# Moving of the hind feet's middle toe



## gcisarov (Nov 27, 2012)

I do not know if all species do that, but I have observed that various species of _Dendrobates_ and _Phyllobates_ were almost constantly moving the middle toe of their hind feet. Does anyone by any chance have any idea what they are doing it for (that is, if there is any reason for it)? If I had to guess, the only reasons I could think of are a weird muscular spasm, or some kind of communication.


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## Gocubs (Apr 23, 2012)

They vibrate the ground to get small prey items to move while hunting.


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## B-NICE (Jul 15, 2011)

Thats something to do with feeding. A morse code for the tongue...


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## OSU (Nov 10, 2008)

Gocubs said:


> They vibrate the ground to get small prey items to move while hunting.


Yeah I see my frogs do the toe tapping when they are on the hunt for food.


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## MonarchzMan (Oct 23, 2006)

Gocubs said:


> They vibrate the ground to get small prey items to move while hunting.


I personally don't quite buy that. I liken it to when a dog wags its tail. It happens when they're stimulated. I've seen them tap when courting, and they're certainly not trying to scare up food then.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.


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## Arpeggio (Jan 15, 2011)

Maybe it's adrenaline? When I do a performance, my hands get really shakey, that's kinda what they look like lol. They're so excited for food!


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## bristles (Jan 19, 2011)

there are a number of threads on this behavior, don't think there is definitive answer just hypotheses. If only we could only speak frog


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Sloggett, J. J., & Zeilstra, I. (2008). Waving or tapping? Vibrational stimuli and the general function of toe twitching in frogs and toads (Amphibia: Anura). _Animal Behaviour_, _76_(5), e1-e4.

Implied potential result...An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie 

Some comments 

Ed


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

MonarchzMan said:


> I've seen them tap when courting, and they're certainly not trying to scare up food then.


Are they tapping in time with a Barry White song?


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## MonarchzMan (Oct 23, 2006)

jacobi said:


> Are they tapping in time with a Barry White song?


Actually, it's more to "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang, which is particularly strange given that they're amphibians.


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## stu&shaz (Nov 19, 2009)

MonarchzMan said:


> Actually, it's more to "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang, which is particularly strange given that they're amphibians.


It's not really strange JP they are just aspiring drummers,look closely and you'll see triple flam paradiddles all over the shop,it is the reason a simple guy like me is able to communicate with them. 

Ed,its not about moving bugs,my friend, all my frogs are eating turkey tomorrow,you should have seen the rhythms they kicked out when i told them, stuff the ruddy flies was the response .


thanks for the help with our frogs both
merry chrimbo

Stu


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