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Care sheet

Malaysian Painted Frog

Kaloula pulchra

Also known as: Chubby Frog, Banded Bullfrog

Microhylidae · Anura

BeginnerIUCN LC
Activity
🌙 Nocturnal
Temperament
Hands-off
Adult length
2.5–3 in
Lifespan (captivity)
8–10 yrs
Native range
Southeast Asia — lowland forests, gardens, and rice paddies

Care guide

Overview

Chubby Frog (Kaloula pulchra) — a round, hardy, burrowing beginner frog from Southeast Asia that spends the day buried in moist substrate and emerges at night to feed on small insects. Handle minimally; it secretes a sticky defense when stressed.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
72–78 °F
Warm side
78–82 °F
Nighttime
68–74 °F
Humidity (ambient)
60–80%

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Terrestrial
Bioactive setup
Suitable
Minimum size by life stage
  • HatchlingNot specified
  • JuvenileNot specified
  • Adult12x12x12 in for 1-2 frogs; deep moist substrate for burrowing

Housing

Substrate

Safe options
coco fiberbioactive soilsphagnum mossleaf litter
Avoid
gravelcedarpinedry substrate

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Insectivore
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • JuvenileDaily
  • AdultEvery 2-3 days (small feeders; a narrow-mouthed ant/termite specialist in the wild)
Supplementation

Dust small feeders (crickets, roach nymphs) with calcium+vitamins. Secretes a sticky defensive substance when stressed.

Care

Water & behavior

Water

Shallow dechlorinated water dish; keep substrate moist, not waterlogged.

Legal & ecology

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LC · Least Concern
Wild populations

Least Concern; not CITES-listed. A hardy, forgiving burrowing frog for beginners; inflates and secretes a sticky substance when alarmed.

Citations

Sources

Every husbandry parameter on this page is backed by the references below. Click through to read the originals.

  1. Kaloula pulchra — AmphibiaWeb

    AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley

    academic

    SE Asian range, fossorial narrow-mouthed frog biology.

    Published: 2020-01-01

  2. Kaloula pulchra — IUCN Red List (LC)

    IUCN

    government

    Least Concern; not CITES-listed.

    Published: 2019-01-01

  3. Chubby Frog Care

    Josh's Frogs

    breeder community

    Burrowing setup, moist substrate, small-insect diet, defensive secretion note.

    Published: 2021-01-01

Malaysian Painted Frog (Kaloula pulchra) care sheet — Herpetoverse