# Frogs with a Quiet/Moderate Call



## Malachite047 (Mar 27, 2019)

Hello! So I have an unoccupied 18x18x24 tank. Do you guys know about any dart frogs with a quiet/moderate call that would be suitable for the tank? I’ll do research on each individually mentioned species but I can’t seem to find much of a reference for which dart frogs are loud, moderate, quiet, etc. 

I know there’s a few thumbnail species that are pretty quiet. And I was thinking about the “bumblebee” dart frogs but after listening to some of their calls on YouTube I’m worried they’d be too loud. Opinions? 

I don’t mind calls at all but my housemates wouldn’t like anything obnoxiously loud.


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## BigBlu (Jul 24, 2019)

I'm still learning about it myself but having a pair of Tincs I can say firsthand if you're looking for a quiet frog with a lot of personality, you can't go wrong with Tinctorious .

Males do call but it's so low frequency you can't even hear it- I watched my male do it once and initially I didn't even realize he was calling because I couldn't hear it through the tank.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

Leucs are louder than imitators, and much louder than vanzolinii.

They don't (usually...) call in the middle of the night, though, and the calls really are pleasant (I think ). I accidentally brought a gray tree frog into the house a couple years ago when I brought my orchids in for the winter (into my bedroom). Holy moly, they are freakin loud!


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## kimcmich (Jan 17, 2016)

Greetings,

I have R. imitator varadero and their call, while clearly audible outside the viv, is rather pleasant - a sound between a cricket's and a bird's chirp. They don't call at night after the lights go out. Guests who hear it always say something along the lines of "That's a frog? How nice!"


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## PBM3000 (Oct 4, 2019)

kimcmich said:


> Greetings,
> 
> I have R. imitator varadero and their call, while clearly audible outside the viv, is rather pleasant - a sound between a cricket's and a bird's chirp. They don't call at night after the lights go out. Guests who hear it always say something along the lines of "That's a frog? How nice!"


Would you say they're audible in the _next room_? My wife (the Boss) is having kittens at the prospect of them being "LOUD and irritating". Varadero are top my list, call dependant. I have a tank (as opposed to a front-opening viv) so that may be a limiting factor.


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

I would steer clear of Leucomelas, Terribilis, Anthonyii, Ameerega (at least pepperi) and most obligates (Oophaga species). I can hear all of those easily from the other room. Ranitomeya are a mixed bag. I don't hear my Fantastica very often, but I do hear my Vanzolini, but I don't mind them at all. No experience with Imitators. Tincs and Auratus are probably some of the most quiet frogs you would come across. 

Some frogs are fairly loud, but I don't count them as especially annoying. I guess that's in the ear of the hearer, but some frog calls are more potentially annoying to me than others. I like the more chirpy or melodious ones a lot more than the harsher sounding ones, but I don't hate any of them and rather enjoy it when they are all going before a storm or whatnot. I factor the call into any decision I make when deciding whether to buy a frog and it is usually a positive if it has an audible call, especially if it's different than the sounds that come from my current collection 

Mark


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## davecalk (Dec 17, 2008)

Encyclia said:


> I would steer clear of Leucomelas, Terribilis, Anthonyii, Ameerega (at least pepperi) and most obligates (Oophaga species). I can hear all of those easily from the other room. Ranitomeya are a mixed bag. I don't hear my Fantastica very often, but I do hear my Vanzolini, but I don't mind them at all. No experience with Imitators. Tincs and Auratus are probably some of the most quiet frogs you would come across.
> 
> Some frogs are fairly loud, but I don't count them as especially annoying. I guess that's in the ear of the hearer, but some frog calls are more potentially annoying to me than others. I like the more chirpy or melodious ones a lot more than the harsher sounding ones, but I don't hate any of them and rather enjoy it when they are all going before a storm or whatnot. I factor the call into any decision I make when deciding whether to buy a frog and it is usually a positive if it has an audible call, especially if it's different than the sounds that come from my current collection
> 
> Mark


As Mark said, beauty is in the ear of the beholder. Personally I love the trill of Leucs. Yes, they are a bit louder, but their call is melodious, beautiful and I like being able hear them in their tank. It brings the call of nature into my home. Go onto youtube to listen to them yourself. Then invite the Boss listen with you which can win her to your cause and help you decide.


