What is this frog?

[snurfer]

I found this frog in the Raleigh area of North Carolina. I was curious what kind of frog it is? I have some turtles in an aquarium - would it be safe to put him in with them? He's pretty bright green with little yellow spots and he has sticky feet. Is it possible that he is poisonous?

[Phi for All]

Try putting him against a brown background and see if he changes color. Many tree frogs can change color very rapidly. Is his skin smooth or slightly granular? Can you put him in a clear glass for some side-on close-ups? Are there any markings on the sides or underbelly?

[DrP]

I think it might be one of those toy plastic frogss - If you push down hard on its tail, does it pop up into the air?

 

 

 

But seriously - he's quite cute.

[snurfer]

He doesn't move much. As you can see in the right picture I had him in a box. I left him there overnight and in the morning, in addition to the yellow spots - he had some slightly bigger brown spots on him. His skin is slightly granular. When he pooped last night, it was about half his length; and he seemed to get skinnier. He's about 2 inches long. -I can try to get some better pictures of him when I get home tonight.

[Phi for All]

The granular skin could mark him as a specimen of Hyla gratiosa, a barking tree frog. They make a single note call, usually while floating on water, and a whole bunch of them can sound like a pack of dogs barking.

 

Hyla gratiosa is usually a lot bigger though. He could be a juvenile specimen, or I could be way off. The brown spots and the granular skin aren't unique to barking tree frogs.

 

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=17&cat=1848&articleid=2805

[ajb]

Assuming he is native, shouldn't you let him free to go about his natural business? Unless he is injured or something then I can understand you wanting to look after him.

[snurfer]

I think he might be a Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla squirrela) - I wouldn't have found it if Phi for All hadn't made his suggestion (in the same family). Do you know if the frogs in this family are toxic at all?

 

to ajb: its called a pet

[iNow]

I'm pretty sure ajb knows that and is wondering why you feel the need to place this natural animal into a box for the rest of its life so it can bring you some short-lived (quite literally since it will likely die in your care) selfish pleasure.

[Kyrisch]

If he correctly identifies it, he will be able to care for it and it will become a sort of mutualistic thing. Pets aren't entirely selfish.

[iNow]

I have pets, too, but not ones that I plucked out of their natural habitat... ones that were born for that purpose and which were not born in or necessarily able to survive in the wild.

 

I don't care. I was just stating that it seems selfish to me. We humans kill tons of animals each day with our way of life... what's one more frog, eh?

[ajb]

to ajb: its called a pet

Or is it removing a wild creature from its natural environment?

 

If you want a pet frog can't you get one breed in captivity? I like frogs and toads. It is nice to see then in the wild. However, I would never imprison one. Also, there maybe local laws about removing wild animals from their environment.

[Phi for All]

I have no problem with removing frogs from the wild and caring for them as pets. It can be argued that this tree frog will potentially live a better life in captivity, free from the predators that might eat him tomorrow if he were released.

[ajb]

What happens if we remove all the frogs?

[snurfer]

Where do you think the original 'pets' came from which they breed to become domesticated pets ... ?

 

Anyway, so does anyone know if the treefrog Hyla squirrela are toxic in any way?

[Phi for All]

What happens if we remove all the frogs?

Slippery Slope fallacy. And not all frogs sold in pet stores are bred in captivity. Where else are they obtained? From the wild.

[snurfer]

Anyway, so does anyone know if the treefrog Hyla squirrela are toxic in any way?

 

...?

[Kyrisch]

You've started an ethics debate. Don't expect to capture this train wreck >.<

[Phi for All]

Anyway, so does anyone know if the treefrog Hyla squirrela are toxic in any way?

I haven't found anything that says they are. I'd test it carefully, since it's not for absolute certain it *is* a Hyla squirrela. Are your turtles big enough to eat frogs?

[snurfer]

No, they're just about the same size. How would I go about the procedure to "test it carefully" ?

[ajb]

Slippery Slope fallacy. And not all frogs sold in pet stores are bred in captivity. Where else are they obtained? From the wild.

 

This just strengthens my point that really we should leave things alone in the wild without good reason or cause. If you are buying a fish or frog or something like that then you should ask about how it was obtained. From there you can make your own judgement.

 

Anyway, I think provided the frog is well, let him go.

 

Are there no laws on this?

[Phi for All]

Close observation would be my recommendation, but I'm certainly no expert. If you haven't already done so, you might want to check online for forums specific to herpetology. Those people will have practical experience with mixing amphibians and reptiles in the same tank.

[snurfer]

Well that is my queue to exit. Thanks for the help.

 

And thanks Mr Spock for your logical reasoning and thoughts. Its good to see that these forums are closely regulated by people like yourself... helping those who post a question to find a quick and helpful answer to their concerns.

[ajb]

I in no way regulate these forums and do not really appreciate your attitude.

 

If you do not care about the well fair of this frog, then that is up to you. It is up to you to decide.

[iNow]

I think I'm going to drive by a church and snatch up a child this Sunday. I've long been curious to learn more about the religious mind. I'll call him/her a pet, and put them into a class tank so I can watch them and take notes.

 

There's nothing wrong with that, right?

 

 

We humans can be such hypocrits sometimes. It'd be one thing if the animal was hurt and you were caring for it, but it's quite another to be so selfish and care only for your own personal entertainment.

[paganinio]

ok time for some humor

Crazy Frog.