Territorial tree frogs! Any way to fix this?

[Trohr]

Hey guys, hope your all doing well.

My vivarium is filling in incredibly well, my plants are thriving, a thick, soft layer of grass has sprouted up all over filling in the soil, my vine plants are going insane, my mosses are greener than ever.... But I'm a little worried about the smaller of my two White's Tree Frogs.

The larger one seems to be claiming a ridiculous portion of their 150 gallon terrestrial home for his own. The larger frog wanders around out in the open all day long climbing from limb to limb without a care in the world, but the smaller frog hides in his corner from dawn to dusk to dawn.

Last night I scooped up the smaller frog, and set him clear on the other side of the tank. As soon as I sat the smaller frog down the bigger frog came jumping from the other side of the tank, and stared down the smaller frog- I could almost see the lightening bolts arcing between their eyes. The smaller frog burrowed into the grasses as deep as he could go, and the larger frog stared him down for a good 15 minutes before the smaller one finally got up to head to the other side of his tank again.

Is there any way that I can bolster the smaller frogs courage? I've started feeding the smaller frog more, but I have a feeling that's just going to make him fatter.... Which is sort of what I want- I want to pump him up as big as the larger frog so he doesn't feel dominated.... I think that's what's going on.

What should I do? Are they territorial? Maybe the little frog enjoys hiding in his corner all day long?

Input, opinions, advice greatly appreciated~

[Kurt]

Treefrogs are generally not terratorial, so I seriously doubt we a terratorial dispute going on here. How much smaller is the little guy form the big guy? Is he small enough to be eaten by the bigger guy? He just may be afraid of bevoming a meal.

[Trohr]

The smaller guy is noticeably smaller than the bigger one, but I couldn't see the bigger one getting it into his mouth- would be a serious struggle. I would say that from tail to snout there's about a 10mm difference....

The way the bigger one was staring at the smaller one, and the way the smaller one reacted made me worry a bit. Apparently, when my dad was feeding the frogs while I was away the larger one jumped the smaller one, gnawed on his arm a bit, but not for long....

Maybe if I keep moving the smaller one across the terrarium he'll find out that it's pretty safe, and venture out more?

Maybe they just really, really like the side of the tank they always hang around- the opposite end is a little bare in comparison.

[Kurt]

I am just a little concerned that one may eat the other. Like I said I don't think this a territory thing. If you could post a picture of them side by side, it would help a lot with a diagnosis of the situation.

[Trohr]

I unfortunately lost my point and shoot a week or so ago, but I might pick another up in a week or two. Might wait until Christmas.... I plan on fixing up their terrarium a bit soon so i'll try to getting some pictures with the webcam then.

[Trohr]

Bit of an update for future reference for anyone that has the same problem as myself.

I started to feed the smaller frog twice as much food, nightly, along with vitamin supplements so that he's bulked up quite a bit but isn't overweight by any means.

I have also been moving the smaller frog to the opposite end of the tank so that he has to leap, and crawl the entire distance to get back to his lounging area when morning comes. I've also been setting the two frogs side by side off and on in the hopes that they would get used to each other by force.

It's been about five days now, and the smaller frog crawls out into the open, with the lights on, in the middle of the day with no hesitation at all. I'll find the two side by side on limbs in their terrarium at night green as can be!

[Kurt]

That's excellent.