[BrianTL]

*No escaped frog at this time

So I had my first scare yesterday afternoon. Plants are really starting to show some nice growth so I've been trying to keep an eye on that to prevent some of the weedier stuff from blowing up out of control and blocking light from the ones that are being slow to grow.

I reached in to make a minor adjustment and next thing I know a frog comes flying out of nowhere right towards me, with a wide open door. Before I could even process what was happening he made it from 3/4 of the way up the background to underneath the leaf litter right at the very front of the viv.

I know everybody always says Ranitomeya can be lightning fast but that was my first time really seeing it/being caught off guard. I can see how easy it would be for one to get by me while doing tank maintenance down the line.

Do any of you more experienced keepers have any tips on either preventing an escapee while doing maintenance, or a good immediate action plan if a frog gets out? Does anybody keep say, a deli cup handy by the vivs just in case they need a quick container for an escapee?

 

[Socratic Monologue]

Does anybody keep say, a deli cup handy by the vivs just in case they need a quick container for an escapee?

More than one, and some plexi pieces and lids to cover them, and a couple of catch tubes if they get in somewhere narrow.

I've had, IIRC, two sirensis fly by me (that I saw), and I ended up recovering them both. I've found two leucomelas dead outside the viv and do not know when they escaped. I suspect I let my guard down too much on animals I think won't make a run for it.

 

[fishingguy12345]

More than one, and some plexi pieces and lids to cover them, and a couple of catch tubes if they get in somewhere narrow

I do the same. A clean working area around the tanks also helps (learned that lesson the hard way :-( ).

 

[BrianTL]

Luckily the immediate area by my 1 tank is pretty clear, so at least I have that going for me now. I'll have to stick some emergency catching supplies under inside the stand just incase.

@Socratic Monologue Glad you were able to recover the sirensis! Sorry to hear about the Leucs though. I'd have a hard time with that myself... finding them outside and not knowing when/how they escaped. But, I definitely understand how you can let your guard down once you get comfortable and believe to have a good understanding of behavior.

 

[gluedl]

A wooden floor to hear them "splash" on, after the initial jump

Cups of various sizes are a must.

I also have a ringer solution and an Exo Terra electrolyte solution, just in case a frog escapes and I manage to find it before it´s completely dried out.

Around 2008, I had a pumilio cauchero pair, actually my first pumis, and the male escaped. Totally my fault because I nailed together a tank with huge gaps. I found the frog completely dried out and woven into that fluffy carpet I had at that time. You can see the frog in question in my profile pic on the left. It´s a reminder for myself...Today, all my tanks have bulkheads, water drains and drips into buckets. When I work in a tank with the doors open, the sound of a drop of water falling into a bucket, often makes me think a frog just jumped out and I often get really paranoid about it.

 

[BrianTL]

often makes me think a frog just jumped out and I often get really paranoid about it.

I know the feeling. The paranoia gets me a bit sometimes!

 

[DUDA]

Ciao, i only had ranitomeya escapes over the years and yes this likely happens when doing maintenance. I am lucky enough to have a dedicate frog room which i built myself on more than a decade of trippin on "lessons learned" or "the hard way".
All of the racks, jerry cans, and the misting resevoir (70liters) are lifted at least 50cm from floor so they would not have place where to hide and get stuck below (i found one baby under fridge in the kitchen once). When they get out i just not immediately freak out and madly chase them and stress out even more, i rather keep my visual on them until they find a "safe spot" (or at least the one they consider as safe), mostly they would hop to the corner of the room and only then scoop them with a plastic tall and thin tumbler glass (works like the classic glass tube).
Consider also they would try escaping when they panic, i try not to break in while they are immediately close to the front glass (so they dont think i am trying to catch them), or avoid approaching with my hands or pliers too close to them. If they, for example, can monitor your action from distance enough or safe enough spots (or from higher in the tank), they will not feel the need to run away hence i mostly do my stuff when they are already hiding in the ficus walls or broms. Pumilio are like having a dog, i bet they would eat straight from my hands if i'd hand feed them.
One thing i want to report is, last year, when catching 40 of them and bring to an expo, one jumped out and flat smashed with her belly on the floor from like 1 meter + height, she probably suffered some internal organs issues and died just few hours after that, although immediately caught and put back at safe, my take is that in the wild they would only land on leaf litter and absorb this while any hard floor may be an issue to them. I could clearly hear the "splat" sound believe me.

This said, over the years, i now dismantle the whole front doors when cleaning them and completely leave them free to escape thru the whole process (say 3 mins), it is just that they do not feel the need to, this is what you can work on.

you will pls pardon my english writing, although showing UK, i am based in italy and not a native Eng speaker.

 

[BrianTL]

Ciao, i only had ranitomeya escapes over the years and yes this likely happens when doing maintenance. I am lucky enough to have a dedicate frog room which i built myself on more than a decade of trippin on "lessons learned" or "the hard way".
All of the racks, jerry cans, and the misting resevoir (70liters) are lifted at least 50cm from floor so they would not have place where to hide and get stuck below (i found one baby under fridge in the kitchen once). When they get out i just not immediately freak out and madly chase them and stress out even more, i rather keep my visual on them until they find a "safe spot" (or at least the one they consider as safe), mostly they would hop to the corner of the room and only then scoop them with a plastic tall and thin tumbler glass (works like the classic glass tube).
Consider also they would try escaping when they panic, i try not to break in while they are immediately close to the front glass (so they dont think i am trying to catch them), or avoid approaching with my hands or pliers too close to them. If they, for example, can monitor your action from distance enough or safe enough spots (or from higher in the tank), they will not feel the need to run away hence i mostly do my stuff when they are already hiding in the ficus walls or broms. Pumilio are like having a dog, i bet they would eat straight from my hands if i'd hand feed them.
One thing i want to report is, last year, when catching 40 of them and bring to an expo, one jumped out and flat smashed with her belly on the floor from like 1 meter + height, she probably suffered some internal organs issues and died just few hours after that, although immediately caught and put back at safe, my take is that in the wild they would only land on leaf litter and absorb this while any hard floor may be an issue to them. I could clearly hear the "splat" sound believe me.

This said, over the years, i now dismantle the whole front doors when cleaning them and completely leave them free to escape thru the whole process (say 3 mins), it is just that they do not feel the need to, this is what you can work on.

you will pls pardon my english writing, although showing UK, i am based in italy and not a native Eng speaker.

Your english is great!

Putting my hands/scissors too close to a frog is what encouraged this thread to begin with. Totally my fault... I knew the frog was there, somewhere, but thought what I was doing wouldn't disturb him. All the way at the rear of the viv, I wasn't expecting him to come flying to the front but I was wrong. Definitely re adjusted my thinking after that one!

Sorry to hear about the death. I'm sure that's never easy but thank you for sharing!