male or female?

[Lija]

let's see how good your guesses are going to be. I must admit however that particular frog was one of the most confusing cases I've ever dealt with when it comes to sexing a frog
presenting a mystery frog
background information - s/he is about 4-4.5", no idea if it produces any noises, while growing it was very sick and not eating for 3-4 month, healthy now for about 4-5 month, grew about 1" since then, age - about 10-11 month, eating mostly crickets and hornworms, hate mice and very aggressive towards it if offered (getting all puffed up and throws in air with its head). food is supplemented, living environment excellent.





so female or male with stunted growth? and why?

[jfw60]

It looks to be male to me and as far as why being sick stunted his growth one explanation is that what little energy he gained from food was converted into fighting something internally ie infection, parasitism, vs food energy being placed towards growth. At a certain point hormones trigger growth to pinnacle and what your left with is the growth size he would have achieved at the onset of assault. This is all just presumption on part mind you, but much of this is what is found in many parts of the animal kingdom but due to Darwinism principles we rarely see these traits expressed in living form in nature as they are not advantageous. In some instances size does matter, particularly with male adult pixies.

[Eel Noob]

Nicely colored female. How was it sick for that 3-4 months period you mentioned?

[Lija]

thank you guys for responses, i have to say one of you is right.

based on what do you think it is female or a male?

Eel Noob - it had bad case of pathogenic protozoa infection, it took a while to treat and to recover after treatment.

[habeeb]

my guess is male...looks just like mine he is just a little smaller...since u said it was sick it could have stunted him a bit...but still a nice looking frog!!

[ejh805]

I'd guess female based on the first picture (head width compared to body) and the size. Her coloring is very pretty. Wish my boy would brighten up like that!

Edit: Also I don't notice any kind of nupital pads? My males "thumbs" are generally somewhat darker and thicker than the rest of his digits. But I don't know if that's the norm.

[Lija]

thank you guys! so far 2 of you are right lol

keep those guesses coming let's make it educational thread

2 more pics that won't help much but they are pretty that is when it was in hospital tank.

[Herpguy]

100% male. That would be a large-headed female, and since it was sick I doubt that would happen.

[habeeb]

thank you guys! so far 2 of you are right lol

keep those guesses coming let's make it educational thread

2 more pics that won't help much but they are pretty that is when it was in hospital tank.

now im confused lol in the first pic^^^^^ above it looks female...but the pics u first posted looks like male lol

[Daniel L]

Nice frog, this one is hard to tell. Its looked like a feamle but the head is a little to big for a female so I gues it would be a male. Can you take some pics of its thumbs?

[Lija]

Daniel- will do! you know what to ask for

meanwhile some more pics, from when a frog was about 3-4 month old before sickness

[Lija]

Attachment 50202

was taking thumb pics risking my life ok may be not my life but got bitten and hissed at but anything for a science, right it actually attacked my camera right after I took that pic, right now sitting under its water bowl and growling
thumb pics will be later

any more guesses?

[DeeDub]

Female. She looks great Lija.

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Thanks
DW

[GrifTheGreat]

This frog could go either way. To me it looks very female, but the head is quite large for a female and in some of the first pics you posted it is proportioned a bit large in comparison to the body. Especially in the overhead shots. If it is male then it has been stunted by the Protozoa Infection which can be devastating. Im undecided at this point. Try and get some pics of thise thumbs LOL!! If possible

[Lija]

here have it, enjoy lol i hope you know how much fun it is to fight with a very mad pixie, even if it is quite small. i just wanted to show how hard it is sometimes to sex these frogs, and don't rush into making assumptions too early. That is a lesson I've learned myself here.

.

[DeeDub]

They won't get nuptial pads until in "breeding condition" according to P. Vasjoli

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Thanks
DW

[Aeitiem9]

Definitely male.

[GrifTheGreat]

DeeDub is right, but it was worth a shot to check for pads. I'm still undecided. Sorry Lija Lol!!

[Lija]

Grif? what???? all that blood and flight was for nothing??????
by the way it is still sitting deep under water dish and growls every time someone it changing water.

by the way up until a few months ago I was 100% convinced it is a male, the head was very wide and big in comparison to the body and was colored so nicely, but it wasn't eating and fighting protozoa for long time and during months when nutrition is crucial, thus proportions were not developing like they should. Then it started to eat again and grew some fat, as it stands now I think it is actually a female, if it is a male stunted or not it would call by now for one i might have missed it though, our frogs are in a basement. males also have rounder tip of the head. Not is not that is matters much to me, i love her all the same
the only thing that confuses me though - have you ever heard of females that fight with mice? lol of course she fights with me too and i don't exactly look like mouse lol because when she does it is exactly the way males fight with each other in a wild.

first picture is after photo shoot of her thumbs lol i tried to keep my distance lol and last one well i just wanted to remember her still being nice