Never heard my WTF make ticking sounds so can't help you there.

What moss is that in the tank? I'm not a fan of moss with WTFs since they are aggressive when feeding and if its in their mouth, it is swallowed. If swallowing moss, its not pleasant to try and remove if twisted inside them. Just a real digestive hazard and often fatal.

I use coco fiber (Not Husk Chunks) and then leaf liter on top of that to reduce the amount of soil on the frog. Plantation Soil and Eco-Earth are good substrates and digestible or easily passed is swallowed by the frog.