Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was hoping someone could answer a question for me...my waxy monkey tree frog (just got him about a week ago) keeps scratching his belly. Is this normal? I don't see anything abnormal on his skin.

Please do your research before buying a species of frog, especially these guys. Waxy Monkeys should be kept more like arboreal lizards than frogs. 95-100*F basking temperature, very low humidity, dry tank, water dish that they can soak in every night, etc. This "scratching" is applying a waxy substance to it's skin. They have large granular or paratoid glands right behind their head that store a waxy substance. They use this to coat their entire body and make a sort of cacoon so that in those hot temperatures, they don't lose any water. They also have a dry type of urine called uric acid and a bladder in which they can suck the moisture out of it so they don't waste any moisture. Remarkable frogs. I have an adult group og 6.3, myself.
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CB Male P. sauvagei from Patrick Nabors
derekb15.tripod.com/tropicaltreasures
6.3.0 P. sauvagei
1.1.0 P. bicolor
3.2.0 P. hypochondrialis
2.0.0 P. vaillanti
0.0.3 P. aurotaenia
2.2.0 H. argus
2.2.0 B. orientalis
1.1.1 L. flavomaculatus
0.0.9 S. pustulosa
0.1.0 P. leucomystax
0.0.1 M. laevigata
0.0.1 D. guineti
0.0.1 M. stelzneri
0.0.1 P. adspersus
1.0.0 A. horsefieldii

I don't have a waxy monkey but isn't it true that they actually drink water instead of absorbing/filtering it like all the other frogs? I heard this somewhere and wanted to have it confirmed.

ISH

That is exactly how I have him set up. I did do quite a bit of research on them, but nothing I read said how they apply the waxy substance. Thanks for your help.

Laura

From what I have witnessed in my adult group, I have found this false. Mine sit at the edge of their water dish and seem to intake the water through their vent.
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CB Male P. sauvagei from Patrick Nabors
derekb15.tripod.com/tropicaltreasures
6.3.0 P. sauvagei
1.1.0 P. bicolor
3.2.0 P. hypochondrialis
2.0.0 P. vaillanti
0.0.3 P. aurotaenia
2.2.0 H. argus
2.2.0 B. orientalis
1.1.1 L. flavomaculatus
0.0.9 S. pustulosa
0.1.0 P. leucomystax
0.0.1 M. laevigata
0.0.1 D. guineti
0.0.1 M. stelzneri
0.0.1 P. adspersus
1.0.0 A. horsefieldii

So you think Your waxy monkey frogs get their water through their vent just like all the other frogs. And have never observed them actually drinking water. Thanks for the information. I'm just curious why I've heard from a couple sources (of course they were pet stores & not always the most reliable) that said the waxies got their water by drinking. Am I confusing this "rumor" with a different frog? Has any waxy monkey frog owner observed their frogs actually drinking water.

ISH

I've been keeping them for 3 or so years and have had quite a few specimens. They seem to "float" on top of the water right before they expell wastes into the water, but don't open their mouths to intake water. I'm now curious to see if anyone's had them drink in their mouth.
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CB Male P. sauvagei from Patrick Nabors
derekb15.tripod.com/tropicaltreasures
6.3.0 P. sauvagei
1.1.0 P. bicolor
3.2.0 P. hypochondrialis
2.0.0 P. vaillanti
0.0.3 P. aurotaenia
2.2.0 H. argus
2.2.0 B. orientalis
1.1.1 L. flavomaculatus
0.0.9 S. pustulosa
0.1.0 P. leucomystax
0.0.1 M. laevigata
0.0.1 D. guineti
0.0.1 M. stelzneri
0.0.1 P. adspersus
1.0.0 A. horsefieldii

I dont think that anyone will ever witness any frog actually drinking water. Absortion and prey provide the requirements. I just last week had a good breeding of this species so it may be time for you to try Derek. Hank

Hank,

I'm putting them in a 120 gallon verticle tank in the next week or two, so we'll see what happens. The group has never been together yet. Split up in 4.0, 1.2, and 1.1. Send me a mail, haven't heard from you in a while and would like to know what you're working with, my collection has grown quite a bit.
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CB Male P. sauvagei from Patrick Nabors
derekb15.tripod.com/tropicaltreasures
6.3.0 P. sauvagei
1.1.0 P. bicolor
3.2.0 P. hypochondrialis
2.0.0 P. vaillanti
0.0.3 P. aurotaenia
2.2.0 H. argus
2.2.0 B. orientalis
1.1.1 L. flavomaculatus
0.0.9 S. pustulosa
0.1.0 P. leucomystax
0.0.1 M. laevigata
0.0.1 D. guineti
0.0.1 M. stelzneri
0.0.1 P. adspersus
1.0.0 A. horsefieldii

Here is a quote that I found from one of those frog calenders (a questionable source I suppose)that I had on my wall last year. "The (giant) waxy (monkey tree) frogs are the only frogs known to drink water rather than secreting it through their skin"
May Frogs 2003

I had heard from another source that she saw hers at the pet store sipping out of a water dish. Maybe the do both absorbsion and drinking.

Another person told me that the frogs absorb the water through the wax and then sip the water as it works towards their mouth.

I'm just curious that is all. Could it be a "Urban Legend" or in this case "Jungle Legend"

Giant waxy monkey tree frogs are a whole different species. They are Phyllomedusa bicolor. I've only had my pair of P. bicolor about a month and haven't witnessed any drinking as of yet. As for absorbing it in wax and that? Doesn't make much sense.
-----
CB Male P. sauvagei from Patrick Nabors
derekb15.tripod.com/tropicaltreasures
6.3.0 P. sauvagei
1.1.0 P. bicolor
3.2.0 P. hypochondrialis
2.0.0 P. vaillanti
0.0.3 P. aurotaenia
2.2.0 H. argus
2.2.0 B. orientalis
1.1.1 L. flavomaculatus
0.0.9 S. pustulosa
0.1.0 P. leucomystax
0.0.1 M. laevigata
0.0.1 D. guineti
0.0.1 M. stelzneri
0.0.1 P. adspersus
1.0.0 A. horsefieldii