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fairy_toadmother

new pics of the treefrog twins

fairy_toadmother
17 years ago

well, i decided why make everyone, especially brenda, scroll through thta huge thread. so, here they are about 10 weeks after sprouting their legs. actually, this is just one of them. i can only tell them apart by size now which is getting hard also! since i added more leaves, they both have brown and green.

brenda should be able to see these better, i think.

{{gwi:174679}}

{{gwi:174680}}

{{gwi:174681}}

that little sneak! i didnt' see any peepers when i took the pic or downloaded it. not until i reviewed my post did i see that peaking out at the top left:

{{gwi:174683}}

{{gwi:174684}}

{{gwi:174685}}

i like the new feature in photobucket. no right click to copy necessary!

Comments (40)

  • catherinet
    17 years ago

    Are they out and about in this weather? I know its been unusually warm, but it seems like they'd stay hidden until spring.

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    oh, no. these two are in my house in an aquarium. they were late bloomers.

  • catherinet
    17 years ago

    Oh! That's a relief! I was afraid this warm weather was waking everyone up too soon! What do you do with them in the spring? How big is your aquarium?
    I have a 30 gallon aquarium that I'm not doing anything with. I have no good place to store it, so I was trying to think of what to have in it. I was thinking of plants, but haven't gotten around to it.
    How do you and when did you collect these guys? What do they eat?
    Good luck with your twins! Do they sing? Boy.....that would be pretty loud in a house! lol!

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    my aquarium is a 25 gal high. i plan on letting them go next year when the weather is warm enough. they would have never survived the winter. it was turning 30* and they were still tadpoles with no time to build fat reserves!

    they originally were in a puddle at work. roadwork was going on so i moved them to my house. they werw already late eggs since we had so much rain the treefrogs kept breeding. then, as the season went on, my puddle was in more and more shade= less heat= slower development.

    so, i brought them in with some of their water. they were ready to morph already so it was only a few days. they climbed out of their dish. once their tails absorbed, i had "pinhead" crickets ready for them to eat. i have lost them at this early stage before, so i kept the aquarium bottom bare with a couple of rocks to hide around. i misted them constantly. natives do not require as much moisture as tropical treefrogs, but they can still dry out fast with nothing to hold moisture in there and a heated house....and until they figured out where the water bowls were.

    if i ever get around to it, i will start a mealworm culture. they are still too small to eat the ones i have for a starter. otherwise, i continue to order small crickets and dust the crickets with minerall and a vitamin suppl. about 3 times per week. this young, i ensure there are crickets in the aquarium at all times.

    i almost lost them b/c i had an incandescent bulb trying to keep them warm b/c of our cold house. it heated too much. they were raisins, the poor babies. their appetites have decreased b/c i need more heat in there. i am just afraid of drying them out. 75* would be best and it gets down to 60* in there at night! i have added a 7 watt inc. bulb with puts out no heat it seems. so i may try a 14 watt. with the extra leaves, they have been hanging out at the bottom more.

    i am pretty sure they are too young to sing. i "think" one may be male and one female just judging by size difference. but i am really not sure if that would be apparant this early. i'll be in trouble with dh if the serenades start!

    since my aquarium has a mirror back, and leaks, i initially was going to use it as a miniature greenhouse. here's hoping for their freedom this spring!

  • youreit
    17 years ago

    GREAT pics, FTM! Thanks so much for thinking of me (and my terrible dial-up...:D).

    You've done such a great job raising them so far. They look happy (see, they're smiling!) and healthy. I LOVE the tube shot! I was fooled into thinking they were mirroring each other, until I read your post. :D

    Brenda

  • sleeplessinftwayne
    17 years ago

    FTM, go to your local pet store and ask for a reptile case heater. It is a heating element encased in cement in a small plant saucer. It doesn't heat the whole aquarium. It is more for basking or warming up when there is a chill. It is much safer than a light bulb.
    I looked online to see if I could give you more info and see there are now such things as Hot Rocks, heat mats and other heating options available. On EBay there are some for only $10 or so. Sandy

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    thanks, brenda...i tried to get the shot just right to see the peepeye in the mirror.

    thanks, sandy!

