Strange Behavior, White's Tree Frog. HELP!

[pistachio]

My White's Tree Frog, Pistachio, is acting very weird. I'll try and recount his behavior as best as I can...

May 27th - Stopped eating and began obsessively trying to escape his enclosure.

May 31st - Deep cleaned enclosure and replaced coco fiber substrate with damp tea towel (so I could monitor him).

June 2 - Started sleeping on the floor of the tank. Put him on Baytril for a week per vet's recommendation.

June 7th - Had a bowel movement. It was completely liquid. Collected sample for the vet.

June 13th - Took him to the vet for an exam. The vet said he looked really good and couldn't find any visible signs of illness. He has bruises on his face from trying to escape, but other than that the vet says he's fine. Suspected that his odd behavior might be a mating instinct?

June 15th - Slept in water dish all day. Pooped liquid again. He just started his "escape ritual" for tonight...

Pistachio has not eaten or shown any interest in food (crickets) this entire time. I tried tong feeding him a few times, but he didn't like it. Every night, he incessantly climbs up and down the front of his tank and rubs his face on the glass. Covering the front of the tank doesn't make him stop. He'll occasionally make a distress call. I'll be hearing from the vet about the fecal sample on Friday.

Does this sound like anything to anyone? I'm at a loss. I've only had Pistachio for 8 months and he is my first frog. I got him when he was only about the size of a quarter. He's nearly 3 inches long from nose to vent now. I really don't want to lose him.

Thank you so much for reading this!

Tank: 18x18x24 Exo Terra (tall) covered on three sides (four at night).
Temps: 80-85 degrees during the day, 75-80 degrees at night
Humidity: between 40% and 60%
Substrate: Usually coco fiber. I've been using damp tea towels since he started acting strange.
Food: Live crickets, dusted every other feeding. He has not eaten in over two weeks.

[LilyPad]

I have no idea but best of luck to you. I'm sure someone here can offer a bit of advice.

[Ebony]

Hmmmm...I maybe wrong but sounds like he is stressed. Is there anything new you have put in or near his enclosure? Or have you changed anything at all in the room, even noises.

[nicas83]

Eek, I'd definitely be freaking out too! I did find a thread about "Strange behaviour in WTFs" where their frog was trying to escape repeatedly/acting very strange - and below was one of the final answers. I'm definitely no expert, but perhaps this could be a possible explanation, especially if he is healthy and his stool sample comes back clear? -

"i think you reached the right conclusion. you may have triggered a dispersal mechanism. sometimes a change in the weather or a front coming through activates these guys to "migrate to the next pool". anyone who's been in the woods when these events occur will simply be amazed at the number of animals on the move. i ride a bike path almost daily, and never see any snakes. then in one day last fall, i sighted 5 large black rat snakes along the path, coinciding with a front. maybe next time, leave his fav perch uncleaned to keep his smell there, then clean it the next week."

Anyways that's my 2 cents worth, good luck!

[pistachio]

LilyPad, Thanks.

Ebony, Nothing has changed in his enclosure or mine. The only thing I can think of is that our area has been getting some thunder storms lately and this is the first time Pistachio has experienced them.

nicas83, The explanation you found is a much better prognosis than illness I suppose! My vet did say that a sick frog would not be trying to escape its enclosure. He said a sick frog would just lie there and do nothing. But the big questions is... Will he stop? Will this migration instinct calm down? Or is he going to keep freaking out until he dies from starvation and/or stress? I will try cleaning everything again so maybe it will seem like a new place to him.

[artes]

Maybe you can convince him he has migrated. Move him to a tub, and completely redecorate his tank. Then walk him around the house a few times, and put him back in his (newly designed) tank. Perhaps he will think he has migrated and calm down?

[nicas83]

Any update on your frog?? Has he calmed down and started eating yet?

[Daru and Tifi]

What ever happened to your frog in the end? Mine is showing exactly the same behaviour and is also an 8/9 month old male...

[StickyFrogfeet]

mine was doing this in a smaller tank, the nose rubbing and calling out thing. i moved him to a bigger tank and it stopped but since yours is in an 18x18x24 the only thing i can think of is there isnt enough hiding spots, plants and things in there maybe?