# southern variabilis calling question



## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

I have a trio of southerns that are around 7-8 months. I have had calling from the tank since the first part of October. The frogs have become much more shy since then as well. I have never seen which frog is calling, and I'm not sure if its only one. Will males call if there are only other males in the tank? Or does it mean I have at least one female because I am hearing calling? 
Thanks
PJ


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## repking26 (Mar 12, 2012)

To figure out which one is the male, is it at all possible for you to separate them into their own smaller enclosiers to see which one is actually doing the calling. You may have a trio of two males and a female, or most likely 3 males since they all are hiding after the calling occurred. Your best bet is to separate them to find out, or just sit there all day and try and catch a glimpse of the one that is doing the calling. Good luck!


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## easternversant (Sep 4, 2012)

They also could be more 'shy' as a result of a dip in temperature. Just speculation, I don't know if there have been temp changes in your viv.


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

I'm wondering this very same thing. I have 1.0.1 nominants that are about 4-5 months old and started getting calling from one of them last week. I managed to spot the caller (through a shadow on the underside of a bromeliad leaf) but they are too shy to actually see exactly which one it is.


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

Well, I guess I have a partial answer to my question. I found a gelatinous mass on the tank glass with 4-5 small dots in it. Looks a lot like eggs!  Of course they are completely inaccessible so I will watch and see if the male transports any tads in the near future.


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

Got any tank pics? Very odd that they laid on the glass, at least in my experience. Mine seem to prefer film cans on about a 20 deg slope with a little water in the back. They lay almost exclusively in cans for me. If you don't have any film cans, ad some!


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

I've got a few film cans in the tank. My background has pulled away from the back glass and the frogs have been hanging out back there. There is a spot that is a little wider above the water line that the eggs were laid. I just noticed recently that the frogs were back there and I was going to pull the frogs out and try to sex them in separate container while I redid the background. Luckily for the frogs it is easy in and out to the main part of the tank.


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

Ill get picks tomorrow when lights go back on


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

pgravis said:


> Well, I guess I have a partial answer to my question. I found a gelatinous mass on the tank glass with 4-5 small dots in it. Looks a lot like eggs! Of course they are completely inaccessible so I will watch and see if the male transports any tads in the near future.


I agree with Doug, very weird for them to lay on the glass. Out of curiosity, what line are you working with? Understory Enterprises or Stewart?


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## ZookeeperDoug (Jun 5, 2011)

Adam, I thought there was no such thing as a "Stewart Line"?


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

They are understory. I may be second guessing the eggs. Ill try and get pics up soon to see what the consensus is


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

Crappy cell phone pics but I think they are discernible


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## reptiles12 (Jul 18, 2012)

those are eggs my good sir


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

ZookeeperDoug said:


> Adam, I thought there was no such thing as a "Stewart Line"?


There isn't but people still sell them as Southerns so I thought I'd ask. Since his line is actually the highlands, it would make more sense if they laid on the glass, as that population does that sometimes.

Those are definitely eggs, nice job!


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

Yeah, those are eggs. How old are your frogs? If you look at the leftmost egg, you can see development already...almost as if it was laid at a previous time.


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

Frogs are around 7-8 months ootw. What is it, like 2 weeks to hatch from the eggs?


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## Tinctoc (Sep 15, 2012)

pgravis said:


> Frogs are around 7-8 months ootw. What is it, like 2 weeks to hatch from the eggs?


Roughly, yes.


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## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

Most of my thumbnails become reclusive when they have tadpoles in the tank. You may already have missed their first clutch.

Just a thought, Richard.


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## whitethumb (Feb 5, 2011)

congrats, mine laid eggs too and all were bad. glad to see at least one of yours developed. this was over three weeks ago and they havent laid since


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## whitethumb (Feb 5, 2011)

wait, just checked and theres eggs in a white canister..... yes!!!!


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## RichardSimm (Dec 10, 2012)

This is the specie that I have chosen to be my first experience with PDFs I only hope I have as much luck as the rest of you have had . does anyone know which line Saurians.net offers he had some stunning sub adults available. I am planning on setting up an exo-terra 18x18x18 and starting off with a group of 4 frogs . Any advice from you experienced keepers ? 

Congrats on the eggs everyone cant wait to work with these beautiful little frogs. 

Cheers
Richard


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

According to the site they are "Green" variabilis, which I believe are from the INIBICO project? When they were brought in some called them "Yellow" and some called them "Green" but thankfully now we just call them Highlands. That is, if they are the same frogs.

The only line of Southerns are from Understory Enterprises. Sean Stewart brought some in from Europe, but they are positively NOT actual Southerns.


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## RichardSimm (Dec 10, 2012)

Thanks I was just reading his care sheet info and he was calling them "Nominal" I was jut running through Broms and such deciding on the 5 Broms I want to use in in their Viv. I just need to pick out 3 ground cover plants and I will be set on my plants. Now I just have to get the funding together. Planing on planting setting up the viv after the first of the year then getting my R. Variabilis in late Feb or march after I have gotten my Microfauna and plants established. wanting to work with a group of 4-6.

Cheer 
Richard


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## reptiles12 (Jul 18, 2012)

this just makes me more excited for my new build! im building a 180 currently and will be putting 8-12 southerns in there.


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## RichardSimm (Dec 10, 2012)

Nick,
Where are you getting your southern from? I would much rather have them over the Highland. I have heard from mot everyone that they are much bolder.

Cheers
Richard


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

They are much bolder. Your best bet is Understory, but others that regularly have them available are JohnC, InnoEcto, and myself.


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## RichardSimm (Dec 10, 2012)

Any chance you will have any in march of 2013 ?


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## whitethumb (Feb 5, 2011)

they're awesome frogs for sure


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

Happy to report I found another clutch of eggs, this time on a brom leaf. I am hoping I start getting some viable eggs! I guess it's time to start reading up on how to raise the eggs and tadpoles!


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## johnc (Oct 9, 2009)

I've always got Southern variabilis available. Just let me know.


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## pgravis (Dec 29, 2010)

Well, after a couple of batches of eggs on glass and hard to reach brom leaves, they finally laid in a film can. And today I pulled my first batch of eggs!! I'm hoping in 2 weeks to have a couple of tads going.


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