  • jeanner
    17 years ago

    You really are a fairy-toad-mother, err, maybe fairy-frog-mother? It's gonna be tough to let those cuties go! Bless your heart for saving them :^)

  • comettose
    17 years ago

    Cutie pies FTM and thanks for taking such good care of them! CT

  • sheepco
    17 years ago

    Great pix FTM, and good work!

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    thank you, ladies! i still can't get over that little booger peaking at me without my knowing it!

    well, i went camera shopping today. i have my eye on a certain nikon 7 mp with macro. not an slr, though :(

    we do have a film slr that needs repair from dh's stepfather. haven't checked it out yet.

  • jeanner
    17 years ago

    Sounds like a great camera! I had a Coolpix and I loved it - unfortunately it met an untimely death when I dropped it :^(. IMHO, you will get just as good a picture from the digital as the film slr. They've come along way in developing cameras and even my Coolpix took better pictures than my old slr - besides they are more fun, you can take a ton of pictures and not worry about the film processing price. I'm sure others would disagree with me, thats just my .02.

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    new pics with new camera...i love it!

    {{gwi:174686}}

    {{gwi:174687}}

    here is where my camera really shows, also. this is simply a zoom crop of the previous picture. you can even see the little toe circles!!!
    yes, i am excited :)

    {{gwi:174689}}

  • youreit
    17 years ago

    Woohoo!! Awesome pics, FTM! I'm so excited for you. And I don't have to ask, "Where's the froggie?" :)

    Can't wait to see what other tidbits from nature that you photograph, too.

    Brenda

  • maryo_nh
    17 years ago

    Ooooo Fairy!!!!! The pics are awesome!!!! The cuties!!! Ooooooooo!
    There was a splendid photographer waiting for that camera.

    Now! No sitting down girl! There are pictures that need taking!

    :) Mary

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    lol..thanks mary! i would take more if they stopped hiding in their leaves. coure, they are like romeo- always in the same position :)

  • jeanner
    17 years ago

    Super shots FTM!! I can't wait for bug season!

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    thanks, jean. do you think hairspray would get them to hold still long enough? JUST KIDDING!

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    so i bid adieu to the pudgers last night..off to climb the tallest trees. it is a bittersweet love story :*( :)

    i have recent pics and a feeding video that i will post soon.

  • maryo_nh
    16 years ago

    I bet that wasn't easy... But, Fairy, everytime you hear one sing, you'll smile a huge smile because you'll KNOW it's one of your own babies!
    Spring will be so full of smiles!

    :) Mary

  • sheepco
    16 years ago

    Congradulations FTM! Way to go!! Can't wait to see how big they got.

  • comettose
    16 years ago

    A job well done - the frogs thank you for your loving care!

  • isis_nebthet
    16 years ago

    Next time just cover your tank lid with vinyl (Wal-Mart here sells clear stuff in the fabric area). Leave an inch or two open on one end. My boa averages 70% humidity in the desert this way :) I'm sure it will prevent you having raisins again.

  • youreit
    16 years ago

    Awww, FTM, you did good! Mary is right, you'll hear them and be so proud. Can't wait to see the vid and the pics, too!

    Brenda

  • grandmapoo
    16 years ago

    Congrats on your new camera, Fairy! I didn't need my glasses on the new pics!!!
    Now, it's my turn to get a better camera.

    Such cuties. I'm a little jealous, since our backyard ribbon snake has been using all my little "green window ornaments" for it's dinners. I so miss seeing their little toes suctioned to the glass at night. :(
    But my son caught the snake 3 days ago and relocated it. I've got a pond full of tads, so maybe later in the summer my froggie population will return. :)

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    "window decorations" :))

    adrea, i think i was going to or did try plastic wrap. probably not the same effect, huh? it has been seemingly so long ago.

    thank you everyone for making me feel so much better! i need to check how long they live. this is the first in three years i haven't heard the male singing at an inground swimming pool cover a couple blocks away.

    on another note, due to a misfortunate event, another toad was discovered in my yard!! yay. it quickly received a non-chlorinated bath. dh came to me and confessed to accidently spraying it with pesticide when he didn't see it sitting alongside the foundation. (i broke down after seeing a nasty huge cockroach outside and i do NOT want them in the house!!!).

    i need to get these pics uploaded!

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    such a difference when you look at the pics at the beginning of this thread!

    here is my fave pic! arent' those eyes just dreamy!

