What up with their chin flub?

[charlamanda]

About a week ago I noticed that some of the larger of my Gray Tree frogs have started inflating their chin flub. There has got to be a name for this...anyone? It is new to me and them and I was wondering what's going on? Is this normal? I have only seen the adults outside do this when they call and so far none of mine have made any noise, much less call. Here are a few pics. Any info would help and make me feel a lot better. Thanks.

[Jace]

This is perfectly normal, and nothing to worry about. I don't own any Gray Treefrogs, but my Pacific Chorus froglets have begun to do this as well. I've even heard some tiny calls coming from a couple of them. Just means your little ones are doing their excercises and you might start hearing some calling in the near future. Congrats!

[tgampper]

Looks like you have some vocal sac action going on. They are probably practicing their chorus line so they can attract the females.

Females of most tree frogs use multimodal signals (audible and visual cues) to select their breeding partners. I am sure the males understand these things and want to get an early start.

[charlamanda]

Looks like you have some vocal sac action going on. They are probably practicing their chorus line so they can attract the females.

Females of most tree frogs use multimodal signals (audible and visual cues) to select their breeding partners. I am sure the males understand these things and want to get an early start.

Thanks, that's a relief. Ah, my little babies are growing up....uh oh, calling? There not going to break out in full chorus mode are they? Yesterday, I found two frogs, one on top of each other, in the pool, the one was flub chin and a great big ?female. There are not going to start this are they?
Here is a pic, forgive my sucky camera!
I put glass marbles in the pool for them to hang on to. I watched one in there one night and he/she kept slidding down the sides, so I put them in so they could hang on and soak comfortably.

[charlamanda]

This is perfectly normal, and nothing to worry about. I don't own any Gray Treefrogs, but my Pacific Chorus froglets have begun to do this as well. I've even heard some tiny calls coming from a couple of them. Just means your little ones are doing their excercises and you might start hearing some calling in the near future. Congrats!

Thanks, I hope not too much calling, these guys are loud, loud, loud!!!!

[Jace]

Right now, I have one full grown male Pacific Chorus frog, Yoki, who went into a full blown mating call starting at midnight and lasting for 2 hours Thursday night. It was so loud, it woke up my entire house (and I have two tenants who live downstairs). As if that wasn't bad enough, my Green Treefrog, Rongo, joined in the last half hour and proceeded to drown out Yoki. I say you and I jointly invest in some earplugs!!

[charlamanda]

Right now, I have one full grown male Pacific Chorus frog, Yoki, who went into a full blown mating call starting at midnight and lasting for 2 hours Thursday night. It was so loud, it woke up my entire house (and I have two tenants who live downstairs). As if that wasn't bad enough, my Green Treefrog, Rongo, joined in the last half hour and proceeded to drown out Yoki. I say you and I jointly invest in some earplugs!!

Where do we get them! Oh no this can get bad!!!!

[Rae]

Will males call if theres no females around and do they have to be a certain age before calling.... not looking forward to telling the hubby calling might happen. I didnt prepare for that

[tgampper]

As I understand, gray tree frogs become sexually mature at 3 y.o. and start calling at 18 months old. There are two species: (Eastern) Gray, Hyla versicolor or Cope's Gray, Hyla chrysoscelis. They are difficult to tell apart until you hear their call. The Cope's has a faster, higher pitch trill. You can hear their calls at these web stes:

Eastern gray treefrog call
Cope's gray treefrog call

[Tropicok]

Thanks for including the frog audio. I love listening to them. Now, if I could just remember them, it's as bad as birding by ear.

[Jace]

Yoki was calling from the first week I brought him home...when the only other frog in sight was his brother, Pip. From what I can gather, the males will call regardless of females around. In the hopes that one might hop out from behind the living room curtains! It really is a beautiful sound, but maybe listen to some audio at top volume so you get used to it. My house has 4 different calls on each given night (Pacific Chorus frogs; Green Treefrogs; Fire Belly Toads; African Giant Bullfrog) and we still manage to sleep. Most nights!

[tgampper]

Thanks for including the frog audio. I love listening to them. Now, if I could just remember them, it's as bad as birding by ear.

I love listening to calls too. I have CD recordings of most species of frogs and toads living in Nebraska as well as southern and western Africa. My clawed frogs are very active at night and the choruses can be deafening.

[charlamanda]

Will males call if theres no females around and do they have to be a certain age before calling.... not looking forward to telling the hubby calling might happen. I didnt prepare for that

Me either and I was under the immpression that if you didn't cycle them, hibernate, and kept them at a stable temperature that they wouldn't. Oh boy, you have 1, but I have 13..not good!

[charlamanda]

The Gray Tree frogs call in my pool in the yard and it's deafening even inside. Right now I have all nine bunnies and all 13 frogs in the livingroom/dining room until the downstairs in finished, which could take a while. This could be really bad, since it will scare the rabbits, send the cats into a frenzy and start the dogs barking, simoulstaniously (sp?). For Pete's sake they are only 3 months old, so hopefully this will not happen anytime soon. I few chirps here and there I don't mind, but if they all break out in a chorus, they will be banished to the downstairs even if it's not finished!LOL

[Kurt]

I am thinking this may be a case of edema, an infection that causes a frog to become bloated. Is the vocal sack alway inflated?

[charlamanda]

I am thinking this may be a case of edema, an infection that causes a frog to become bloated. Is the vocal sack alway inflated?

They actually look fine, other than the vocal sack filled with air. If I touch the sack, oye that sounds aweful, it will deflat, somewhat. There are several, I believe to be male, that are perching up at the top, with their sacks inflated. The questionable females are gathering under the males, boy this doesn't sound good either...sorry all, on the plants leaves just below them. All seem fine, are eating very well and since it has gotten warm out they have been bouncing around the tank. So far I have not heard any audible sounds, but I am only by the tank for a few hours at night watching tv! I will keep an eye on them and post a few more pics. Thanks for the info.

[Rae]

Uh oh last night Frodos "chin flub" as u call it lol was inflated.... hes turned away so i havent seen it today but yes last night it was much more noticable...

[charlamanda]

Thats interesting since they are very close in age. Has it been warm by you too? It has gotten fairly warm here and all the frogs have become much more active, more so than I have ever seen them!

[Rae]

Nope i dont think its warmer but I think the last two afternoons/ evenings ive heard him calling.... its short, fairly quiet, evenly spaced, lil high pitched bird noises and after he I hear the sound a few times it stops. I go to look at him and his "chin flub lol" is all puffed out.

[Rae]