Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just got my babies (post with pics is a few below this one).

Wondering if there are any physical characteristics to tell the sex. I know I can wait for calling or probe them but was hoping for a visual check.

I have one that is much larger than the other two and much more vibrantly colored. I think maybe that comes from different clutches even though they came in together. The odd one also has a pointed "protrusion" near his rear (on his lower back) that I don't see on the other two.

Otherwise, they are healthy and moving around so far.

W/ a young RETF, the only way to sex them accurately is through disection, and that is not an option for obvious reasons.

When they are adults, you can guess pretty accurately with RETF's based on size. But only if you have a male and female to compare, or if your familiar enough with the species to know how big a male is typically.. and how big a female is typically.
As for physical characteristics, some say the snout and head is different. But I have compared many over the years.. and found the snout shape is unique to the frog, and not the sex.

As for probing.. DO NOT PROBE a frog. It is bold to make a point.. but you cannot probe a frog.. It is just a myth and will cause you to have a dead frog on your hands if you try. You can probe alot of reptiles.. but I would not try it on amphibians.

As for the colors.. They may be from different clutches, but I also notice some differences in shades in froglets win raise them. There will also be a huge difference in captive bred and wild capture colors..

It is great that they are healthy though. Do you have any idea of the age? If they are 10months or older.. and you get me some pics of all 3 together, we can help with sexing them. Also, not sure what you are talking about with the protrusion on the one.. post a pic of it if it is not found on the other two.
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Glad you have responded. I'm having a problem. The one that is larger and bolder colored, we found basically hanging upside down as if he jumped, hit the top and fell back?

I reached in for him, his feet moved, I thought he was dead. I righted him onto a leaf, but didn't look good. I finally took him out and put him into a small keeper onto some big leafs I cut out of the tank. I put a bit of some treated water in the bottom. Then I wrapped a heat sock around it and covered it with a dishtowel.

They were shipped in on Thursday, we saw them Friday, and then agreed to pick them up on Monday. I'll be calling the store tomorrow morning. I don't get it, he was the most active, grooming himself, climbing around and soaking in the water off the side of a piece of wood. It's hard not to take it personally, I can't imagine what I could've done wrong. Temps/humidity are good, crickets are in there and have food too. No apparant marks on him.

Oh, regarding the protrusion on him, it almost looked like a tail nub, although it was about a 1/4" up from vent. Looked like a little horn.

OK.. You say they were just shipped in on Thurs.. I assume your talking about imported.. so, that said, Brace yourself for a tough few weeks. Way less than half of imported frogs make it. There is a huge stress in shipping, few people give them any medical attention when they get to the states, and generally, the weaker frogs are easier to capture, so that is what gets sent.

NOW, I am not saying your animals won't make it, but I am saying you will have to learn alot about RETF's in a very very short time and provide proper care for the animals.

I would strongly suggest that you find a good caresheet and memorize it (the one I usually recommend can be found on www.amphibiancare.com under caresheets.

I would also contact Dr Frye (or if you have a local herp vet that can do it) and have fecal tests run on the frogs. It is relatively inexpensive, and an excellent way to find out if you have parisites or other cooties.. and they can help you treat the problems. Dr Frye can be contacted through his site at http://www.fryebrothersfrogs.com/, click on the DR Frye icon. I think he has a price list on there as well that will let you know what a fecal test will cost.

Ok.. so to your specific questions, just becuase it is hanging upside down doesn't really mean there is a problem. I find mine hanging upsidedown on leaves all the time sleeping. I will also tell you switching to a tiny tank will cause stress. You will need to pay a lot of attention to the heat and humidity in there as it can dry out very very quick, and get to hot very very quick, either of these will certainly not have a good outcome for your pet. I know it is spending more money.. but I would go get a 10 gallon tank and a glass top if I had a frog that needed to be seperated.
Now, if he was on the ground on his back.. you have to get in touch with a vet ASAP.
As for the protrusion.. I have no idea.. if you can get me a pic we may be able to figure it out.

Make sure you get them plenty of fresh water, good food sources (dust them with calcium and vitamins every couple of feedings) WC will certainly need the extra boost that vitamins can provide.

Now.. the top two mistakes made with RETF's are errors in husbandry (meaning wrong type of enclosure, wrong temps or wrong humidity) and to much stress. The first is pretty self explainatory.. the later though, is usually caused from to much "help" from well intentioned keepers. Everytime you open the cage, move one to another tank.. nudge them to wake em up etc.. you take a chance on stressing them. This guys are very very proned to stress.. and it will not have pretty results.

I don't mean for the post to be negative.. but make sure you doing the best you can, as with WC animals.. it is very tough for the first several months.

That said.. and a message to everyone reading.. I know they are cheaper, and usually easier to find.. but if you want a tropical tree frog or a pdf, and you don't have years of experience.. make sure it is CB.. this will eleminate a lot of problems and help to ensure you have a frog for a nice long healthy life.

If you like, you can email me at bogart6868@aol.com and we can correspond with a quicker response.

Good luck with em..
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That said.. and a message to everyone reading.. I know they are cheaper, and usually easier to find.. but if you want a tropical tree frog or a pdf, and you don't have years of experience.. make sure it is CB.. this will eleminate a lot of problems and help to ensure you have a frog for a nice long healthy life

That should have read:
That said.. and a message to everyone reading.. I know wild capture are cheaper, and usually easier to find.. but if you want a tropical tree frog or a pdf, and you don't have years of experience.. make sure it is CB.. this will eleminate a lot of problems and help to ensure you have a frog for a nice long healthy life

BTW, does anyone know how to edit a post on here? is it possible?
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Well, it never moved again after being in the tank last night. I'm very sad, and at least feel somewhat better after talking to the herper at the store. He said they are so fragile and after going through all the specs on my tank, they sold it to me, he feels either it did just bump the tank top or just stressed and died.

I guess I should have mentioned that mine are captive-bred, I had read so much about WCs that I didn't even want to chance that plus not wanting to promote removing them from their habitats. The shop won't even order WCs for anyone. They came from out of state, I'm in Wisconsin.

Anyways, I'm bringing him back today, they are going to credit me, but I'm just going to wait until they have another one of about the same size, since everything I've read says that they are better in groups.

Also, know that I've had the tank running since March, temp and humidity gauges, everything is holding consistantly. The crickets were dusted and they have their own food in there as well. I have fresh water flowing through a filtered waterfall, and plenty of areas for soaking with pieces of wood throughout the whole bottom, also soaking areas throughout the course of the waterfall and on smooth river rocks.

I'll try to post a picture later of the setup. Thanks so much for your quick response.

Sorry about the little one.. Spend some time and energy on the others.. hopefully they will do better.

BTW, they really don't seem to mind being alone or in groups. I have kept healthy frogs for a long time solo.. and I have kept them in groups as well. W/ RETF's... it really doesn't matter. SO, that said, find a number that best suits you and your resources. If your tank is big enough for 1.. keep 1, if it will hold 6, and you want to care for 6, get em.. You get the idea. Good luck with it! and I will watch for the pics..
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