When/where to find gray tree frogs?

[into]

Spring is here! I'm looking for a gray tree frog to add to my family. Where might I start looking and listening for one? We have a million Spring Peepers in the area and I must say they are very loud right now. Would gray tree frogs be in the same area as the peepers? They are located near the creek in my backyard and a couple swampy areas down the road. I thought I heard a single gray chirp the other day, but it was just once and I haven't heard anything since. Is it too early for them?

Oh and Dumper, Jade, Scooter, Cisco, and Gieco are doing great and they are all overweight and on diets of once a week feedings. I'll put more pictures up when I get the chance.

[hyla]

Hi!
I found mine in early May of last year. She was on my porch. I have read they are attracted to porches because of the amount of insects that are found around them due to porch lights being on. I believe they like the same habitats as the peepers. Read the gray tree frog care sheet John has posted. It gives info on their dwellings and breeding times which is when they are most out and about.

[John]

It's still rather on the cool side even in Maryland. I would think you'll start hearing them next month. Now, finding a female is a real challenge.

[Greatwtehunter]

Late April is when you should start hearing them with any regularity. Keep an ear out at the swamps, small puddles, or roadside ditches.

[JeffX]

I found mine outside by the lights. I'd have to say if you keep watch around those you'll find one eventually.

[John]

I found mine outside by the lights. I'd have to say if you keep watch around those you'll find one eventually.

This really depends on where you live. If you live near a real city (I say real because anything in the US passes for a city - makes the word meaningless) you're unlikely to bump into them.

[JeffX]

This really depends on where you live. If you live near a real city (I say real because anything in the US passes for a city - makes the word meaningless) you're unlikely to bump into them.

Well obviously you won't find any in New York City in Times Square.

I live in a "city" of 50,000 or so. I found mine, and I've seen several out by the porch lights.

[into]

They are awake and calling! I can hear 3 different ones. One low pitch and two higher pitch trills lasting several seconds mixed with millions of peeper calls.

[tyjare]

Are gray tree frogs native to new hampshire. if so when do you think they would come out

[scribbles]

Are gray tree frogs native to new hampshire. if so when do you think they would come out

Yes, they inhabit New Hampshire. I found one of mine drying up on a basketball hoop during the day, and the other on the ground (it was a froglet). I have seen several on the poles of basketball hoops that have padding around them. They are easy to find as froglets later in the summer on the ground.

[Frogz]

i know this is a year late but i thought id share anyway.
there was one night i recall hearing a small chorus of gray tree frogs at the pond near my neighborhood. and an occasional call from the bushes at my neighbors house. anyways...
i found my first gray tree frog of the year on sunday april 17th 2011.
it was just sitting there in my backlawn during the day while i was doing yard work. it measured an inch long and i was not able to determine the sex. i assume its from last years generation.i was tilling the grass near my popup camper where i have found multiple other gray tree frogs in the past. i guess the noise scared him out of his hiding place.

[charlamanda]

