• My "Sudden froglet death syndrome" mitigation strategy

    mcu_nerd • 12/19/2024 at 15:39 • 0 comments

    I finally made some time to do this post.  I think I may know what the cause is of some cases of "Sudden froglet death syndrome."  I noticed some froglets will keep trying almost nonstop to get out of their containers. It appears that they may exhaust themselves in the process and possibly drown.  My mitigation strategy has been to place them in a container with a thin coating of water on the bottom, so that they don't become dehydrated, but not enough water for them to down in.  Seems to have helped prevent some cases.

    I enact this measure when I see a froglet appearing to struggle such as not getting on the rock and floating upside down at times.

  • A possible encounter with a graduate

    mcu_nerd • 12/19/2024 at 15:31 • 0 comments

    Last Thursday morning (12th of December) I noticed a frog in the grey fur resident's  water bowl.  I saw that it was a Spadefoot. It was cold that morning, but it was warm and rainy the day before.   I initially assumed the worst, but I saw the fella move a little. I brought him inside to recover and he recovered well.  The fella must have thought the water bowl was a nice pond but got stunned as the temperature dropped.  Later on that day, I "re graduated" him at the normal graduation spot in which I had to keep the grey fur resident distracted, as usual.

    That Spadefoot may very well be one of graduates this past season.  The graduation site isn't far away from where the water bowl is.

  • Day 61: The final Graduation Day of the 2024 season

    mcu_nerd • 11/17/2024 at 21:21 • 0 comments

    Today "Last one out" graduated, the last remaining member of the "Looks like originals group" and the last member of Cyclone 8's Little Graces class.  Was able to get some good video clips this time around. In the last photo of him below, he's towards the center in a dark area surrounded by leaves. Will likely have to click on the image to see it full-size to tell. Was happy he made it to graduation, but sad to see the fella leave.  It's both the end (of a stage) and also the beginning (of a stage) in his life.  He's been returned to the wild from where he came (although to a safer spot in the wild, away from the road.) I hope and pray he lives a long, full life.  The grey fur resident was also around and of course had to be kept distracted.

    While this concludes the 2024 Tadpole Season, it won't be the final post. I still need to do that post of my thoughts about sudden froglet death syndrome and my mitigation strategy.  I believe that the 2024 Tadpole season has been the largest season yet, especially due to having two classes.  Sadly I didn't have any Narrowmouths make it to graduation, but will try again whenever the next season has come around. I was hoping to get a few tree frog tadpoles this season, I suppose it wasn't in the cards.  I guess I shouldn't dwell too much on the sads and instead focus on the ones I was able to give a chance to, as none of them would have otherwise have had any chance due to the pond drying up.

  • Day 60: "Last one out" wating to start the next page of his adventure

    mcu_nerd • 11/17/2024 at 04:08 • 0 comments

    Tomorrow is looking to be graduation day.  "Last one out" as been scaling the sides, hoping to start the next page of his adventure.  His graduation (hopefully no last minute sads) will mark the end of the 2024 Tadpole season.

  • 59: Trying to shoot for Sunday as Graduation Day

    mcu_nerd • 11/16/2024 at 04:13 • 0 comments

    "Last one out" of the "Looks like Originals" group is doing well and enjoys acting like a Tree Frog by scaling the sides of the container.  I"m trying to shoot for Sunday as Graduation Day as temperatures will be a bit warmer then.

  • Day 58: Graduation looms for the last class member

    mcu_nerd • 11/15/2024 at 04:58 • 0 comments

    As a precaution, I've put the remaining "Looks like Originals" class member in a container with a low water level to avoid the risk of drowning.  Like some others, the fella likes to act as a Tree Frog and scale the sides (I'll try to get a photo of it.)  I'm waiting for a warmer day for graduation, but I can't wait too long.  I've decided to name this last one "Last one out."

  • Day 57: Yesterday's news today!

    mcu_nerd • 11/14/2024 at 02:19 • 0 comments

    I was very busy yesterday to do a post. I wanted to announce the last remaining member of "The Three Amigos" group becoming a froglet. I regret to say he soon passed away after being a froglet for a short while.

    Our sole remaining froglet and class member appears to be doing well so far. Hopefully he'll make it to graduation so that this season may end on a positive note.

  • Day 55: Moving day for a froglet and an expected sad

    mcu_nerd • 11/12/2024 at 03:37 • 0 comments

    First the sad news: the smaller of the two remaining "Looks like Originals" group passed away.  The fella was laid to rest with others in the tadpole cemetery.

    In happier news, the remaining member of the "Looks like Originals" group has been transferred to another container to allow the froglet to get up on a rock (Pinecone rock in this case, which I'll place in the container tomorrow) when he's ready.


    I forgot to mention that yesterday, the grey fur resident decided to stick her paw in a pipe that had a Black Widow. In short, let's just say I evicted that spider to be charitable. I normally leave them alone, but at the risk of the possibility of a major sad happening, I intervened.



  • Day 54: Finally, a froglet!

    mcu_nerd • 11/11/2024 at 00:50 • 0 comments

    The larger member of the "Looks like Originals" group has entered the froglet stage. Sorry for no photo today, I'll get one tomorrow. The smaller member of the "Looks like Originals" group that I'm concerned about is still alive today.  Happy Lord's Day.

  • Day 53: Looks like we may have an upcoming sad

    mcu_nerd • 11/10/2024 at 04:08 • 0 comments

    The smaller of the two of the remaining "Looks like Originals" class members appears to be unwell, may very well pass away in a day or two.  Not too surprising considering the fella seems to have stopped growing and developing.  The other two tadpoles still seam healthy and are on the verge on entering the froglet stage.