[3] Isthmohyla debilis occurs in the lower reaches of cloud forests at 910–1,450 m (2,990–4,760 ft) above sea level.

It is an arboreal species but associated with low vegetation overhanging small montane streams, not far above the water surface.

[1] This species has declined dramatically: it is rare and possibly extinct in Costa Rica, and while observations are still made in Panama, they are decreasing in frequency.

Many of the earlier records come from protected areas (e.g., Fortuna Forest Reserve in Panama).

Habitat loss caused by agriculture, logging, and human settlement represent additional threats.