wild cuban tree frogs....

velvetfrogg · 06-18-09, 11:41 PM

So my boyfriend went out of town a few weeks ago and when he left, he told me to take care of Ester.. I was like who the F is Ester!? Ester was what he named the ONE frog that he had seen on his balcony. He told me he had found several dead frogs on his balcony but that he did find a live one in this vase that has bamboo's in it. The bottom of the vase is filled with water... well while he was gone, I first didn't find Ester or any other frogs... til one day, I did find Ester.. plus Herman and Gladys. They were all in the potted plant that had basically died but the soil was wet b/c we were stilled watering the plant trying to bring it to life. Now, about 2 weeks later, there are about 5 or 6 frogs out there. We found the hole they've been getting in through. I looked it up and am about 99.96% sure they're Cuban Tree Frogs. I live in FL and since they are exotic and a problem to the FL's native lizards and frogs, apparently, we're supposed to kill them. But I also read that they make good pets. So we're not quite sure what to do. I don't want to kill them, that's for sure, I love frogs! So the past week, we've been bringing in a few more plants. I brought some broken tree limbs in and some moss from my apartment and put that in a long flower pot and have been keeping the soil moist. They seem to like what we've been putting out there for them, plus we haven't seen anymore dead ones. My question is, what should we do?? Should we create an area for them out there but not contain them and just let them leave or stay as they want? For this option, what can we do to make them more comfortable? I have an empty 33 tall gallon fish tank, I could use, so should I use it and put them in there and keep them as pets? I don't like the idea of capturing wild things though, but I also don't like the idea that I'm supposed to kill them either. Or should we just take them all out of the screened area and bring them downstairs and release them outside and fix the hole in the screen so they can't come back and just forget all about the cute little buggers? I already love the little guys and love going out there and seeing what they're up to. Also, if we just leave them in the balcony, is it harmful to us? I know they have a slightly toxic secretion on them and that you're supposed to wash your hands after handling them, but what about just them jumping and sitting all over the balcony? Any advice you guys give me will be helpful.

Velvet Frogg

citysnakes · 06-23-09, 11:27 PM

i'd keep em.

but get a bigger tank for all 5 or 6.

Smilts · 06-24-09, 03:43 AM

If insects and other small frog prey can get in why not fix the screen and setup the balcony where you can enjoy it and so can they. I mean it sounds like you are well on your way to doing just that.

velvetfrogg · 06-25-09, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coy

If insects and other small frog prey can get in why not fix the screen and setup the balcony where you can enjoy it and so can they. I mean it sounds like you are well on your way to doing just that.

I think we should fix the screen but we're not sure if they're coming and going. We used to could find all of them during the day, now the past few days we find 3 in the day time in the same 3 hiding spots, and at night, there's 6. So either 3 go outside somewhere to hide during the day or 3 have REALLY good hiding spots.

Also... 2 of them have bloody looking noses. It's white and red at the tip of their faces... We're not sure if this a disease or if they've scraped the tips off pretty good.

We did buy them a fern yesterday. And rearranged things so that there are more places to hide during the day... before, some things were in the shade and now there is more in the shade... And we put out more things of water.

As for the water, we've not done anything special to it, considering these frogs in the wild, end up in places where regular tap water is and that they would come in and sit in the vase, we're not too worried but should we still treat the water? We have stuff we use for the fish water, could we use that?

velvetfrogg · 06-25-09, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citysnakes.com

i'd keep em.

but get a bigger tank for all 5 or 6.

I have access to the 33 gallon tank (It's tall, don't know if I mentioned that it's tall...), how many could live happily in a 33 gallon out of curiousty? My landlord doesn't use the tank anymore and I've been thinking about snagging it and using it for a number of things. I've thought of setting up a betta soroity tank, a turtle tank and now a frog tank Though I wasn't keen on the idea of capturing the wild ones, but was thinking of buying some... and not cubans but rather some other type of tree frog.