Quote Originally Posted by Malduroque View Post
What evidence? Anecdotal? You want anecdotal? I got it! Over the years I've had a dozen or so instances where I had a single specimen and later added a one or more tank mates. The single specimen never appeared "lonely". Not one of them "bonded", became "happy" or frolicked around the enclosure like long lost fraternity brothers. No, they acted just like frogs, toads or newts; they ignored one another and went about the business of surviving.

Now just to be fair I've never owned a White's tree frog so maybe they're specially endowed. Maybe they even feel emotional pain if you mention that one of them has gained a little weight or that the other one has a nicer shade of green.

Interesting thing here is that this debate seems split along gender lines. Interesting, but not surprising

Since you are the one claiming that something (emotions) exists in frogs, I say the burden of proof is on you. But, let's get back to one of my early questions: why do you so want the frogs to possess the emotions that you claim?
I've never seen one of my cats frolicking around either. Are you claiming that because they are not humans they feel no emotions either? Because I have one cat who could totally prove you wrong.

But we're talking about frogs. The problem is: How do you determine if something has emotion? Living with people, I notice you can't always tell what a human is feeling, so how I be sure what my frog is or isn't capable of feeling? Especially when I don't speak frog and I can't read his body language for hints because.. he's a frog. (Obviously different species would have different ways of expressing their feelings, if they express the feelings at all.)

But you seem to think I "want" frogs to have emotions. I am not saying that I do. I simply "want" to know if anyone has any SCIENTIFIC proof. And I don't mean "I didn't seem him acting like he has emotions." Because that proves NOTHING. I know people who act very happy but are totally miserable and vice versa. You can't be sure of somethings emotions based only on what you observed.

Scientific proof, to me, would be "There was a human who was born with a damage frontal lobe and he could not feel emotion. (He was still able to communicate so it was possible to find out what he was feeling.) Frogs don't have frontal lobes therefor frogs can not feel emotions. *insert link to article here*" Obviously a just made that whole quote up but, just to give you an idea of what I mean when I say "scientific" proof. If no one has any scientific proof then this debate is stupid because it is based entirely on opinion.

Again, I am not demanding my frog be able to feel. I am, as you say, able to love him for just being what he is, a frog. I am merely curious. (I think either side of an arguement should always have proof to back their claims. Otherwise no side is better off then the other.)