Spring release back into the wild?

[MNlakes]

Hello,

I am new to the forum, so I apologize if I'm asking an old question! I did search older threads for my question, but could not find much information.

I found a tree frog in my house this winter (in Minnesota) and have been keeping him/her as a pet for the last three months. It's a gray tree frog or Copes gray tree frog, and it's native to this area. My plan was to release the frog back into the wild as soon as the weather got warm enough. However, now I'm worried that the frog will be eaten by a predator very soon since he's become domesticated. I've gotten attached, but I would be happy to let the frog go if that's best for him and he has a good chance of survival. Any advice?

Thanks!
Erin

[Tubby0512]

I say keep it because it is use to human contact. he may die in the wild.

[UncleChester]

However, now I'm worried that the frog will be eaten by a predator very soon since he's become domesticated.

It won't have forgotten what to do, so don't let this affect your decision to keep it or release it. As long as there's no chance it came into contact with any foreign froggy diseases, there's no problems setting it free.

I have 2 that turned up indoors this past January. They're getting the boot outside as soon as I start seeing the 'wild' ones outdoors.

On the other hand, a few winters ago I took in 6 that turned up indoors after the ground was covered in snow. Come spring, I released all but 2 (I had become attached to all of them). The ones I released kept turning up around the house that summer (this is normal and not any sign of domestication, and I've often wondered where they sat before door frames moved into their neighborhood). A few were spotted the following summer (their markings are distinct). They had no apparent issues readjusting to their old homes after their winter vacations indoors.

So I won't tell you what to do, just that releasing it will be no problem and it's chances for survival will be the same as any other frog. Also, no matter what you decide, thanks for taking care of it when it got 'lost' from it's natural habitat!

[MNlakes]

Thanks for the response! I'm still not sure what to do, but I'm less worried knowing that other frogs have been fine after going back outdoors.

Any recommendations for the frog's diet before going back out there? He's about 4 centimeters long. Some pet store employees have said to feed him 4 or more crickets a day (in case he's a hungry adolescent), and some have recommend just three crickets twice a week. I've been going with about 3 a day. I'm probably over-thinking this, but I want the frog to be in optimal shape if he'll be fending for himself in the woods (not sluggish and overfed or weak and malnourished).

[Mentat]

It won't have forgotten what to do, so don't let this affect your decision to keep it or release it. As long as there's no chance it came into contact with any foreign froggy diseases, there's no problems setting it free....So I won't tell you what to do, just that releasing it will be no problem and it's chances for survival will be the same as any other frog. Also, no matter what you decide, thanks for taking care of it when it got 'lost' from it's natural habitat!

Welcome to FF Erin! Agree with Brian's quote above! 3-4 adult crickets a day sound about right. If in doubt, can feed all crickets frog will eat in around 10 minutes. Remember to remove excess crickets once it stops feeding. Good luck making your decision .

[UncleChester]

At 4cm, it isn't a rapidly growing young'in anymore. If it's not looking overly skinny, it should be fine with 3 or 4 crickets every other day. I probably wouldn't feed it full on adult crickets, a couple of molts shy of full size would be fine for a 4cm frog. Overfeeding doesn't seem to be a big problem with my Grays (they do seem to stop eating on their own), so feed more if you like.

You can also feed it other items for some variety, earthworms are particularly great nutritionally if it will take them (you can collect them from a chemical free area). If you plan to release it, there will be no qualms about other wild caught insects either. It's probably too early for moths, but it's house fly season where I am and my two frog guests gobble them up with entertaining acrobatics.

[Namio]

Hi Erin, uncle Chester has gotten you pretty much all covered. I would like to add a few things, though. Wild caught frogs do not simply lose their instincts---it's in their genes. So like what uncle Chester said, don't let that factor influence in your decision to whether to keep the frog or not. If you do plan on keeping the frog for however long, it's best not to house it with any other frogs due to a risk in disease transmission. I have caught and raise many young frogs and when they're sexually matured (which takes more than year and a half), I released them back to the pond where I caught them from during the breeding/rainy season. It is hard to let them go, though, I have to admit, when you raised them for a while. But seeing them fat and happy, while knowing they could make lots of baby frogs, definitely makes it easier to let them go. I guess we just have to look at the big picture. This reminds me of the quote, "think globally, act locally." This is what I call, citizen amphibian conservation.

[Psychotic]

I voted keep it as a pet. As in my state it is illegal to release a WC animal after it has been in captivity for at least 3 months. This is to prevent introducing new diseases into the wild.

[Gnag the nameless]

I'm on the keep side for this one. Although it is wild, 3 months of captivity and then sudden reintroduction into the wild will both be stressing and traumatic for the little guy, and he may be eaten by a predator.

Also, if you're attached to him, by all means keep him.

Oh, and Welcome to the Frog Forum!

[Namio]

As in my state it is illegal to release a WC animal after it has been in captivity for at least 3 months. This is to prevent introducing new diseases into the wild.

I really don't see the logic behind those two sentences. How would a WC animal extract new diseases in captivity after 3 months? That 3 months in captivity, if done properly, serves more like a quarantine period. Disease transmission may happen when you release the frog into a new area where those animals are naive to the disease that your released frog is carrying. If you caught a frog, kept it for 3 months in captivity, and then release it back to the same place you caught it from, you're never going to introduce new diseases that way.

[Psychotic]

I don't make the laws. Also not everyone is going to keep a frog or any other animal they snatched from the wild properly and in isolation in captivity. It's to prevent new diseases being introduced. I may keep a wild caught frog separated from any captive individuals that I have. But not everyone does that or knows not to do that.

The laws are not the same in every state and some states are a lot more strict. Like not being allowed to own native animals even if it is CB.

I say check your own laws. If it's ok to release it then do it. If it's against the law and you think it hasn't been introduced to anything then release it. I doubt anyone would know.

[CJ PELCHER]

Im all for releasing back into the wild... However i would check your laws to see if its safe to do so. Not like anyone is going to catch you do illegal returns to the wild but if the frogs arnt in the wild to begin we we can enjoy them as pets. =)

[Treesniffer]

By now you've made your decision and it is indeed a difficult one to make. I release, after raising many Copes from tads found in my water troughs each year. I place them on trees often filled with the tiniest insects. I know frogs are targets for birds, raccoons, snakes and other predators, but that is the complex beauty of nature. Sometimes, I carry them with me to different wooded areas when I go camping and release them not far from ponds. It's fun to think it strengthens the gene pool. Kinda like "Johnny Appleseed." And many are released in my own wooded back lot. I see them and hear them every spring - their numbers are growing.