Several years ago, a friend told me he had a present for me and handed me a box. It was a big box and really light, so the first thing I did was shake it. He promptly freaked out and told me to open it carefully. When I opened it, a terrified skinny little frog with big eyes stared back at me and I was instantly in love.

This friend knew I had always wanted a pet frog but was intimidated by the care, so he kind of forced it on me haha. That night, I went out and spent $200 on frog supplies, which I later learned was all wrong and had to spend more money to fix it. She grew quickly and I named her Paddy. She ate from my fingers and climbed onto my hand whenever I was working on things in the tank. She inspired a love for frogs in me and it wasn't long before I added to my collection.

Every spring, she would get really eggy, but I never bred her because I didn't know if I had the heart to cull several hundred eggs and certainly knew I couldn't care for and find homes for them all. She always resorbed them and it was no big concern.

However, this spring, she did not resorb her eggs as quickly as usual. I was not very concerned because I had read that frogs getting eggbound was pretty much a myth and no one had ever seen an actual case. However, I learned that wasn't true. By the time I realized that it was going to be an issue this time, it was too late to save her. The vet said there was nothing that could be done except to euthanize and release her from her pain.


This is, and I think will forever be, my hardest frog loss.