My gray tree frog doesn't trust me anymore!

[victorsgrace]

Okay. How do you care for them? Do you follow a careguide?

Look, I think you should just let him calm down. If you move his enclosure, give him rest. Don't try to hand feed him - just leave some food in a bowl. If his enclosure is in good order, pr. a good careguide for your frog species, just leave some food in a bowl around his normal feeding hours and leave him be for a week or so.

If he is this stressed, moving him around, staring at him while he's feeding, picking him up, rummaging around the tank, moving him to a new tank - you'll stress him outta his mind. One thing I know from toads: A stressed out animal can leave to weakened immune system, which can lead to diseases that're hard to heal and handle - without stressing him further.

So.. I'd recommend just checking his surroundings pr. a good careguide, move the tank if you have to and then absolutely ignore him, except for feeding. Moving him into a totally new tank where he doesn't recognize anything and his preferred area is gone does not sound like a good idea right now.

[Dace]

I have been trying my best not to stress him... Although it's tough not to stare at him when he's pacing. I've decided not to move him or his cage. Frankly I don't think hand feeding is a source of stress- I just wait till he's sleeping on a branch and put the food item an inch in front of him and see if he responds. I don't pick my frogs up and shove food in their face when they don't want it or anything like that...
oh, oh, and how do I care for them... Lessee... Standard 10 gallon tank. Not tall but I make good use of space, I have branches wedged all the way at the top, where the frogs usually sleep. I have a couple inches of cocofiber substrate with a stone drainage layer beneath. There's plenty of live plants (or there will be soon in The little guy's tank, I just redid a few months ago and they haven't filled the substrate with roots quite yet) and springtails so I don't change the substrate often. There's never a foul smell and my oldest frog has lived under my care for 6 years. I generally mist every day, but I let the vivs dry out once in a while for sanitary reasons. No water bowl. Bear in mind that they live high in trees, sure the occasional lucky gray has a water filled tree hole but generally they live high and dry. I have seen grays resting out in the open in full sun on hot, dry sunny days several feet above the ground, no water or even moisture in sight. I used to feed my frogs every other day, but they seemed skinnier and their hips protruded more than those I see in pictures, so now I feed me daily and they're looking fatter and happier.

[Dace]

Heheheh...He just ate a roach out of my hand...

[Crispy42]

You don't have a water bowl in your tank? I would strongly advise adding one. In the wild there are obviously no bowls exactly, but they have other options for getting water (dew and rainwater collects in leaves and crevices in branches even high up in the trees, or they can come down to the ponds or puddles). Especially if you are letting your tank "dry out" sometimes, they need a source of water available while the humidity is low (although you should also try to keep humidity relatively stable if possible).

in captivity our frogs depend on us for everything, so it is important to provide them with conditions as close to ideal as we can. In the wild, frogs can move to another location if they don't have the right humidity/temp/water, but in a 10 gallon tank they can't just find somewhere else with different resources.

[Dace]

Ok they have water bowls now... But I still don't believe it's necessary.

[Dace]

I did listen to their suggestion. They have water bowls now...

[victorsgrace]

It is necessary. They drink through their skin. What you saw in the wild, was an animal sitting there, at that moment, with opportunity to move to another place if needing water or shade.

Also you shouldn't dry out your tank... Amphibians need moisture and it serves no hygienal purpose, but can invite mites and what not to the feces. Please follow the careguide apropriate for your animal.