Baja California Tree Frog & California Tree Frog behavior

[dspdrew]

I have had a California Treefrog and a Baja California Treefrog in an aquarium together for a while now. I am pretty sure they are both males from the calls they make. The CA Treefrog's call is not very loud, but the Baja CA Treefrog's call is VERY loud. Both frogs have gotten along fine for the 3 months that I've had them. This morning for some reason the Baja CA Treefrog started making very rapid one-syllable calls and would not stop. He also looked as if he was trying to mate with the CA Treefrog. I finally had to take him out of the aquarium to get him to stop. I have never seen him do this in the 3 months that I've had him. Does anyone know what's going on here?

[UncleChester]

Any change in temperature, humidity, or lighting? If you've moved into more ideal mating conditions, it might strengthen those urges, or it could have just settled into it's surroundings and is feeling bolder. They don't usually stop to check the sex of the target of their affections or even species in some cases. In the case of really aggressive breeders (like some toads), they may even have a go at a human foot or a tree branch that looks about the right size.

As usual, it's generally a good idea to keep different species in different tanks, so you might consider making the separation permanent.

[dspdrew]

Haha, okay I get the mating part, but I guess my question is, when they mate do they make that rapid quacking sound over and over and over and over the whole time? No there hasn't been any significant changes in any conditions, except about a week ago I added one more 14 inch plant bulb that comes on for the same duration that my lizard's basking light is on (about 8 hours), and as for today, it might have been a few degrees warmer in my apartment than usual. I have since put him back in the aquarium after he calmed down, and I haven't heard anything yet. I have also read that these 2 types of frogs commonly live together in the same areas, so I didn't think that would be too much of an issue.

[UncleChester]

Haha, okay I get the mating part, but I guess my question is, when they mate do they make that rapid quacking sound over and over and over and over the whole time?

I'm not very familiar with the species you have, but the usually once the male grasps the female (or female substitute) he stops calling and tries to go about his business quietly. More noise at this point will just draw in competitors or predators. A male mistaken for a female will repeatedly give a 'release call' to let the dude who grasped him know he's not into that sort of thing. This is often a shorter call.

I have also read that these 2 types of frogs commonly live together in the same areas, so I didn't think that would be too much of an issue.

This kind of reasoning can lead to disaster, an open pond isn't the same as an enclosed container. For example, a pickerel frog will do in a leopard frog it was happily sitting beside at the pond when put in a common bucket by way of poison.

I'm not saying yours cohabiting will lead to trouble (I really don't know in your case), just that if you don't know for sure they can live communally in captivity and especially if you don't have much experience with a species it's usually considered prudent to house them separately.