    {{gwi:174691}}

    {{gwi:174693}}
    {{gwi:174695}}
    {{gwi:174696}}

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    disregard the white stuff. i made a mess with the mineral dust. keep in mind, that i fed a too large mealworm to the smaller frog. it is having a hard time, but it gets devoured eventually!

    Here is a link that might be useful: act one

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    act two. poor baby. still trying to grab that thing. the other frog had no problems. it looks amusing when they grab the mealworm by the end and it basically crawls back out. or, when you see them squirming around inside the frog. kinda funky, that one!

    Here is a link that might be useful: act 2

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    were you prepared??

    Here is a link that might be useful: act 3

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    the video file is too big. but, happy endings! the pudger got a full belly :)

  • jeanner
    16 years ago

    Ahhh, FTM, that was too cute! I really enjoyed that, THANKS!

  • youreit
    16 years ago

    Cripes, I REALLY wish I had high-speed internet! I got to see part of the first one, though. LOVE the sounds! And the video is very high quality, FTM!

    That first pic...oh, MY! He is so delicious! If that isn't a satisfied smile, then I just don't know what is. I can see why you're so enamored of them, FTM.

    Thanks for making my day!

    Brenda

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    sounds? i am going to have to go back and check. the only sounds i heard was my camera refocusing. could be my aquarium bubbling in the background. can you believe that was my camera?! whoohooo!

    and how about that "double chin?" glad you ladies loved them!

    here are pictures from bon voyage day. the camera seems to want to focus on my hand instead of the frogs:
    this is the smaller of the two (though not much), i can tell them apart better by the coloring. the pattern is not as distinct.
    {{gwi:174698}}
    {{gwi:174700}}

    something to help show size b/c my hands are small:

    {{gwi:174701}}

    ok, rocket, the larger hungrier of the two disappeared b/c s/he crawled and tucked into my inside elbow:
    {{gwi:174702}}
    {{gwi:174703}}
    {{gwi:174704}}

    good bye! waaaaaaa! a little funny b/c i was trying to hold a flashlight on my shoulder, hold frogs, and a camera. my flash doesnt work in macro.
    {{gwi:174705}}

  • grandmapoo
    16 years ago

    I love the video. It seems the little guy decided if he would just pounce on the worm enough, it would finally just lay there and quit running off! And yes, the sounds of the aquarium are soothing. Have you heard your froggies outside yet?

  • youreit
    16 years ago

    It must have been the gurgling of the aquarium pump that made it all seem wombish. LOL Very soothing! :)

    Those little snub noses are so delicious! And Rocket cuddling in the crook of your arm is so sweet!

    A lady over on the Cali forum posted {{gwi:174678}}. Do you happen to know what those little cuties might be? I (mistakenly?) told her they might be western or California toads, but I'm FAR from expert on amphib info. :)

    Brenda

  • fairy_toadmother
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    i dont know, brenda. but this might be helpful.

    i haven't heard any treefrogs here, though i hear one or two at work. maybe a tad early (yep, that was intentional!)

    this week is a little too cool to stimulate their singing. i do wonder how old breeding age is.

    Here is a link that might be useful: npwrc/uswgs or something like that.

  • grandmapoo
    16 years ago

    The pic looks like a canyon tree frog. Check it out, except the map doesn't include California (or all of it?).

    I love looking at frogs and hearing their calls. I saw a narrow mouthed toad 2 yrs ago in my yard and had to run inside to i.d. it. Strange looking little guys.

    I'm always on the Texas Herp site and yelling for hubby to hear frog calls, then run outside and have him tell me if it sounds the same. He thinks I'm insane! :)

  • youreit
    16 years ago

    Hmm, not sure, Poo. The spots on Leslie's don't seem as uniform as the canyon's, but you never know. And she definitely lives in Cali. :D

    That's the link I posted for her, but I think she's just trying to avoid stepping on them. I guess she has a ton of them this year. I think I'm the one going crazy for an ID. LOL

    For some reason, I keep thinking that the singing frogs would have stopped in my yard by this time of year, but they're still going strong out there. There is nothing like being serenaded by froggies. And crickets! Plenty of those this year, too, which isn't usually the case. More food for the band! :)

    Brenda

  • grandmapoo
    16 years ago

    Ahhh, the sound of LOUD froggie sounds coming from the pond and woods when I step out on the patio at night! Love it, LOVE it!!! :)

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