Creck-eck from Alaska

[Molch]

Hiya,
I'm Claudia, and I'm a biologist from Nome, Alaska. Although I study mammals these days, I've been an amphibian lover since childhood. I keep newts but am interested in frogs also.

My only frog resident currently is a small Pacific chorus frog who was given to me by folks who received him accidentally in their organic veggie box. He was hiding in the kale. He's very cute and engaging and has already grown 1/8th of an inch (he's 7/8th inch long) on his diet of crickets, flies and drosophila.

I might be interested in getting a few more of them to start a breeding group in the future.

a question to you experts: can you tell the sex of a Pacific chorus frog at 7/8th inch long? His throat appears beige and not overly wrinkled - female?

[Jace]

Hi, Claudia and welcome to the Forum. I have 7 Pacific Chorus frogs myself, and I love this species. 7/8th of an inch is still a bit small to definitely sex, but if you post a picture, we can always give it a try. Have you heard any pips or squeaks at all? I have one young one now trying out his vocals, and it's very cute to hear-he's about an inch long. What exactly are you studying in Alaska?

[Molch]

Thanks Jo-Anna!
I study mainly muskoxen and caribou . And no, froggie hasn't uttered any vocals. But I love watching him /her swing through the vines hunting fruit flies. Cute as sin.

[Kurt]

Welcome aboard.

[Jace]

Sounds like you have a pretty neat job. I've only seen muskoxen and caribou on t.v.-it must really be something to see them up close and personal. The closest I've come to an animal remotely like that is a moose, and I don't know who was more startled, me or him!!

I've included a picture of my male PCF, Yoki, so you can see what his throat looks like. If your froglets' throat starts to darken and wrinkle, then he is a boy; if it stays relatively smooth and white in colour, then female. Yoki is a very portly boy and can get vocal enough at 2 AM to wake up the whole house.

[Molch]

Jo-anna - that's one handsome big honkin' boy. How big is he?

I posted pics of mine in the tree frog forum (they are in the Hylidae family, or not?)
cheers Claudia

[Jace]

I just saw your pictures-beautiful colouring! I have one of my froglets that likes to bounce back and forth from Yoki's colouring to a beautiful green. I also have a couple of froglets that are golden bronze in colour.

Yoki is about 2" long...and 2" wide too!! He was about an inch when I got him, so he has plumped up nicely. The picture I included below is of my female, Taiki. She was smaller than an inch when I was gifted with her and she is now almost as big as Yoki. I also have 5 froglets all around 1" long that I have not positively sexed yet.

[Molch]

I love those subtle beige tones on your girl. My fella doesn't change color much - except from bright green to more of an olive green when sleeping.

[JimO]

Those are great pictures. I love it.

Welcome to the forum Molch. Forgive the dumb question, but are there even any frogs native to Alaska?

Sounds like you have a pretty neat job. I've only seen muskoxen and caribou on t.v.-it must really be something to see them up close and personal. The closest I've come to an animal remotely like that is a moose, and I don't know who was more startled, me or him!!

I've included a picture of my male PCF, Yoki, so you can see what his throat looks like. If your froglets' throat starts to darken and wrinkle, then he is a boy; if it stays relatively smooth and white in colour, then female. Yoki is a very portly boy and can get vocal enough at 2 AM to wake up the whole house.

[Molch]

Welcome to the forum Molch. Forgive the dumb question, but are there even any frogs native to Alaska?

yes there are, though our herping opportunities are a bit, um, limited.
The only wide-spread herp is the wood frog, but in southeast Alaska there are also boreal toads, rough-skinned newts and a few Ambystoma macrodactylums.

However, where I live, in Nome in NW Alaska (Arctic tundra), we are completely herp less. You' d have to go at least about 100 miles east to find wood frogs

[Jace]

You know, I just learned something new today. I didn't even know Alaska had any native frogs, so thanks for that!

Taiki, like you're little one, was a stowaway, too. She snuck into a friends camping gear and made a trip from the B.C. coast to where I live. I guess even small frogs like to travel!!