# Help I think my frog is gone



## Kgbower

I just got my first frog two days ago and now I think he is either really good at hiding or he has escaped. It is a very basic tank with one big piece of drift wood a few small plants and a water dish. So I guess what my question is: can they climb glass becuse there was a small 1-2in hole that was open on the top or can they burrow in the bedding. I have searched the tank and looked everywhere and can't seem to find the little guy. Any advice would be much appreciated. 
I guess as much as you research you can always get thrown a curve ball


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## yumpster

Unfortunately, they can climb glass quite well and a 1-2 inch hole is more than big enough for it to escape. I would get in there right away and search everywhere inside the tank. If it has happened to get out, I regret to inform you it is probably dried up and dead by now. It only takes a few hours for them to die in a household environment. If you expect he just recently escaped, you better get searching very quickly, and put down some pans of shallow water under couches and whatnot. Good luck! Hope you find him!


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## straydog16

Sorry to hear that but yes, they can climb glass. You need to keep the top hole-free for sure. What kind of frog is it?


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## DCreptiles

sadly enough if there is a gap even the smallest gap the frog can get loose through there and they will deff try their luck. dont panic.. first thing you do is sit the tank on a flat service i useually do it on my kitchen counter. and then slowly remove items from the tank such as cocohut ( check under it ) and then poke your finger softly into the bedding to see if he dug a little whole. alot of the time i find my azureus burrow a little hole behinde their coco hurt and then hide under the petri dish under the hut and they fold their bodies up lol. the first time they disapeared i paniced. its also happend to my buddy. but if you do have a 1 to 2 inch hole in the tank chances are they made a break for it and you should check the surrounding area for a shrivled up frog body.

-Derek


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## Ziggi

I hate to be the one to point out the obvious but you say you did plenty of research.
No where along that research did you find out that frogs could climb glass? I've seen many photo's with frog belly's up against glass.

And you have a 3cm frog, you didn't think it could get through a 2" hole??
I sure hope you find the frog before it's dead because that could of easily been prevented.


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## ChrisK

Also put dishes of water all around the floor immediately when you suspect an escape, they might make their way to them before they dry out and you'll find them there


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## Elf_Ascetic

It is possible that its still in the tank. Let me share a story about how we got into red vents. We picked up a tank (and some other frogs), and put it in the back of my van. (The frogs in plastic boxes, in a isolationbox in the front of the car) There were no frogs in the tank, so we left the lids open (easier to carry). After a hour drive, home again, the temperature in the tank dropped to 10 degrees Celcius. The morning after, we saw a red ventrimaculatus in the tank! That day, redoing the tank, we stripped everything out. Plants, wood, huts, soil, the tank completely empty. No frog... Thinking that he didn't survive the night, and started rotting in the ground or so - being not recognizable anymore -, we put everything in again. The next day, there he was. A master hider, we named Hugo (after Hugo the Groot, a dutch historical person who escaped from prison in a book chest).

So, chances are he is just hiding very well.


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## Erikb3113

yeah if it is a simple tank with not alot of cover, chances are he's too nervous to be out in the open without any cover to dart to. plug the hole, hopefully you have already, and hope he shows up. check around on the floor for a body so if he did get out at least you'll know. I hope for the best. good luck.


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## elmoisfive

Frogs are incredible escape artists and can squeeze through holes that you would swear they could not get through. Glass, wood, bark, you name it they can climb it all, walk across the glass top of the viv without falling etc.

So any holes will eventually be found by them. If you are lucky your frog hunkered down and is hiding.

Good luck.

Bill


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## Kgbower

thanks for all the feedback I haven't found him either way. The hole is now sealed, hopefully he turns up in the tank today, that was such a rookie mistake. Poor frog


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## Erikb3113

Have you been feeding? That might bring him out if he's in there


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## yumpster

Also, do you have any cats or dogs? That could be an explanation if you never find him in the tank or a body on the ground.


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## srrrio

Kgbower,

Your post has stuck in my mind over the day and I have to tell you that I could have lost my first dart the same way (and hopefully yours is not truly lost). Well only worse because I had done little research and just wanted something that would like the terrarium I had made. The pet store I bought him from recommended screen top with UV light. However the little reseach I did was clear about high humidity. So of course I did not have that level of humidity so I put the glass top back on and then wondered if he would suffocate. I searched various web sites but for whatever reasonw did not come up with what PDF keepers used as a lid. So on the side of safety I left the glass lid ajar for several days. I was only just lucky to be there when I watched that shy little frog climb the glass right out of the tank. 

Needless to say I kept on looking for better answers...found DB and well ..all is well.
Don't beat yourself up ..some times the simplest things are those most overlooked.

Sally


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