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Re: MOTW - Apr 29-May 5 2012 - Autumn (Frogluver)
Sorry about missing Tuesday…..I didn’t have time to write anything as I had several end of the year assignments due for school. So here is an entry meant for yesterday…..
I became interested in frogs when I first saw one back in 2000. Previously, I had never see a frog before and when I saw my first frog, I instantly fell in love! The frog I saw was the Wood frog, the only amphibian found in Alaska’s interior; I so was fascinated by its elegance and beauty, that I stood there and stared at it for the longest time. And when it hopped away into the tall grass ad broke the spell of captivation, I stared a hobby that is still with me now…..herping!!
I didn’t own any frogs until 2006. But in those 6 years before then, I did tons of research on all kinds of frogs. In school, I was even known as the “Frog brain”! When my parents finial gave in to letting me keep some frogs—I enticed them into letting me get some, with a proposal of doing a science experiment involving frogs and feeding habits hehe— I got…..can you guess….Wood Frogs!! I found 4—two females, one male, and one juvenile—in our yard and set up a 20gal for the 3 adults and a 10 gal for the juvenile, after acquiring a permit to do so (Wood frogs are protect in the state). I documented their behaviors for about a year and half and kept a record on how to care for them, since I couldn't find a decent care sheet anywhere online. My interests soon changed however when my juvenile turned out to be a male and started to vocalize in 2007. I then became interested in vocalization behaviors! Now, I’m doing a science project with 4 new wood frogs (as my original pals are no longer with me *sigh*) in which I induce vocalization in Wood frogs in response to a mating chorus.
In the near future, I see more frogs and lots of research projects too lol!!
In keeping Wood frogs for 7 years and in keeping records, I am currently working on a Wood frog care sheet. I have learned a lot about over the years. Unfortunately, I have not yet had the chance to mate them, but am planning on doing so in the near future. There would be quite a bit of planning involved, as here in the state of Alaska it is against the law to sell Wood frogs—wild caught or captive bred—and once captured you are not allowed to release any Wood frogs back into the wild. So if I did mate Wood frogs, I would either have to keep all the tads (no problem with me) or give them to the local university or fish and game office. But in carrying out this recent experiment, I have found that it should be relatively easy to breed Wood frogs.
Today I have a total of 5 frogs…..4 male Wood frogs and 1 Whites tree frog. My 4 Wood frogs are named as follows (My 4 Wood frogs are named):
1). Lil’ Porker—because he is the biggest and fattest male wood frog I have ever had in captivity
2). Lil’ Piggy—because of his ravenous eating habits
3). Digger—named because he is rarely seen out in the open and prefers in hide under the moss
4). Baby Jr.—he was sooo tiny when I found him that the name Baby was not a name “small” enough to describe his diminutive size lol!
My Whites Tree frog is named Hubbie Macgrubber (thats hue-bee Mick-groo-ber). When I first got him, I had no idea what to name him. So my family helped out and we came up with Hubbie (which is a combination of hugs and cuttie) and Macgrubber which is the SNL version of MacGyver haha!
I love my frogs dearly!! And I so glad that I found this site last year when browsing the internet for frog websites. I have learned a lot as a member on this forum and enjoy helping others with their frog-related needs!!
-Autumn
(4.0.0)
