Pink Agalychnis callidryas

[Gerards]

Wow thanks for pointing that the frog was outside ...didnt even know it was a video. You just exposed your frog to a lot of harmful diseases, parasites, viruses, and bacteria. Ouch.

I don't understand what you mean, how did I do that?

[CJ PELCHER]

Gerard,

There are many microorganisms harmful to frogs outside of the enclosure. Especially OUTSIDE THE HOUSE! Especially since yours is captive bred it does not have the immune system that the wild frogs have to withstand the outside harmful bacteria, viruses, fungus's and heck even pesticides will kill a frog. All those harmful microorganisms, chemicals are abundant outside the enclosure you normally would house them in. Captive bred frogs although are healthier, can handle more stress, there immune system is not as strong as a wild frog and may die faster when exposed to those conditions. I hope your little one didn't run into that nasty stuff, but I would HIGHLY recommend you Never do that again. Trust me I know first hand about the worst that can happen with the sicknesses the surround the outside wild world of frogs. It is NOT FUN. Also your frog looks very thin. Are you feeding him/her daily? Your frog is still in a juvenile stage and needs to eat daily. Do you dust with calcium and vitamins? Also would you please share who was the breeder of this frog. This is extremely rare on the forum. As much information you can share about your frog will help you and even other froggers.

For example this is a fungus that is deadly to frogs and has killed 40% of frogs world wide. Chytridiomychosis
Here is a virus that is endemic to north america as well: Ranavirus
Pesiticides can even kill frogs on contact. Please read this article from mother jones!
Fertilizer can even kill frogs. Do you fertilize any your plants or lawn? Do your neighbors? Are you downhill and a runoff from your neighbors?
Parasites outside your house can cause this! Even inside your enclosure if you do not clean your enclosure on the regular!

Sincerely,

Corey

[Gerards]

Gerard,

There are many microorganisms harmful to frogs outside of the enclosure. Especially OUTSIDE THE HOUSE! Especially since yours is captive bred it does not have the immune system that the wild frogs have to withstand the outside harmful bacteria, viruses, fungus's and heck even pesticides will kill a frog. All those harmful microorganisms, chemicals are abundant outside the enclosure you normally would house them in. Captive bred frogs although are healthier, can handle more stress, there immune system is not as strong as a wild frog and may die faster when exposed to those conditions. I hope your little one didn't run into that nasty stuff, but I would HIGHLY recommend you Never do that again. Trust me I know first hand about the worst that can happen with the sicknesses the surround the outside wild world of frogs. It is NOT FUN. Also your frog looks very thin. Are you feeding him/her daily? Your frog is still in a juvenile stage and needs to eat daily. Do you dust with calcium and vitamins? Also would you please share who was the breeder of this frog. This is extremely rare on the forum. As much information you can share about your frog will help you and even other froggers.

For example this is a fungus that is deadly to frogs and has killed 40% of frogs world wide. Chytridiomychosis
Here is a virus that is endemic to north america as well: Ranavirus
Pesiticides can even kill frogs on contact. Please read this article from mother jones!
Fertilizer can even kill frogs. Do you fertilize any your plants or lawn? Do your neighbors? Are you downhill and a runoff from your neighbors?
Parasites outside your house can cause this! Even inside your enclosure if you do not clean your enclosure on the regular!

Sincerely,

Corey

Thank you for the response, and I'm very much aware of this information. However, I do keep many species of frogs outside, during the spring and summer, with no problems at all. I have done all my breeding, of tree frogs, outside in enclousers designed specifically for it. I grow all my plants, organically, and with no chemicals. I have 100's of amphibians, and produced thousands this year. I'm very aware of the environmental conditions, both inside and out, and keep control of both.

These came out of our melanistic agalychnis, randomly occurring, and will be breed to each other, and every other morph, next spring to try and understand the gene. This is what I do everyday, and I appreciate your concern, but you can't argue with success. Good luck!

