baby froggies

ERGH, this is so frustrating... for the last few weeks I haven't been able to upload any of my own pictures due to a computer crash that is still nowhere near fixed. In the mean time, I'll have to scavenge pictures from the wilds of the internet AND try to paint pictures with my words, which I'm not all that good at... I'll give it a go, though...

We are raising POLLYWOGS to FROGS and it is so much FUN! I've actually never done it before. We went to Reed Park last week because we went there late last summer and there were tens of billions of trillions of TINY little peepers, everywhere you stepped along the creek hundreds would leap up, tinier than the tip of your finger. They were really adorable and entertaining. So anyway, we knew that there must be tadpoles deluxe there in the springtime. It was funny, we arrived and there was not a tadpole to be seen. Disapointment. Other creatures were pursued. Jack dipped his bucket into the creek to capture a water skipper, and as we all peered in to observe, to what did our wondering eyes appear.... but dozens and dozens of very tiny, very motionless... you guessed it... tadpoles. I had envisioned them really darting and bopping about but it appears that they exhibit different behaviors at different times. They're so interesting. Better than sea monkeys. But then again, I've never raised sea monkeys, so what do I know. Sometimes they'll all be floating near the surface, scarcely a wag of their tiny tails, noses to the heavens, all in a flock, and you'll think the little darlings have met their maker until you shake the jar and they all re-commence wiggling about just as hale and heart as ever. Sometimes they'll all be hiding down at the bottom amongst the rocks we provided to make it a more authentico environment. Last night I gave them some boiled lettuce which according to this website is their snack of preference and it's been cute to see them chow down, too. Whatever they do , they appear to like to do it together. Mass mentality, or just a good old fashioned sense of family... I don't know.
Of course Matt also pointed out to me that their jar, which is filled with creek water and has been sitting outside for a few days, is chock full of mosquito larvae, too. We covered the top of the jar so those nasty little buggers won't hatch and join the flocks of others that are already plaguing us. However, I kinda want to save them and observe them in science class on Thursday... they're interesting creatures too....
Did anyone catch that dung-beetle-ologist that was on Fresh Air yesterday? That was so funny what he said at the end... I've never heard Terri Gross get so GROSS-ed out! She was basically like, please shut up now. Lady, you asked a dung beetle specialist to be on your show, if you can't take the heat...

Anyway, go fetch yourself from tadpoles if you'd like an interesting and free new pet! Return them to whence they came once they've morphed, I doubt they want to live with you forever. And don't forget to get them fresh new creek or rain water every 5 days or so. They will die if you give them tap.

Now go mollycoddle those pollywogs! (I don't really know what that means, but it sounds fun...)