Interesting Observation about Basking

[LilyPad]

I had posted a thread a while back asking about basking. After hearing about how tree frogs generally like to stay hidden during the day, I was surprised to see Paddy out on a log closest to the light, EVERY DAY.

Now, Silvermist, Oscar, and Leggy-Log-Orangey also enjoy basking in the light of their tanks, they will be all crammed together to get to the spot on the branch closest to the light.

I wondered out loud how I managed to get four frogs that prefer to bask. My mom came up with an interesting observation... likely, there are more basking frogs in captivity than nonbasking frogs...because they are more obvious and easier to catch! I know for sure that 3 of my frogs are wild caught, I'm not sure about Paddy though. It totally makes sense though! Rather than hiding amongst the leaves, hidden from sight, these frogs are right out there for all to see, soaking up the sun!

On the upside, frogs that bask tend to have more advantages in growth and digestion than frogs who don't, so it's all good

[John]

There are a few schools of thought on this, and it varies from frog species to frog species. For Gray Tree Frogs, I wholeheartedly believe they bask in terrariums to get warm for exactly the reasons you mention - digestion/metabolism. That's my opinion.

[sajane]

all 7 of my white's and american green tree frogs like to bask also

[LilyPad]

all 7 of my white's and american green tree frogs like to bask also

That is very interesting. I was always in the school of thought that they stayed hidden to help keep their skin moist during the day. My tree frogs also use their water dishes A LOT so I'm wondering if they are just balancing that way.

[UncleChester]

My observations of grey treefrogs have them staying out of the sun, at least the midday sun during the hot summer months. I've watched them on ledges changing their resting spots to stay in the shade as the day goes on. At least this is what the local 'wild' ones do that hang around our place. Inside a viv, they get nothing approaching direct sunlight, so they won't have to seek cover for fear of overheating.

Wild ones will also hang out near porchlights in the evenings to eat insects attracted to the light. So some learned behavior could draw them to the light as well.

[LilyPad]

That makes sense, I have heard of them hanging out near the light to catch bugs, and if I leave the light on their viv too long, I notice they will go near it to catch the little fungus flies or whatever they are called. I have never seen a gray tree frog around my area at all, but it's funny because now that I learned what the call sounds like, I did hear one in the wooded part of our yard (pine trees, which is funny because I thought they preferred deciduous trees and we have PLENTY of those around our yard) But it was still sunny out and I could hear it way up. I thought it was strange that it was calling from way up in the tree, not near a water source, when it was still sunny out. Leggy, my juvenile male, will call while basking, I think it's just because he's still learning and trying things out, the one calling in my yard sounded kind of like Leggy does, just not fully matured in calling yet.

[artes]

Scabs likes to bask - he's doing it right now from his favorite plant. I put his favorite (some kind of coffee plant) directly under the light so he can do both of his favorite things at the same time.