[CJ PELCHER]

What do you do with these thousands of offspring? I cant believe this is YOUR offspring. Incredible in a good way. Im still very skeptical of the outdoor raising unless its in greenhouse setting. Only thing is melanistic animals is a adaptation for the animal. For example the black panther. This was an adaptation that the panther had to be able to hunt more efficiently at night.
What your doing is not adaptive its being forced by selective breeding.
Typically, adaptive melanism is a heritable dominant gene which is entirely or nearly expressed in the pheonotype is responsible for the excessive amount of melanin. I have been doing a fair amount of research on this. I also found out this is found in humans. Recently watched a documentary that some if not all white people originated from Africa and had a black skin pigmentation. Ill dig up the documentary for you. Its some really neat stuff! Human skin is repeatedly exposed to UV radiation that influences the function and survival of many cell types and is regarded as the main causative factor in the indication of skin cancer. Some believe that melanin somehow blocks the vitamin D absorption. However evidence about this is not clear. Ive learned that melanin has several physiological roles in maintaining health, such as the synthesis of vitamin D. (Very important to frogs), which is the primary determinant of the degree of skin pigmentation and protects the body from harmful UV Radiation. However since this individual was bred with 2 melanistics already. Id love to see how these guys survive. I already know off hand the black (some call purple) agalychnis are a stronger gene just based on science and other keepers of the black morph. However I'm not sure sure of this new gene you made. I think to much of a good thing may be a very BAD thing, however your going to be the first person to find out on this specific species. I applaud you on getting that opportunity. Please keep us updated on this. Id love to learn about this and your processes of natural selection. You earn a reputation bar for this. Look forward to hearing about your work.

Very Respectively,

Corey

[Gerards]

What do you do with these thousands of offspring? I cant believe this is YOUR offspring. Incredible in a good way. Im still very skeptical of the outdoor raising unless its in greenhouse setting.

Google my screen name and albino, I have several different morphs of Chelonia and Amphibians. All of my offspring, I produce more turtles then frogs, go into the pet trade, mostly HK. All the Purple/Black/Melanistic, what ever you want to call them, came from the same original breeder many years ago. These two and 3 others popped out of that line. It happens all the time in any species that have recessive, or other, genetic morphs.

The new cages we are building are for living outside, year round. I'm in south Florida, it's perfect weather here all but a few months out of the year. The new cages will have green house frames but only have the plastic the few months of cold we get. The way we do it now, and still will for some species, is only done in spring and summer.
This is how the new cages look, recycled from old turtle raising polys, and made in 5' and 8' diameters. They can be made as tall as needed, 6' is what we will be using. I like how they're working so far and will be heavily planted inside and around the whole outside. It's going to be fun to sit and watch.

This is is the first, there will be five more. I will post pics for you once they're all in a row, planted, and have the green house frame up. I hope this helps you understand, don't be afraid to go outside.

[CJ PELCHER]

Google my screen name and albino, I have several different morphs of Chelonia and Amphibians. All of my offspring, I produce more turtles then frogs, go into the pet trade, mostly HK. All the Purple/Black/Melanistic, what ever you want to call them, came from the same original breeder many years ago. These two and 3 others popped out of that line. It happens all the time in any species that have recessive, or other, genetic morphs.

The new cages we are building are for living outside, year round. I'm in south Florida, it's perfect weather here all but a few months out of the year. The new cages will have green house frames but only have the plastic the few months of cold we get. The way we do it now, and still will for some species, is only done in spring and summer.
This is how the new cages look, recycled from old turtle raising polys, and made in 5' and 8' diameters. They can be made as tall as needed, 6' is what we will be using. I like how they're working so far and will be heavily planted inside and around the whole outside. It's going to be fun to sit and watch.

This is is the first, there will be five more. I will post pics for you once they're all in a row, planted, and have the green house frame up. I hope this helps you understand, don't be afraid to go outside.

This is INCREDIBLE!! WOW!

[Heatheranne]

They are really beautiful, Gerards .

[Gerards]

They are really beautiful, Gerards .

Thank you very much. The plant in the picture is equally cool, christia obcordata. I have been doing some clippings of it and have a good amount now, it should be planted everywhere, looks like butterfly's. I also have some christia vespertilionis, the other species, starting now. They're going to look cool in and around the frog enclousers.

[CJ PELCHER]

I have that plant in my azureus and imitator enclosures. Grows like a weed.