Too many frogs dying

[clownonfire]

This is a very important thread. It's good to lay all the facts out in the open, sobering as they are.

I think it might be a good idea to add some kind of checklist or pre-screening for froggy ownership e.g. "X things you need to know BEFORE bringing a frog home" under the Care Info section. The "Choosing a Frog" section does cover some of this already, but it proceeds from the notion that the reader is already getting a frog. What I'm proposing is something more cautionary. We can parse the more experienced among the community for ideas and then distill it down to the essentials in simple, blunt language. A few things I can think of right off the bat:

Take a deep breath. Dial down the emotion from how cute or awesome the creature looks. Think about the unpleasant aspects of pet keeping - poop collecting, tank cleaning, substrate/filter changing, buying feeders, visits to the vet. Ask yourself: Would I still want to do these things 3 weeks down the line? What about 3 months? 3 years?

Proper mentality - it's not about you. The needs of the animal come first. Your personal enjoyment should be derived FROM, NOT AT THE COST OF, the healthfulness of the animal.

Do your homework LONG AHEAD of time. Get educated on all aspects of the hobby - science, species, care info, housing, equipment, long term maintenance. This is easier than ever with the Internet and forums such as these. Figure out how much it will cost and how much frog you can afford. Select the species accordingly. Tell your family (not an optional step). Get the habitat figured out, constructed, and, if applicable, grown in BEFORE purchasing a frog. Also, begin researching a reputable a vet specializing in frog/amphibian care in your area BEFORE issues arise.

When it comes to frogs, your gut urges are often WRONG. You may have the urge to mix species in the same habitat; to cram multiple specimens in a small enclosure; to buy the most colorful and exotic looking species; to skimp on the details out of pennypinching or impatience; to touch the frog often; to hold it in your hand and have it perch on your shoulder like a parrot. DON’T. Learn to separate the facts from your kneejerk reactions for the good of the animal, else you have no business keeping one.

Take an honest appraisal of your life. Are you a responsible person who has had the judgment, ethics and discipline to take good care of yourself and your charges? If your own life is a mess; if you have trouble getting the bills paid; if your work keeps you too busy to so much as water a houseplant; the last thing you need is another mouth to feed. In short, if you are unable to commit the time, resources, effort, and yes, disposable income for the long haul, you have no business owning a frog.

Brian, I honestly really appreciate your approach. I think you are spot on. A friend told me not too long ago when I shared this thread with her that it's similar to kittens and why they are so many stray cats out there... Often enough, a kid or other will see a kitten... It looks cute. Then the kitten grows, it's less cute, it need to be fed and to have its litter changed regularly and the novelty of the cute kitten passes.... And it's one more cat at the animal shelter....... Thanks Brian for sharing this. And yes, if you'd like, you could start writing this pre-check list and we could all help you out with it.

FrogWrangler, I'll see if it's possible to make the Search button bigger. In all fairness though, it's one of the most obvious ones if you compare it to other boards...

As for us appearing in Google when a search is done on sick frogs, it's great, but it's one step too late.... Some frogs will be sick, even with proper husbandry... But a very large number of frogs could be saved if research and proper care would have been given to the frog. Once you're here, it's often enough too late...

Again, I'm stressing this out, even with proper husbandry, death is still a reality: Deceased toad.