Captive management and rearing of the roseate frog, Geocrinia rosea, at Melbourne Zoo

Published source details Birkett J., Vincent M. & Banks C. (1999) Captive management and rearing of the roseate frog, Geocrinia rosea, at Melbourne Zoo. Herpetofauna, 29, 49-56.
Share Tweet Email

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Amphibians: Allow female mate choice Action Link
	Amphibians: Play recordings of breeding calls to simulate breeding season in the wild Action Link
	Amphibians: Manipulate sex ratio within the enclosure Action Link
	Amphibians: Provide multiple egg laying sites within an enclosure Action Link
	Amphibians: Provide natural substrate for species which do not breed in water (e.g. burrowing/tunnel breeders) Action Link
	Captive breeding frogs Action Link

Amphibians: Allow female mate choice

A replicated, before-and-after study in 1994–1996 of roseate frogs Geocrinia rosea at Melbourne Zoo, Australia found that fertile eggs were only laid after females carrying eggs were introduced to males, recorded mating calls were played, sex ratios were manipulated, and frogs had been moved to an indoor enclosure with a mix of organic substrates, temporary flooding of enclosures. The only fertile spawning occurred in spring 1996, which contained 25 eggs, but they were destroyed by fungus. From 1994-1995 , two male and three sub-adult frogs were housed in two outdoor tanks (120 x 60 x 60 cm) with a sub-surface water depth 50-100mm. Males called when they were in outdoor enclosures, but fertile eggs were not produced until animals were moved to indoor tanks. From 1996, 6–7 frogs were housed in each of the five indoor enclosures.
Amphibians: Play recordings of breeding calls to simulate breeding season in the wild

A replicated, before-and-after study in 1994–1996 of roseate frogs Geocrinia rosea at Melbourne Zoo, Australia found that fertile eggs were only laid after recorded mating calls were played, sex ratios were manipulated, females carrying eggs were introduced to males, and frogs had been moved to an indoor enclosure which allowed temporary flooding and had a mix of organic substrates. The only fertile spawning occurred in spring 1996, which contained 25 eggs, but they were destroyed by fungus. From 1994-1995 , two male and three sub-adult frogs were housed in two outdoor tanks (120 x 60 x 60 cm) with a sub-surface water depth 50-100 mm. Males called when they were in outdoor enclosures, but fertile eggs were not produced until animals were moved to indoor tanks. From 1996, 6–7 frogs were housed in each of the five indoor enclosures.
Amphibians: Manipulate sex ratio within the enclosure

A replicated, before-and-after study in 1994–1996 of roseate frogs Geocrinia rosea at Melbourne Zoo, Australia found that fertile eggs were only laid after sex ratios were manipulated, females carrying eggs were introduced to males, recorded mating calls were played, and frogs had been moved to an indoor enclosure which allowed temporary flooding and had a mix of organic substrates. The only fertile spawning occurred in spring 1996, which contained 25 eggs, but they were destroyed by fungus. From 1994-1995 , two male and three sub-adult frogs were housed in two outdoor tanks (120 x 60 x 60 cm) with a sub-surface water depth 50-100 mm. Males called when they were in outdoor enclosures, but fertile eggs were not produced until animals were moved to indoor tanks. From 1996, 6–7 frogs were housed in each of the five indoor enclosures.
Amphibians: Provide multiple egg laying sites within an enclosure

A replicated, before-and-after study in 1994–1996 of roseate frogs Geocrinia rosea at Melbourne Zoo, Australia found that frogs only bred after being moved to an indoor enclosure which had a mix of organic substrates with moss, mud, bark and palm peat; temporary flooding of enclosures; manipulated sex ratios; introduced females carrying eggs to males; and played recorded mating calls. The only fertile spawning occurred in spring 1996, in a well-established burrow hidden beneath dry leaf litter and eucalyptus bark which contained 25 eggs, but they were later destroyed by fungus. From 1994-1995, two male and three sub-adult frogs were housed in two outdoor tanks (120 x 60 x 60 cm) with a sub-surface water depth 50-100 mm. Males called when they were in outdoor enclosures, but fertile eggs were not produced until animals were moved to indoor tanks. From 1996, 6–7 frogs were housed in each of four indoor tanks (47 x 55 x 36 cm and 180 x 46 x 46 cm).
Amphibians: Provide natural substrate for species which do not breed in water (e.g. burrowing/tunnel breeders)

A replicated, before-and-after study in 1994–1996 of roseate frogs Geocrinia rosea at Melbourne Zoo, Australia found that frogs only bred after being moved to an indoor enclosure which had a mix of organic substrates, temporary flooding of enclosures, manipulated sex ratios, introducing females carrying eggs to males, and recorded mating calls being played. The only fertile spawning occurred in spring 1996, in a well-established burrow hidden beneath dry leaf litter and eucalyptus bark which contained 25 eggs, but they were later destroyed by fungus. From 1994-1995 , two male and three sub-adult frogs were housed in two outdoor tanks (120 x 60 x 60 cm) with a sub-surface water depth 50-100 mm. Males called when they were in outdoor enclosures, but fertile eggs were not produced until animals were moved to indoor tanks. From 1996, 6–7 frogs were housed in each of four indoor tanks (47 x 55 x 36 cm and 180 x 46 x 46 cm) with moss, mud, bark and palm peat as substrates.
Captive breeding frogs

A replicated study in 1994–1996 of roseate frogs Geocrinia rosea at Melbourne Zoo, Australia (Birkett, Vincent & Banks 1999) found that the frogs did not breed successfully in the first two years. Although males called from 1994, eggs were not produced until 1996. However, only one of four egg masses was fertile (25 eggs) and that was destroyed by fungus. Three of the original frogs died within three months, the other two survived 27 months in captivity. The original egg mass produced 45 froglets, 15 of which were alive at 21 months, but died within 27 months of emergence. In 1994, two male and three sub-adult frogs were housed in two outdoor tanks (120 x 60 x 60 cm) with organic substrates and water. Two egg clumps were also received and 6–7 froglets were housed in each of four indoor tanks (47 x 55 x 36 cm and 180 x 46 x 46 cm).