Cage aggression

[Mikey]

Am I the only one that fears I may at some point lose a digit? It's only my males, but every time I go near the front of the rack they are smashing the side of rack (biting). I open the rack to see whats up and they look up at me and try to bite me. I temp gun each on they are 80-80.8 sitting in their water dishes. They all ate their full 2 days ago. This was dandy when they were younger, some might say pretty damn cute. But at 1.5lb -3lbs depending on the male its getting annoying having to work around them while they lunge at my hand.

any advice

[Beardo]

Having worked with the most venomous spiders, scorpions and snakes on the planet, I don't think you should worry too much about a frog. lol

[GrifTheGreat]

Having worked with the most venomous spiders, scorpions and snakes on the planet, I don't think you should worry too much about a frog. lol

That's really cool Dave. I had a Black Widowe as a pet once. Very aggressive spider. Also a Rosey Haired Tarantula, but have you ever seen the teeth on a near adult or adult male Pyxie(Giant African Bullfrog). Mikey's worry is with good reason. They have very larg very sharp teeth as well as powerful jaws to back them up. While the bite won't be venomous it sure will hurt and cause some farely deep wounds. I wouldn't want to be bitten either and especially not while doing maintainance or feeding.

[Surrealasm]

That's really cool Dave. I had a Black Widowe as a pet once. Very aggressive spider. Also a Rosey Haired Tarantula, but have you ever seen the teeth on a near adult or adult male Pyxie(Giant African Bullfrog).

Came here to say that I've kept a couple Latredectus as well, really fascinating arachnids.

My advice to Dave is to try to get into the perspective of the frog. Remember what they eat and what they look for in prey. Also, keep in mind that animals don't have as much knowledge of their environments as we do. That's why I try to limit flipping light switches on and off (nowhere in nature does light suddenly appear in the same way that it does when you turn on your lights). Also, if you're standing over their cage, they might be terrified and defenseless. Think about Odysseus and Polyphemus.

Hope this advice helps, and if you're curious about looking more into "animal psychology" there's a great book by Temple Grandin. She's autistic, and is employed by major meat plant industries to help reduce stress on their livestock. It's an extremely fascinating book, whether or not you are into the ethics of hamburgers.

[Mikey]

Came here to say that I've kept a couple Latredectus as well, really fascinating arachnids.

My advice to Dave is to try to get into the perspective of the frog. Remember what they eat and what they look for in prey. Also, keep in mind that animals don't have as much knowledge of their environments as we do. That's why I try to limit flipping light switches on and off (nowhere in nature does light suddenly appear in the same way that it does when you turn on your lights). Also, if you're standing over their cage, they might be terrified and defenseless. Think about Odysseus and Polyphemus.

Hope this advice helps, and if you're curious about looking more into "animal psychology" there's a great book by Temple Grandin. She's autistic, and is employed by major meat plant industries to help reduce stress on their livestock. It's an extremely fascinating book, whether or not you are into the ethics of hamburgers.

I am not standing over their cages, they are face to face with me for the most part or face (frog) to my belly. I highly doubt they are confusing me for food. Also the lighting stays the same thru how the day. Very dim. At no time are they bombarded with lights. Interesting read you recommended thanks.

Mikey do you have any Kevlar Gloves Lol! . I know you do the bare minimum of handling when it comes to your frogs as is required. I believe that is is common for the agressive species to become threatening twards their owner. Its in their nature to do so. El Noob has a male Pyxie named Bruce and he has similar problems with his brute. I guess you could show more attension to them to show you are not a threat. I belive like most male animals they also become more aggressive during the months they breed in. I'm not sure what the season is in Africa right now, but could be possible that their internal clock is still set for African times, but that's a far stretch considering they were born here. I'm planning on getting a Pyxie later on so I might have the same problem. I would try to give more attention to show you're not a threat. Might help, but I am no expert.

Grif,
Very insightful help as always. I'm to the point that I may use gloves with changing water bowls. I have come centimeters from being grabbed when the frog just lies there pretending to not be interested and lounges at my fingers. it just isnt safe imo. Once I move the frog their is no aggression. Luckily I have delt with boa constrictors, snakes, snapping turtles for the majority of my life so I am in no way afraid of the frog's, I would just rather avoid a hospital visit from a bite. I have seen what these frogs can do to large prey, I have also been bitten by a juvie (1lb or less) and it was a mess of blood. If a big boy got ahold of me It would suck!

Having worked with the most venomous spiders, scorpions and snakes on the planet, I don't think you should worry too much about a frog. lol

No dis-respect because the ramifications of getting bitten by a Mamba, or a slew of different spiders are quiet different than what I am dealing with, but that being said calling it a "frog" and disregarding the potential these "frogs" have for inflicting damage is absurd.

It comes down to whether you want 2 small nails drilled into your hand from a head capable of killing large rats... Not sure if your into s and m, but ill avoid that the best I can.


Is it breeding season? I have noticed non-stop croaking, day and night. That may explain the aggression if thats the case.

[Beardo]

I know they have "teeth" and I know they have powerful jaws......but compared to say a Savannah Monitor, Colombian Tegu, Green Tree Python, Reticulated Python......all of which I have taken bites from adults before, ANY frog is low on the worry scale for me, lol.

I have kept arachnids that make Black Widows look like butterflies in terms venom toxicity and aggression.....its all about how you interact with the animal and how you use the tools at your disposal.

[GrifTheGreat]

Mikey do you have any Kevlar Gloves Lol! . I know you do the bare minimum of handling when it comes to your frogs as is required. I believe that is is common for the agressive species to become threatening twards their owner. Its in their nature to do so. El Noob has a male Pyxie named Bruce and he has similar problems with his brute. I guess you could show more attension to them to show you are not a threat. I belive like most male animals they also become more aggressive during the months they breed in. I'm not sure what the season is in Africa right now, but could be possible that their internal clock is still set for African times, but that's a far stretch considering they were born here. I'm planning on getting a Pyxie later on so I might have the same problem. I would try to give more attention to show you're not a threat. Might help, but I am no expert.

[ViperJr]

Just because your animals don't like you doesn't mean his animals don't like him!!

That's true... IF we were talking about dogs or something. We are talking about bullFROGS and Pacman FROGS, which cannot feel all these feelings that we do, or like us.

I have no opinion about gloves/no gloves, but it freigtens me to see how many experience frog keepers that actually thinks that their frogs like them. Didn't thought anthropomorphism was actually used in the hobby, other than by very new keepers, that might have missed the fact that they are not mammals and so on...
I'm agreeing with everything Beardo said (on this specific topic, not neccesarily about the gloves-thing).

EDIT: Just want to add that of course, the animals can be "trained" (in lack of a better word) to not see us as a danger, therefore not biting/trying to escape etc. It does not mean that they feel affection towards us. It just mean that it does not need to bite us to survive.