# Ameerega pepperi info?



## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

I am interested in working wiht Ameerega pepperi as it seems to be uncommon in the hobby. I have basic questions though-
1. Do they need moving water to breed?
2. Are they ok in say, a group of 4?
3. Would a 18x18x24 be a veasible size for this size group?

I can't get anymore frogs till next spring but was looking for a new viv idea and something that isn't common in the hobby, and these seem just right.

Any and all help is appriciated =)


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

your post is only 1.5 hours old.....


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

ok..cant help it haha
im sorry tho
that post proved my imaptience


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## EricM (Feb 15, 2004)

I got 4 of the CHO pepperi when they first were offered and split them into pairs to raise up. Ended up with a pair and two males. The pair laid a couple of clutches towards the end of the first year, both being unfertile. It took several months before they laid again but they started producing good healthy clutches with high fertilization percentage. They did lay once on a Monstera leaf but every other clutch has been in the coco hut. The male will guard the eggs and then transport them to the water bowl. It is easy to collect the tadpoles from the water bowl and raise them up in a shoebox together.

They morph out very small and once they pop front legs they are days away from coming out of the water. The shoeboxes I raise them in have a lip on the inside that the froglets like to sit on, which makes it easy to see them from outside the tub. Put some leaves into the tub for hiding places and feed them bloodworms and flake food. The froglets will take springtails and wingless fruit flies.

The males don't call a lot compared to other frogs like Phyllobates, imitator or pumilio; and usually if he chirps up it's in the later afternoon or early evening. I have not seen any psuedamplexus with these frogs or much of any interaction between them besides sitting together. The males are smaller and shorter in body length than the females. Mine seem to lay 2-3 clutches over 6 weeks and then stop for about the same time period or longer. The clutches are usaully around 15-25 eggs on average.

You do not need running water. I am not sure how a group would do as I haven't kept them that way, but I think it would be fine. You might see some more interaction between frogs that way. For bassleri type frogs they aren't very flightly and stay out quit a bit so you can actually see them, especially the male which sits on the hut.

Hopefully some of the others who keep this frog in groups will chime in with their own observations.

Great frog to work with
Hope this helps
Eric


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

thank u soo much
hopefully everyone leaves as much info

do u think i could do 4 in an 18x18x24?


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## EricM (Feb 15, 2004)

I think 4 frogs in an 18x18x24 would be fine. Just provide some dense plantings and leaf litter.

Here is a shot of my tank. The ficus minima has carpeted the tank covering the leaf litter. They still have some ways of getting underneath the growth, but mostly they are out on top. The water bowl is in the middle of the pic but it's hard to make out.

Thanks
Eric


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

EricM said:


> I think 4 frogs in an 18x18x24 would be fine. Just provide some dense plantings and leaf litter.
> 
> Here is a shot of my tank. The ficus minima has carpeted the tank covering the leaf litter. They still have some ways of getting underneath the growth, but mostly they are out on top. The water bowl is in the middle of the pic but it's hard to make out.
> 
> ...


thanks for all your help =)
it seems like almost no one has these guys so itll be neat to get some next spring
do you think theyll utilize vertical space or are they more terrestrial?


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

I keep a group of 3 in a 30 gallon. Mine are still young, about 8-9 mos old. They seem to hang out together in the same area, near driftwood and the cocohut. Out of the 3 , 2 of them are quite bold and the third likes to hang out near the top back of the viv. Since they are still young, no breeding yet and no apparent fighting. They also like hanging out in broms. 

Interestingly they hardley ever venture to the other side of the viv where the water/pond area is.

Despite being a bit timid they are very cool and beautiful frogs.

