▁ ▁Distribution ▁and ▁habitat ▁Red - ey ed ▁tree f ro gs ▁inhab it ▁areas ▁near ▁rivers ▁and ▁p onds ▁in ▁rain for ests ▁and ▁hum id ▁low lands ▁on ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁s lop es ▁from ▁southern ▁Ver ac ru z ▁and ▁northern ▁O ax aca ▁in ▁Mexico , ▁to ▁central ▁Pan ama ▁and ▁northern ▁Colombia . ▁They ▁also ▁live ▁on ▁the ▁Pacific ▁slope ▁in ▁south western ▁Nic ar agua ▁and ▁south western ▁Costa ▁Rica ▁to ▁eastern ▁Pan ama . ▁The ▁optim um ▁temperature ▁for ▁red - ey ed ▁tree f ro gs ▁is ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁day time , ▁and ▁ ▁at ▁night . ▁ ▁Be havior ▁Ph yll omed us ine ▁tree f ro gs ▁are ▁ar b ore al , ▁meaning ▁they ▁spend ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁their ▁lives ▁in ▁trees ; ▁they ▁are ▁excellent ▁jump ers . ▁Red - ey ed ▁tree f ro gs ▁are ▁not ▁poison ous ▁and ▁rely ▁on ▁cam ou fl age ▁to ▁protect ▁themselves . ▁During ▁the ▁day , ▁they ▁remain ▁motion less , ▁cover ▁their ▁blue ▁sides ▁with ▁their ▁back ▁legs , ▁t uck ▁their ▁bright ▁feet ▁under ▁their ▁bel lies , ▁and ▁shut ▁their ▁red ▁eyes . ▁Thus , ▁they ▁appear ▁almost ▁completely ▁green , ▁and ▁well ▁hidden ▁among ▁the ▁fol i age . ▁The ▁large ▁red ▁eyes ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁def ensive ▁adaptation ▁through ▁de im atic ▁behaviour . ▁When ▁a ▁red - ey ed ▁tree f rog ▁detect s ▁an ▁approaching ▁pred ator , ▁it ▁ab rupt ly ▁opens ▁its ▁eyes