Common Rain Frogs have a long lifespan and can be kept for years in captivity with proper care. However, before you decide to acquire one, please do your research and make sure that you purchase it from a breeder or pet store that practices ethical and legal sourcing.
This species is a very adaptable amphibian that can survive in a wide range of disturbed habitats including pine plantations, agricultural landscapes, and residential gardens. It is most abundant in renosterveld and fynbos, but can also be found in grasslands and coastal dunes along the Namaqualand region of South Africa. It has unique adaptations for living in arid environments, such as the ability to aestivate, which is a form of hibernation that allows them to conserve water by reducing body temperature and eliminating the need for hydration through their skin.
Common Rain Frogs: A Closer Look at Nature’s Amphibious Delight
They aestivate during dry periods, and when they emerge, they are able to quickly locate sources of food such as swarming termites. They are not good jumpers and usually rely on burrowing to move around. Their small size makes them easy prey for predators, but they use a variety of defense strategies to avoid predation. For example, they can enlarge their round bodies to appear larger than their prey and produce a milky substance that may discourage predators.
When they are ready to mate, males call in the evening with a harsh, squawking noise from beneath vegetation or their burrows. Mating typically occurs during a short window before the rainy season begins, and both sexes call together to establish territorial boundaries.