly)
• Dubia roaches (excellent nutrition)

Size matters. Food items should be smaller than the space between their eyes, roughly. Dust feeders with calcium and vitamin D3 every other feeding. Feed three or four times weekly, removing uneaten insects before they stress your frog.

Fresh, clean water should always be available. Use dechlorinated water or bottled spring water – never distilled.

Health and Well-being

Watch for warning signs: appetite changes, weight loss, skin discoloration, lethargy. Find an exotic vet before you need one – not every veterinarian treats amphibians, and you don’t want to scramble during an emergency.

Clean the enclosure regularly. Spot-clean waste immediately and replace substrate entirely every few months. Mold is the enemy.

Handling Rain Frogs

Here’s the thing nobody tells you in the cute YouTube videos: rain frogs hate being handled. They puff up, make that squeaky defensive noise, and generally have a terrible time. Their skin is permeable and sensitive to oils, lotions, and soaps on human hands.

If you must handle them (tank cleaning, health checks), wet your hands with dechlorinated water first and keep it brief. These are observation pets, not cuddle buddies.

Legal Considerations

Check your local regulations before buying. Some areas restrict amphibian ownership or require permits. CITES regulations apply to certain species. Getting caught with illegal wildlife isn’t worth it, and it fuels unethical collection.

The Joy of Owning Rain Frogs

These weird little potatoes aren’t for everyone. They hide constantly, refuse to be held, and their feeding responses can be unpredictable. But there’s something genuinely special about providing a good life for such a unique animal. When mine would surface after rain (I’d mist heavily), watch me through the glass, then inflate in annoyance before burrowing again – that grumpy routine made me laugh every time.

With proper setup and realistic expectations, rain frogs can thrive in captivity for years. Just remember: you’re not getting a pet you’ll interact with. You’re building a tiny ecosystem for something beautifully strange.