This species occurs in primary terra firme forest and white-sand forest, also known as “varillal” (Brcko et al. 2013, Cusi et al. 2020). Individuals are usually active at night and observed on vegetation 0.4–1.8 m above the ground, or under roots of bushes, bromeliads or bamboo hollows. Similar to most of its congeners, this species likely lays eggs which develop directly into metamorphosed juveniles (Wiens et al. 2007).

This taxon has changed from a catchall name used for specimens from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Brazil into a species restricted to terra-firme forests in northern Peru, between the rivers Nanay in the north, Tigre and Marañon in the south, and Amazon in the west. Following morphological examination of Bolitoglossa in Amazonian Brazil, some subpopulations previously thought to belong to this species and Bolitoglossa paraensis have been assigned to Bolitoglossa caldwellae, B. madeira and B. tapajonica (Brcko et al. 2013). Further molecular and morphological analyses of the B. altamazonica species complex restricted the taxon to Amazonian Peru in Loreto Department from the following five localities: 1) Nauta, 2) Sucusari River, 3) Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve, 4) Lago Avispas, and 5) Jenaro Herrera (Cusi et al. 2020, Jaramillo et al. 2020). All other subpopulations are now considered to belong to unnamed species within this complex, and have been coded as 'Presence Uncertain' until further taxonomic work has been carried out. It occurs mainly at lower elevations (102–132 m asl).