I end up having so many of these guys around my home it looks like one of the plagues of Egypt.
I live in a lake community in Pa, that borders NY and NJ all within 10 min. I am at the top of a mountain basically in a forest with lots of swampy areas, where the Gray's love it. They prefer to chorus and go for a swim in water without fish, so swaps and vernal pools are the ideal areas to find them.
During the day, when they are mostly sleeping and slower and much easier to catch, they will occasionally chirp, I think this maybe a kind of who's out there, where are you and are we going to hang later at the water for chorusing and a hot date, I am actually serious. LOL They will chirp more frequently as dusk approaches and they slowly move closure to the water they will eventually go to for the evenings chorus. This maybe the best time to hone in on their location and collect a few, well a male anyway. The females will be doing this too just won't be chirping, but it will allow you to get an idea where they will be meeting up for their chorus.
If you know where they meet and chorus already, my suggestion is to look around that area, usually within 30 feet of the water. If they frequent a specific watering hole some tend to remain very close during the day. Check on fences, sides of houses, garbage cans, etc, look in lil nooks and behind things they can just wedge behind, if they are in the trees then forget it you'll rarely be able to find them or get to them.
If you want to try to catch them while chorusing, at dusk and after, then simply listen for the chorusing. As you approach them they will stop. but trust me they won't leave. Walk up to the area with a flash light, you'll see the reflection of their eyes sitting around the waters edge, when you get close to them many times they'll jump into the water, so bring a net. They are not exactly quick to hop off because the depend on their ability to blend in to keep them hidden and as long as the water isn't to large or deep and they are not real close to a tree you should be able to catch one fairly easily, they'll just sit there quietly as you walk around. Try to catch one that's not too close to the water, they usually jump in to escape danger. Now this is going to sound crazy, but as your stalking a particular frog don't keep the light directly on the frog, keep the edge of the light on him so you can see him, but not blinding him. Remember they are watching you to see what your going to do, if you seem like your not a threat they won't hop off. When you get close enough, acting casual LOL, just pick him/her up or use a net. Yes, I've done this many times before.
If you want to lure them to a place where you can easily catch them I also have some suggestions.The reason why I had so many in my yard is because they have gravitated to my pool. It's a 18' round 4' deep pool I had to take down, laws of the area. Anyway the sides are folded down on the ground and there is several inches of water in it year round. All summer they come from blocks around to chorus in my pool and have left me their eggs to tend to, they have lousy parental skills. They have gotten so use to me I can walk right up to them and they don't even stop chorusing. I can literally walk up to them and pick them up now and even chorus with them, they actually will chirp back to me, sometimes 1 to 1. They aren't too particular and if they don't have anyone to chorus with they don't seem to mind a humans poor mimicking.
My suggestion is to put up a baby pool or make a pond in your yard near a few trees. They will find it and check it out to determine if it's a good place for chorusing and mating, given it's an area where they are already.
Lastly, find a place where you know they have been chorusing and check the water around May and June. They're will be plenty of tadpoles for the pickings. If you are unsure what kind of tads they are wait until around mid June early July and wait for the froglets to emerge, they will be everywhere you just may have to look around a bit. The best time would be when they have just left the water and are sitting around resorbing their tails cause they will sit almost in the same place for several days without moving. Keep in mind these times I mentioned are dependant on your area so you'll have to check online at the fish and game commission, who will most likely have this info, or other frog related web sites for your state.
Good Luck and hope this helps you find your Gray Tree frog.

[charlamanda]

Oh I meant to answer your other questions too, but I forgot..sorry. It is fairly likely that the gray's would be around the same areas as the peepers, since they seem to like the same things, so it's probably a great place to start. I actually had a peeper on my door last week, they have been chorusing with the wood frogs for weeks now, even during a snow storm! He/She stayed on my front door eating bugs for several days, but must have moved on, since I haven't seen him/her for the past few days. I also heard a single gray calling for the past few days, today is April 29th, but they won't be out chourusing in full force for a few weeks or until the whether is more consistantly warmer, they like warm, humid days and rain. If you have a brook in your yard where they go set a baby pool up there and they will probably like it and leave you a few thousand tadpoles like they left me. If you want any other info, advice, etc. you can sent me a private message, etc. and I will gladly try to help you get your gray. Too bad you didn't live closer since I end up with so many.
Please let us know if you catch one, I am really hopeful you will. Post pics too. Good Luck!

[Terrarium]

How do wild gray tree frogs tend to do in captivity?

[Cypress]

This is a very old thread, but I'll put in my two cents anyway.

I caught a few about two months ago. One refused to eat for about a month. The other two did great from the start. The one that wasn't eating was force fed for almost a month. Now he eats faster than the others. I know I shouldn't take them from the wild, but they were all calling at the creek at the back of my property. This creek is home to two very sneaky venomous 3 1/2' snakes. They seem to hide every time I go out prepared to deal with them. Grrr. Anyway, I have a feeling that if these frogs had actually made it down to the water to mate, they'd have been dinner. So, I don't feel *so* bad. But the bit of guilt I feel for doing this has been assuaged by a recent purchase of tadpoles. I'll raise those, and hopefully breed sometime in the next few years.

Sorry, most of this was more to clear my own conscience than to answer your question. Soooo, mine have done ok, but if you can get some from a captive source (or at least take young morphs or tadpoles that would likely die anyway), you probably won't feel as guilty about it in the future.