My Frog is very....odd.....

[InfinitysDaughter]

Well the only argument that I have against her just responding to a noise is the appearance she shows a preference. Like I said, I've been watching her, really watching, and she does show a preference in her posture. She only ever croaks when I happened to squirt her butt while misting (lol!) but she does seem to show interest in movies that have blood, guts, gore, and violence. Its more the visual because the cartoons I watch has people screaming and she shows no interest. Its very possible that there is something in a horror movie, like the splattering sounds of blood or the like, that for some reason interests her in a basic level. Dont know how it would fit. Maybe the "dont squish me!" and she hears the squish sound makes her scared. But I usually if something frightens her she makes a bee line for her half log to hide.

The other part that I have doubts about being "lonely" or something similar is when I got back and she curled up over my heart beat. With cats, dogs, and small children hearing a heart beat is comporting because it reminds them of the womb. Even as adults if we have something traumatic happen think about the position we seek comfort in. We put our heads on the chest of a loved one, just over the heart. Now I know that frogs never really hear there mothers heart, they hatch from eggs. So this reasoning is flawed greatly to think shes seeking comfort from my own heart beat. But I just got to wonder why she does it then. I'd assume she'd stay on my shoulder or hop away, or at the very least avoid the thumping of a heart that shows a creature much bigger and very capable of eating her is so close.

Like I said. My frog is very VERY odd. I dun know. I could very well be reading too much into it but some of the behavior is odd, ya gotta agree with that. :3

Now Percy, the green, while a horrible trouble maker, falls right into the typical frog thing. What I see as mischief is just his way of acting. He tries to escape to find "greener pastures" then realizes that the best place is in the tank (he escaped a few months ago and was found by my mom hanging on the opposite side of the tank about 20 minutes latter).

[UncleChester]

Be very, very wary of your own personal observation bias. You obviously love your frogs (which is awesome) and you hope that there's more to their behavior than just basic instincts. This has a tendency to skew any observation you make and rationalize it in a way that fits your hope and cast off anything that doesn't support your belief. Like the possibility that it's a fear (or reproductive) response that puts your frog on alert. Or maybe the horror shows generally happen later in the evening, perhaps after an evening misting or after AC turns off. Higher humidity generally leads to a more open and thus less moisture preserving posture.

As for the frog settling down on you- I've handled many, many wild gray tree frogs (generally to move out of danger like the incoming lawnmower or off the top of the door that's about to be shut) that could have formed no attachment whatsoever to me. It is pretty standard that once I pick them up they cling to me somewhere and won't let me put them down someplace safe. I doubt this is because they like me and I've always took it to mean they are choosing to prefer being stuck to me to the possible alternate of being eaten. If you're a frog, it's a good day if you don't get eaten. So if you're not currently being eaten, you're currently doing alright so let's not let anything change if you can. Whatever it is, it's definitely NOT because they 'like' me, I was the strange giant dude who just about mowed them down after all.

Everything I've seen supports the three motivators Martin has mentioned and never to any kind of added emotion. I'm also sorry this is the case, but I find they interplay of these natural instincts so fascinating that it's never taken away any of my enjoyment of watching frogs. I'm always open to evidence to the contrary but I hold a very healthy skepticism of anecdotal reports.

[Froggiefressh]

Infinitysdaughter your frog loves you as much as you love her! Just because they show no emotion doesn't mean they're emotionless. Each frog has their own characteristics that has to build of something and definitely not their "survival instincts". Your frog is very odd! I wish mine would watch movies with me!

[InfinitysDaughter]

(I'm not ignoring the discussion. I'm having back problems so I cant sit at the computer for long periods so the frog forum usually only gets a quick glance most days ^^; )

I totally understand where your comin from Brian and I know my judgment is clouded because I want the love I show my pets returned to me. I do, however, think Azy does get lonely when I'm away. I was gone all weekend again and once again I was greeted with great gusto by my little girl. I dont think it has to do with survival instincts because I left her more then enough food for the 2 days I was away and plenty of water too. There was even crickets left over when I got back. The temps and humidity were also kept constant so all her basic needs had been taken care of but she still seemed ecstatic to see me and settled down while I cleaned her tank. And, to be clear, this isn't normal behavior for her. She sits and watches me from her perch in the tank or will settle in my hands or on my shoulder (sometimes trying to climb to my head. figure this is an attempt to get to the highest point she can find). Her greeting after I've been gone (the smushing herself against the glass towards my bed and the seeking out my heart beat) is completely new.

I'm thinking maybe this weekend I'll leave the TV on and see what happens. Its plausible she just wants companionship. I dont think shes ever been alone. She is captive breed and when we got her at petsmart she has a tankmate we assume was from the same clutch of eggs. Then when I got her she always had me around to watch and I often handle her (at least once a day). I would put her and Percy's tank next to each other so she could see him but, well, Percy is scared to death of her and I think she would just see him as lunch (hes just a little bigger then the crickets she eats XD). I'm thinking of getting the other Whites who is still at petsmart (the same one she'd been with before I bought her) but I need to get a larger tank for that. I know many people say they dont get lonely but it wasn't that long ago people said the same for cats and not long before that was dogs. So you never really know.


hehe Thanks Greg! You make me feel loved by my little girl. ^w^


Also, I dont mind the discussion about Instinct vs. Emotion in frogs but I really created the thread for people to talk about or post pics of there frogs doin silly stuff. ^^;