Oophaga pumilio female vocalization?

[RarePlantBroker]

Alright, here's the situation:

Last year I purchased a group of Oophaga pumilio 'Bastimentos'. I ended up losing one of the four I purchased, but the other three are great. After quarrantine, fecals, and observation (while frogs were separated) I was fairly certain I had one male and two females.

I placed the frogs in their permanent home this spring, and began to observe their interactions. The known male started calling almost immediately upon entering his new territory. One of the other two approached to within 1/2", and called--but very quietly (in fact, if I didn't have the vivarium door open I wouldn't have heard it). I assumed at this point that two of my frogs were males--and waited for a wrestling match to ensue. The two frogs stared at each other for a minute, and then each went their separate ways.

Over the past 4 months I haven't witnessed any physical agression between these two frogs, but have on two other occasions heard an audible vocalization from the frog in question. The third frog (I'm positive is female), has shown obvious courting behavior--and is now almost living in a clump of Neoregelias (hopefully tending to tadpoles).

Well, two days ago I witnessed my known male, and the other frog in close proximity. After several calls from the male, the other frog turned and climbed towards a nearby bromeliad, and the male followed closely. The behavior I witnessed (until they disappeared into the foliage) was almost identical to the courting I had witnessed between the (loud) calling male and the female.

Has anyone else noted vocalizations from female pumilios? Or do I have a very quiet, submissive male, and a dominate male that isn't very agressive?

[EricM]

Alasdair,

I have two female solarte that fight and one of them will puff out her throat many times in a row, I don't hear any vocalizations, but it looks identical to calling. I have witnessed females of other frogs court and even lay eggs, even with pumilio. Always interesting to see what they do. Keep us posted.

eric

[Dane]

I've seen similar from other frogs as well as pumilio, and I swear that I have heard a faint clicking coming from females when they are excited or annoyed by a nearby male. May just be my imagination, but I have witnessed it from several different pairs on different occasions.

[guppygal]

I just now heard the same thing from my el dorado female. She opened her mouth and it was more of a tiny growl than a male frog chirp. She was eye-balling my male Powderblue - hmmm, I wonder if she's trying to make a move on him....

She's such a fun lil frog to watch ~

[RarePlantBroker]

Well, it sounds as though a couple of you have seen/heard the same type of thing I have witnessed. This frog is now closely guarding a bromeliad--only leaving to eat. I'd say I probably have a tadpole or two in there somewhere.

[Julio]

2 of my females almirantes were vocalizing towards each other today, but as soon as i grab the camera off course they stopped. It looked like more of a territorial thing between them, you stay on your side and i'll stay on mine.

[Peter Keane]

Originally Posted by RarePlantBroker

Well, it sounds as though a couple of you have seen/heard the same type of thing I have witnessed. This frog is now closely guarding a bromeliad--only leaving to eat. I'd say I probably have a tadpole or two in there somewhere.

A "must have" tool to navigate through the broms, especially if there are clumps of them is one of those "angled" dentist mirrors. I locate tads in hard to reach broms all the time.. Even on one occasion my alpha male saw himself in the mirror and immediately called and attacked the tiny mirror.

Peter Keane

[ESweet]

Originally Posted by Peter Keane

Even on one occasion my alpha male saw himself in the mirror and immediately called and attacked the tiny mirror.

That's hilarious. And yet another great use for dental mirrors =D

[Philsuma]

Originally Posted by Peter Keane

A "must have" tool to navigate through the broms, especially if there are clumps of them is one of those "angled" dentist mirrors. I locate tads in hard to reach broms all the time.. Even on one occasion my alpha male saw himself in the mirror and immediately called and attacked the tiny mirror.

Peter Keane

Nice.

I also have great sucess checking broms and plants in the darkness with a headlamp. Sleeping tads in axils and the night shine / glisten of eggs are easy to see at night with a strong light.

[yours]

Second time I heard the female bastimentos "squeak", while misting and then feeding her.....thought it was someone else the first time. I'm wondering if indeed it's not a male instead of a female, although this thread would support otherwise. "She" doesn't call like a normal male....just this squeak or two very rarely.....

Hmm....



Alex