These are my findings so far


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

i dont know if anyone mentioned it but you may have better luck looking for orange bassleri since pepperi were renamed recently for the work that mark pepper of understory enterprises did with them. 

james


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

james67 said:


> i dont know if anyone mentioned it but you may have better luck looking for orange bassleri since pepperi were renamed recently for the work that mark pepper of understory enterprises did with them.
> 
> james


You may also want to look for them as A. pepperi formly known as Orange bassleri, since there are still orange bassleri, which are a different species unrelated to the known A. pepperi. I beleive the orange basserli are considered to be called Orange Head. However you would have to get with Mark Pepper to find out whats exactly what.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

well im just going by the name i got from UE
Ameerega pepperi "Abiseo"
^this being the kind that id like to work with


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

In that case I don't know how they are as far as breeding and social behavior go. Eric and I both keep the orange pepperi. I'm sure their behavior is similar but I'm pretty sure there has only be breeding by Mark Pepper since they were only first shipped out this past spring. You may want to contact him regarding these issues.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

i did  i just did not kno how available they had been or who had em
hopefully next spring ill be ably to order 4 from him but i gotta build the viv first and im not allowed to get anymore animals till i get a car haha


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

ggazonas said:


> You may also want to look for them as A. pepperi formly known as Orange bassleri, since there are still orange bassleri, which are a different species unrelated to the known A. pepperi. I beleive the orange basserli are considered to be called Orange Head. However you would have to get with Mark Pepper to find out whats exactly what.


Understory has 4 populations of pepperi which are shown at their site: Understory Enterprises Inc. - Ameerga pepperi . There are also the yellow bassleri which came in through INIBICO and sometimes come out orange headed due to variation in the population, but as George said the "orange bassleri" that Understory used to sell (CHO population) got reclassified to pepperi.


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

Mike

Thanks for posting the link. I'm a bit sleepy today, so I didn't have the energy to go to the site and post that.

Anyways like Mike said there are 4 species. An you have to be specific when asking about them, since they were only recently reclassified and many people still call them bassleri


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## stemcellular (Jun 26, 2008)

I have a small group and they are wonderful frogs, recently started calling, around 6-7 months oow. We have a local fellow breeding them so they shouldn't be too hard to acquire. Shame really, seems like folks have had a difficult time selling them, hence the drastic price drop for F1s from $135 or so to $80/70 each.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

Sorry for not being specific enough


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## stemcellular (Jun 26, 2008)

Some pics on another thread. 

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/41863-ameerega-pepperi-froglet-pics.html


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

stemcellular said:


> Some pics on another thread.
> 
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/41863-ameerega-pepperi-froglet-pics.html


O jeez that makes me wanna get some even more!


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## ggazonas (May 11, 2008)

stemcellular said:


> Some pics on another thread.
> 
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/members-frogs-vivariums/41863-ameerega-pepperi-froglet-pics.html


Ray are your the orange head. They have alot more orange/red than mine which are the orange


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## stemcellular (Jun 26, 2008)

ggazonas said:


> Ray are your the orange head. They have alot more orange/red than mine which are the orange


Nope, just the orange pepperi, not orange head, though if you look at the journal article they are incredibly variable in the wild. I've also noticed mine change color with increases and decreases in humidity/temp.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

i feel dumb asking this, believe me but
how big will these guys get? like tinc size? or like able to sit in a brom size?


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## stemcellular (Jun 26, 2008)

HunterB said:


> i feel dumb asking this, believe me but
> how big will these guys get? like tinc size? or like able to sit in a brom size?


About the size of a larger adult auratus.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

stemcellular said:


> About the size of a larger adult auratus.


thanks haha
man i feel dumb..


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## stemcellular (Jun 26, 2008)

HunterB said:


> thanks haha
> man i feel dumb..


why? asking questions is a sign of intelligence. If you PM me your email I can send you the journal article on pepperi. Its a good read.


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

PMed ya
and yea i guess so haha i just like to kno the basics of a frog before i start asking about them


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## salix (Mar 28, 2008)

I got four of the abiseo from Understory. They are great frogs, pretty bold, great eaters and generally at the front of the tank.

Good luck with them if you decide to get them.

Deb


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## HunterB (Apr 28, 2009)

salix said:


> I got four of the abiseo from Understory. They are great frogs, pretty bold, great eaters and generally at the front of the tank.
> 
> Good luck with them if you decide to get them.
> 
> Deb


any advice to keep in mind with planting or anything before i start their viv?


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## salix (Mar 28, 2008)

Mine aren't in a regular viv. They are still youngsters and in a grow-out tank. The tank is just leca, layered with cocofiber, layered with damp moss and then thick with heart-leaf philo. They sit amongst the leaves which give them a good visual barrier from each. I think that helps to keep them bold.

I'm very happy with them, very brightly colored and active.

Deb


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