A Devastating Day for Pyxie Project: Warning Graphic Image

[pixiefrogman]

So sorry for your loss. After taking such good care of the frogs, I can only imagine how you feel when one passes.

[Jeff Kennedy]

Thanks guys for all the condolences. We are starting the day today, trying to be optimistic, but I can't say that it feels much better. We are mad that we lost one of our prime specimens to some freak thing and we are on edge now, waiting for it to happen again. After rearing all of the froglets out of that fragile, froglet stage, we thought that we were in the clear with these guys now. I hope you are right Jo-Anna. I hope this is the worst that we will experience because this alone has been a severe blow to our morale. After all of the endless hours that we put in daily on the project alone, I'm not sure if we can withstand another blow such as this. Ugh.......sooooooooo frustrating.

[Jace]

Jeff, any project as big as this is going to have a few glitches and unfortunately, a few that just don't make it. In this case, I honestly think there is nothing you could have done and not knowing how to prevent it really bites. Now, if you were just doing this for the research, you could shrug it off and act like nothing happened. You guys care, and because of that, this hurts and you will feel it for a while. However, if you look at all those other little faces, you know you willl continue. Not because you have to but because you want to. You two are doing something really great. P17 and all the others is proof of that. One day soon you are going to succeed at your goal. Not at having a 10" legend (though that will be very cool and a definite bonus!), but being surrounded by healthy, happy, frogs. Wait-it's already happened...I've seen the pictures.

[Jeff Kennedy]

Thank you Jo-Anna. You comfort me like my own mother . That is if my own mother actually cared about frogs or understood the weight of this blow. It's getting a little better. This afternoon we replaced P17's enclosure with P31. We decided to retire P17's number for the study because too much data had already been compiled for him and too much work had went in to producing him. P31 is a very, very fiesty male. He was a part of our control group that was only being offered gut loaded crickets as food. We still had to change his water dish daily but there hasn't been a whole lot of hands on contact with him. Today when I went to re-house him, he filled up with air, hissed and jumped a good 10" straight up in the air trying to nip at me!!! At least he's going to make this interesting. It was a nice distraction to say the least.

[Jace]

Hmmm, your mother, eh? Well, at least you didn't say grandmother! I'm only 32 after all!! Sounds like P31 is going to keep you on your toes. My female does the same thing-she hisses so loud my cat poofed herself up and growled at her one time. Get Ella to count all your fingers after all dealings with him-it's one thing to put your heart into it, but not actually body parts!

[Jeff Kennedy]

Ugh......(removing foot from mouth). That my lady, is why you should put your age in your profile. I am also 32 so feel free to call me Dad It must just be that norturing vibe that you have.

[Jace]

Lol-no worries. My 13 year old says I nag. I like the term nurturing much better-even if it makes me seem old beyond my years. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to roll my hair into a bun (NOT), slip into my home-made apron (like I can sew!) and stockings (sexy, I know), and find my bi-focals (and me dentures!) and go feed some frogs....

[Mercedesherp]

Jeff,
You may want to consider gastric overload as a potential causitive in this frogs death.
If the stomach of the frog is overly full it can have a significant impact upon normal digestive system function and influence the frogs biological systems ability to process and release the potential toxins potentially generated by this overload.
The reduction of blood flow, and the compression of vital organs because of gastric overload are worthy of your consideration.
It would be nice if you were able to include a link in your posts regarding your pyxie
project for reference.
I would hope that you understand, that in your endeavour to approach a 10" svl animal,
you understand that the entirety of the frogs normal lifespan is needed. ( many years)

Hank