Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I'd like to buy a coqui because I like the way they sound, but have been unable to find any for sale. So my next choices are Bird-voiced Treefrogs, Southeastern Chorus Frogs, and Spring Peepers. Does anyone know where I can purchase some of these? I've been searching the classifieds on here and the web in general for a little while but can't find any. And if I can purchase them, which do you recommend that I should get since I'm a relative beginner. Thanks for the help.

Sorry, I can't help you find any of these frogs, but I have a couple of warnings:

1) Coquis are LOUD. They've driven down property values in parts of Hawaii where they've become common; granted, that's whole choruses, but even one or two coquis can make quite a racket.

2) Check on the legality of keeping these species. Coquis are restricted in some places; depending on which state you live in, some of the others may be as well (especially if they're native to your state). Call your DNR and ask what the regulations are on keeping these species before you buy one.

That said, I have not kept coquis, but the other three are hardy little frogs. They can be kept at room temperature year-round, but it won't hurt to give them a cooling-off period in the winter. Keep up the humidity and give them some hiding and climbing places (a small houseplant, such as a pothos or a non-spiny bromeliad, will fill both roles nicely) and they will thrive. They will readily eat fruit flies, crickets up to 1/4" long (1/2" for the Bird-voiced), and other small arthropods. If you keep a male with one or two females, you may even get them to breed; you'll have to provide a bowl or other water area, of course.

Thanks for the info. I've heard the coquis within 10 feet of me, I like the sound, it wouldn't bother me to have a couple of them. Any of those other 3 would be nice too, and it sounds good that you say they are hardy. I did think it would be much easier to find and buy online. It seem like I only see the same 10 species or so that are sold everywhere. None of the ones I want tho. Do you have any suggestions where I could find them?

look inthe amphibians classifieds here in kingsnake . I have seen them as while back looked into them but opted for barking treefrogs

Either way in Spring/Summer I have seen them not sure if to early now they seem seasonal

Try this site or email him as he gets unusual amphibians
http://markmlucas.com/Inventory/Amphibians.html

He has ads in classifieds but again pretty sure its spring/summer when they are for sale cheap to

One more thing: the Pseudacris species breed in cool/cold weather, so they might be less likely to call in your home than would the warm-weather-breeding Hyla species. So of the four species you mentioned, I would recommend the Bird-voiced Treefrog. Some other North American Hyla, such as the tetraploid Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) also have attractive calls.

>>One more thing: the Pseudacris species breed in cool/cold weather, so they might be less likely to call in your home than would the warm-weather-breeding Hyla species.>>

That is not quite true. Pseudacris is, as W.E. Duellman (1970, Hylid Frogs of Middle America) pointed out, only different from most North American and Central American species of Hyla in having "small discs and greatly reduced webbing on the feet" and that these frogs would not have been recognized generically if they occurred in South America.

Right now, there are some taxonomists who insist on expanding Pseudacris to include several species previously placed in Hyla, such as Hyla regilla and Hyla cadaverina. That act destroyed whatever uniqueness the genus Pseudacris had, making it no longer distinguishable from Hyla and calling into question why it is necessary to continue recognizing Pseudacris. Since reduced discs and greatly reduced webbing are not found in Hyla cadaverina or Hyla regilla, the genus Pseudacris is currently undiagnosable. These taxonomists then attempted to invent a new defining character for this genus, which is "cold weather breeding." But that redefinition is unsatisfactory, because how cold is "cold?" Several species of Pseudacris live in the southeastern USA, where freezing weather is rare, and Hyla cadaverina lives in southern California, where freezing weather is equally rare. Hyla cadaverina in fact has an extended breeding season, from Feb. to Oct. according to Stebbins. So, how is "Pseudacris cadaverina" a cold weather breeder if it breeds throughout the hot Southern California summer? And if Pseudacris is really undefinable and heterogeneous, then why bother recognizing it?

IMO, it is better to simply transfer all species known as Pseudacris back to Hyla than to lump Hyla regilla and Hyla cadaverina with Pseudacris in a heterogeneous, undiagnosable genus. Further, there is ample evidence that Hyla regilla and H. cadaverina are not nested within the clade of chorus frogs. In sum, it does not make any sense to classify H. regilla and H. cadaverina in Pseudacris.

>>Thanks for the info. I've heard the coquis within 10 feet of me, I like the sound, it wouldn't bother me to have a couple of them. Any of those other 3 would be nice too, and it sounds good that you say they are hardy. I did think it would be much easier to find and buy online. It seem like I only see the same 10 species or so that are sold everywhere. None of the ones I want tho. Do you have any suggestions where I could find them?>>

The bird-voiced treefrog is quite rare in captivity, and not often seen on dealer price lists. Ditto chorus frogs and spring peepers. The small size of these species may have a lot to do with their rarity in collections. Most of the species for sale are usually 2-3 inches long or more. Of course only males call but most of the wild caught individuals sold in pet shops are males since they are most likely to hang around ponds, streams and marshes than females. Females usually do not appear until ready to breed and leave as soon as the eggs are laid, probably to avoid unwanted sexual advances and/or unnecessary exposure to predators.