Taming Tree Frogs

[Jerah Teoh Yong Qiang]

So I got a pair of White Lipped Tree Frogs in my hands now. They're in a temporary tank until my tank maker can get my 30 gallon tall sorted out (next month hopefully). So I've been wondering, seeing as this is my first pair and first experience with tree frogs, how does one go about handling or 'taming' these frogs? Mine are really skittish and I've been forced to superman dive to save the larger of the two from a nasty free fall at the expense of rugburned knees. Here's the setup:

10 Gallon DiY Vert Tank
Substrate of Sphagnum Moss
Water Bowl and Log Hide at bottom
Fake vine and plant at corners and climbing area
Rock as stabilizer for the fake vine



Would really appreciate any tips anyone can share about taming these babes down; I love them to death, they're much more fun to observe than a pacman, especially when they stalk crickets!

[Mentat]

Hello Jerah! It appears to me the enclosure were they are is too small and bright! Understand you are having one built and that is good. In the meantime; recommend you cover all enclosure sides (but front) with any paper you like. That will help reduce their stress level and skittishness. Here is link to an excellent care article for them: Frog Forum - White's Tree Frog Care - Litoria caerulea. Good luck !

[Bolisnide]

I'd also like to add, that you will never tame your tree frogs... They are not dogs or even rats. They will likely never enjoy being handled.
I do have a White's treefrog (dumpy), and though he isn't tame by any stretch, he is very much set to a schedule. He knows 9 pm is feeding time, and he will (like clockwork) come down to his usual spot and eat from my hand... I've had him for a long time though. My other white's is very skiddish and she wants absolutely nothing to do with humans...
As they grow up and become more comfortable in their surroundings, and become used to the sounds of your home, they will calm down.
And Carlos' advice to cover the viv on the sides is right on, this will help them to feel more secure and therefore more calm.

[Jerah Teoh Yong Qiang]

Okay thanks for the suggestions! Gonna get some black poster paper and slap it on the sides. Yeah, I know the 10 gal is way too small for a pair of them but my usual tank maker has been under the weather and he's actually a senior citizen as well, so I don't wanna stress the nice chap out. Just to clarify, do Litoria infrafrenata have the same care requirements as litoria caerulea? Also, trying to tong feed these guys haven't actually produced much results; they just ignore me totally and go hide under the fake plants.

Also on taming, yeah, I have always understood herps are not 'tameable' in the same vein as dogs, cats and hamsters. I don't mind not handling them at all, just that I would like to be able to handle them if necessary without them going all SUPERMAN LEAP OF DOOM every 5 minutes! Kinda difficult to transfer them from one tank to another when attempting clean ups or rearranging currently! On that note, is there any actual 'proper' way of picking a tree frog up? I mean for terrestrial frogs, we scoop them up but how does one go about it for tree frogs? I actually know a guy with a dumpy (think it's about 3yo, good hefty size) that is very calm and actually seems to enjoy contact with her handler; suppose it's also partly down to individual frog personality.

[Bolisnide]

Okay thanks for the suggestions! Gonna get some black poster paper and slap it on the sides. Yeah, I know the 10 gal is way too small for a pair of them but my usual tank maker has been under the weather and he's actually a senior citizen as well, so I don't wanna stress the nice chap out. Just to clarify, do Litoria infrafrenata have the same care requirements as litoria caerulea? Also, trying to tong feed these guys haven't actually produced much results; they just ignore me totally and go hide under the fake plants.

Also on taming, yeah, I have always understood herps are not 'tameable' in the same vein as dogs, cats and hamsters. I don't mind not handling them at all, just that I would like to be able to handle them if necessary without them going all SUPERMAN LEAP OF DOOM every 5 minutes! Kinda difficult to transfer them from one tank to another when attempting clean ups or rearranging currently! On that note, is there any actual 'proper' way of picking a tree frog up? I mean for terrestrial frogs, we scoop them up but how does one go about it for tree frogs? I actually know a guy with a dumpy (think it's about 3yo, good hefty size) that is very calm and actually seems to enjoy contact with her handler; suppose it's also partly down to individual frog personality.

Yes, every frog will have their own personality.. so that definitely plays a part in their temperment. I'm so sorry I misunderstood, I think sometimes it's better to actually talk face to face than through words/messages.
The frogs will mellow out as they grow, like any pet. But when you need to handle them, I use both hands and the help of a partner. I cup my hands around (gently of course) my frog in order to prevent them from jumping and possibly injuring themselves. But I have to say, I haven't actually needed to pick up any of my frogs for sometime (they hate it!)

[Jerah Teoh Yong Qiang]

Yes, every frog will have their own personality.. so that definitely plays a part in their temperment. I'm so sorry I misunderstood, I think sometimes it's better to actually talk face to face than through words/messages.
The frogs will mellow out as they grow, like any pet. But when you need to handle them, I use both hands and the help of a partner. I cup my hands around (gently of course) my frog in order to prevent them from jumping and possibly injuring themselves. But I have to say, I haven't actually needed to pick up any of my frogs for sometime (they hate it!)

No need for apologies comrade, forums and word are, like you pointed out, not the best medium for messages at times
Thanks for the tip of 2 handed handling, gonna try that out. I currently just use a separate smaller container and let them jump into those to move them about but sometimes it's really difficult to do with the speed these frogs can take off at! My larger White Lipped, Bandy, is the stuntwoman wannabe; I think I already had to stop her going kamikaze quite a bit already. JubJub, my smaller one, is a lot more obliging. So I think I know who's gonna end up the sweetheart and who's gonna be the primadonna already xD