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## PBM3000 (Oct 4, 2019)

Went one better and took her to a store today. She listened to a thumbnail which I thought had a 'moderate' and very pretty call... she said "not a chance!".

My dream thumbnail is Ranitomeya imitator Varadero which has what I consider a moderate to loud chirrup like a bird so she'll not accept it in the house. Fortunately, there's the very closely marked Amazonica which has a rasp, rather than a call (and which shouldn't carry through the house) so I'll settle for some of those.


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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

PBM3000 said:


> Went one better and took her to a store today. She listened to a thumbnail which I thought had a 'moderate' and very pretty call... she said "not a chance!".
> 
> My dream thumbnail is Ranitomeya imitator Varadero which has what I consider a moderate to loud chirrup like a bird so she'll not accept it in the house. Fortunately, there's the very closely marked Amazonica which has a rasp, rather than a call (and which shouldn't carry through the house) so I'll settle for some of those.


Do you have a garage she could live in? 

If this is for your 55, the amazonica might be the better choice anyway, as they are a better bet for keeping in groups. I have a couple vivs of imitators, and I would not keep them in groups -- aggression issues.


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## PBM3000 (Oct 4, 2019)

Socratic Monologue said:


> Do you have a garage she could live in?


Working on it! 

Thanks. I'd go with tincs (Green Sips or Surinam Cobalt as they're colourful enough) but having a limit of 3 in a 55g would seem 'sparse'.


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## Skidd (Nov 30, 2016)

I have green sips and they make a very quiet call, almost a buzz. Now that I recognize it I can hear from another room, but not if there is much ambient noise. My Leucs are much louder and cricket like. I love when it’s stormy out and they sing like crazy.


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## johnachilli (Feb 8, 2007)

Socratic Monologue said:


> Do you have a garage she could live in?
> 
> If this is for your 55, the amazonica might be the better choice anyway, as they are a better bet for keeping in groups. I have a couple vivs of imitators, and I would not keep them in groups -- aggression issues.


Agreed, as well as variabilis and fantastica. Both do well in groups as well and have fairly quiet calls.


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## RobJersey (Apr 23, 2019)

I was concerned with loud calls when I first started.. so I got tincs.. mainly because of the quiet call.. plus they are awesome. I’ve since acquired a few others. My ameeraga I’ve not heard yet. My phyllobates vittatus which many say are one of the louder frogs really aren’t that loud / disturbing as I ever expected. Same with my bi color. To a person who only has YouTube video where it seems like they put a mic directly on the frog sometimes it can seem like omg this thing will never let me sleep..

I’d equate my tincs to something like a phone vibrating on a couch pillow. My fants / vents to a cricket outside with a storm door closed. The phyllobates are like a microwave beeping that it’s done from the other room. Most YouTube videos show door open with mic pointing at them.. with the door close I think it’s much more tolerable. They are pleasant and we watch tv in the same room with all the frogs. They only call certain times a day.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I have leucs in a standard aquarium with a glass top. You can hear the calls from outside the tank, but it's not anything too loud or disruptive. This might not be the case for a vented tank though.


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## sethandrew (Oct 21, 2019)

In the dart word Tincs = Quiet

Although I would argue there are no truly "loud" darts if you are comparing with other species of frogs... Coqui comes to minds as being LOUD


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## Raven Woodshaunter (Feb 21, 2017)

Tinctorius are VERY quiet. If you are interested in thumbnails, I'd go with any of the Amazonicas or Fantasticas.


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## Fedors (Nov 13, 2019)

I couldn't hear it through the tank.


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## Fullmoonwanderer (Nov 14, 2019)

Like the others said, tincts are super quiet, a very low and barely audible buzz. But darts are diurnal so they wouldn’t bother you while you’re trying to sleep. On the other hand of the spectrum I’ve heard teribillis have super loud calls.


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