Cage aggression

[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.

[Mikey]

If your careful how would you ever even get bitten by all of those animals? I have had or previously have the above animals you listed as having "taken bites from adults before", and it kind of confuses me why would you ever be in the position to "take a bite" from any of them unless purposely antagonizing the animal to prove masculinity through "withstanding a bite"

Regardless my concern is not whether YOU are willing to be bitten by my frogs, which if you are great, you can come over and change my water bowls if you want. I myself would like to avoid it and was simply asking the forum if they have dealt with similar aggression from large males at any given time of the year, and whether it will pass or not. I guess I will contact Eel Noob, or perhaps he could chime in.

[Beardo]

If you have kept those animals, you know that you can get bit during feeding time pretty easily if the right circumstances are there. The Savannah Monitor was a rescue which I was medicating for a mouth wound.....I never used gloves because they took away from my ability to "feel" and manipulate the animal properly.

The Tegu was not mine, it was a friends who we were trying to restrain to help get some stuck shed off one of their toes......again, no gloves.

The Green Tree and Reticulated Bites were during feeding time where they bypassed the 14" hemostats I was using to hold the rodent and got my hand instead. Accidents happen to even the most cautious keepers. My point being that if you are worried or scared of your frogs, then maybe you should find a more placid species to work with. At no point was I ever afraid of the animals I kept, but I respected their ability to ruin my day.

[Mikey]

You realize every detailed story you just gave me could have been avoided by having the intellect to where gloves? Accept maybe the treatment of the monitor. Believe it or not you can use gloves in combination with a hemastat I have seen it done once or twice.

I guess I'm the type of person that would rather throw on gloves, than pick teeth out of my hand. Call it what you may.

"you should find a more placid species to work with"

Did I offend you? I didn't mean to call you out on your seemingly endless experience with every type of poisonous snake, spider, monitor ect that exists. Forgive my skepticism, as you must know everything.

[Beardo]

You realize every detailed story you just gave me could have been avoided by having the intellect to where gloves?

Again, not wearing gloves was a personal preference because wearing them takes away your ability to properly feel and control the animal properly. Also, I was never the type of person to be "squeamish" about the loss of blood. Getting bit, when you have kept the amount and types of animals that I have, comes with the territory.

The only time I had to pick teeth out of my hand was when a 7' Taiwain Beauty Snake bit me as I opened its tub in a rack system.....

Did I offend you? I didn't mean to call you out on your seemingly endless experience with every type of poisonous snake, spider, monitor ect that exists. Forgive my skepticism, as you must know everything.

Rest assured my friend, that I have a much thicker skin than that, and it takes a lot to offend me, lol.

But in all honesty, I am not exaggerating when I say I have kept literally thousands of species of reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates over the last 20 years. I have extensive experience with a wide variety of animals, but by no means do I know everything nor was I implying that.....it just cracks me up when I see people so worried over a rather harmless animal. I would rather take a bite from a full grown Pixie than from a juvenile Tegu any day of the week.

[Motob3000]

Beardo I think your missing the point. The OP had a question about his frog. Not about your experience with every animal on the planet. I have an aggressive pixie and was also curious if there might be a way to make them a little more friendly. He just doesn't want to get bitten by his frog. We dont care if an alligator has bitten you twice in the face while you were holding a cobra.

[Mentat]

My male African Bullfrog is passing 5 in. and since little, either wants to bite me or likes the game of scaring my hand away with his lounges. He target's my hand versus the 12 in. tweezer end holding it's food. Twice his mouth glanced my fingers but was not able to clamp on... lucky me. At his present growth rate will reach 7 or more inches this year and I do consider that as a good reason to wear gloves. I like Stilgar but don't trust him one bit.

A friend was bitten by a juvenile and it clamped on one of his fingers and hung from it. Guy did not panic and lowered frog thinking it would let go but African Bullfrog started a grinding head shaking motion as if to detach finger food. That hurt lot's so he pulled back and tried to control frog and force mouth open with other hand. Frog finally fell off as it's razor sharp "teeth" sliced finger skin down to nail. Can imagine what a big male can do if it clamps down on a human finger.

My recommendation is to stay alert at all times when hands are in cage and do wear gloves. Also, if ever get bitten; don't think that African Bullfrog will let go once it realizes it's you like some other frogs do. I do keep other animals that bite including venomous species and always treat them with great respect when feeding or habitat cleaning/transfers.