Feeding American Green Treefrogs

[into]

For the last couple weeks I have stopped feeding my two in their home and started feeding them in a separate container. I did this because we built a running water fall and a water/stone floor (instead of substrate and moss) and didnt want dead crickets floating around. The frogs seem to enjoy the waterfall and they are much noisier now.

Would anyone advise against handling them breifly everyday to relocate them to their feeding area? I know they shouldn't be handled, but I thoroughly wash my hands with hot water (no soap) , dry my hands and then pour dechorinated water on my hands before I pick them up. I had some doubts about it the first couple nights becuase the frogs freaked out didn't eat right away... they just wanted out. But now they don't seem to mind and eat as soon as they are placed in the bowl.

I also do this with my WTF, but he's actually jumped into my hands at times.

I think the most frustrating thing about having frogs as pets is the contradicting information I find all over... don't touch, touch but wash before and after, use moss, don't use moss, use pebbles, don't use pebbles... the list goes on!

[John]

Brief holding is fine. I often feed my female Gray Treefrog while she sits on my hand. Some frog species are more sensitive than others but treefrogs are among the tougher of the bunch. I usually wash my hands with "normal" soap, then rinse and dry well with a towel, before holding frogs. I then wash my hands well afterwards. There are caresheets and info sheets (even by experts) who say to use latex gloves to hold frogs. As it turns out, latex gloves have chemicals much more harmful than things you normally find on hands (there was a recent peer-reviewed journal paper published on the toxicity of latex and nitrile gloves to amphibians).

[John]

Here's that paper on the toxicity of latex and nitrile gloves to amphibians.

[Kurt]

What you are doing is fine. If you wish to do so, you can use surgical gloves when your handling your frogs.

[into]

What you are doing is fine. If you wish to do so, you can use surgical gloves when your handling your frogs.

Thanks Kirt and john. I don't usually hold them and my hands usually only serve as a transport vehicle to the feeding bowl. I thought about using gloves, but was worried about latex since I, just like the frogs have sensitive skin. I usually use VERY HOT water to wash with and when I do pick them up my hands are very red.

oh and my two greens are very noisey tonight (sun is still up) any reason they would be awake already?

[John]

Yeah I think Kurt will revise his thinking on the gloves after this.

I would guess they are calling because the humidity or temperature took a jump upwards, or pressure dropped suddenly (like a thunder storm or rain).