Idea about WTF and drowning

[elly]

So, lots of people say WTF have trouble swimming and others say that they can be good swimmers. Most likely I think it's a learned skill that some frogs get and others don't. But also, watching my frog trying to climb the damp side of his tank gave me another idea: what if dumpies drowning is more of a climbing problem than a swimming problem? Most water bowls are made of glass or plastic, right? Stuff that's difficult for dumpies to grab while it's wet. Glass sides of a tank can be slippery and maybe foam dividers can be slippery too. If this is right, it would be helpful to have something rough textured beside or in the water area like a stick or a rock. Anyone want to prove this idea wrong? Have stories of a frog drowning despite non-slippery surfaces? Please comment.

[Lija]

I haven't ever heard of these stories. If tree frogs could drown they would be extinct in a wild long ago

having said that in captivity, when owners dont comply to proper husbandry guidelines, anything is possible.

[Strider18]

I think it would be okay, but if you want to go for the safe rather than sorry approach like I do you could put a rock in there or a fake plant

0.1.0 Psuedacris regilla

[UncleChester]

The care article: Frog Forum - White's Tree Frog Care - Litoria caerulea suggests a tank with water as a substrate with climbing areas above the water.

I've found several wild Hyla versicolor that seemed to be stuck inside plastic rain barrels. Despite the trouble they seemed to have climbing the plastic when wet, we never found a drowning victim (different frogs, I know!). We now leave sticks in them for an easy way out and haven't found a trapped one since. Easy out of a water feature is always good!

[deranged chipmunk]

my white's always had a deep water feature in their tanks.never once did any drown. i have seen herpetologists who keep whites in a tank 3/4 filled with water and floating land pieces for them to rest on. there is a lot of conjecture in this topic due to not many people willing to build tanks with water features for frogs because they read that they may drown. i did quite a bit of research before building my white's tank with a 10" deep water section and could not find one first hand account of a frog drowning. in fact every tank i built for white's, i often saw them intentionally jump in the water or spend hours soaking in it. just give them easy exit points and they will be fine. oh, and this goes for darts as well.

[deranged chipmunk]

I haven't ever heard of these stories. If tree frogs could drown they would be extinct in a wild long ago

having said that in captivity, when owners dont comply to proper husbandry guidelines, anything is possible.

i agree 100%