BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?

Subject: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Emma B
Date: 12 May 06 - 01:27 PM

I have a small ornamental pool which every year at this time is full of tadpoles. After the usual noisy mating ritual, I have noticed each year that one frog seems to remain behind as if to "supervise" the creche.
Anyone else observed this "nursery nurse" behaviour?

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: GUEST,ClaireBear
Date: 12 May 06 - 01:37 PM

Is that what it is? We don't see our frogs -- only hear them at Spinal Tap levels of volume -- but I have noticed that every year the Mormon Tabernacle Frog Choir rather abruptly shrinks to a lone baritone, who carries on for days or weeks after the rest have gone wherever estivating froggies go...I always assumed that was the frog that couldn't get a date. How nice to think that he or she is minding the tads instead!

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 12 May 06 - 01:43 PM

After the usual noisy mating ritual, I have noticed each year that one frog seems to remain behind

Most people just have a smoke, Em ... perhaps that's what's scaring the other frogs away? ;o)

P

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Amos
Date: 12 May 06 - 01:52 PM

Besides, frogs aren't anthropomorphic. In their private conversations they are Anuramorphic (Anura being the order of frogs and toads). They say things like, "Did ya see the LEGS on that human? Bet she could jump a MILE!" "Yeah, but her tongue is much too short."


A

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 May 06 - 03:30 PM

Well I know someone who is so anthropomorphic about her tadpoles that she feeds them good quality minced meat so they don't eat each other as nature intended!
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: MBSLynne
Date: 12 May 06 - 05:20 PM

Well our pond is obviously a 'Mums and Tots' pond then because it's a while now since the mating bit and yet the pond is absolutley FULL of frogs. When you walk up to it, the number of frogs diving for cover is enough to create a tidal wave!

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Peace
Date: 12 May 06 - 10:19 PM

"The Usenet newsgroups:

rec.pets.herp

is a good place to find out about keeping frogs as pets, and

sci.bio.herp

is the place to go for scientific discussion of frogs."

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: frogprince
Date: 12 May 06 - 10:23 PM

Do your frogs look like this guy we encountered last week?

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Peace
Date: 12 May 06 - 10:32 PM

Try a dozen of these . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 12 May 06 - 10:35 PM

Meet My Little Buddy ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 May 06 - 10:48 PM

No frogs....too dry. Have a few toads tho

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 May 06 - 01:01 AM

theres a great Seamus Heaney poem, whose name I can't be arsed to look up, about when he's a kid he finds all these frogs humping round a pond, and he runs off in disgust, confronted by the nitty gritty power of nature. Poetry experts compare it with the Wordsworth poem about when he steals the boat and is suddenly overawed by the big phallic mountain that dominates the lake.

good old Seamus, great poet.....

I wish I wasn't getting old, and I still cared about all the things I've forgotten.

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Gurney
Date: 13 May 06 - 04:53 AM

We only had them once, and the tadpoles, which in the NZ variety are very big, lasted until the goldfish realised that they were edible.
I take most of the weed out of the pond in Spring, otherwise I get lots and lots of little goldfish. It worked for tadpoles too, which was an unfortunate result, as habitat loss is making the frogs rarer, but if you don't have fish, you get Mosquitos.

I still remember the dreadful screams when a cat caught a frog, which usually startled the cat long enough for the frog to make a getaway.

When the first male frog found the pond, my neighbour drove around the district looking for the "Bastard who was revving a Go-Cart at that time of night." Not so silly, they do sound very like a few revs of a two-stoke engine.

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: GUEST,*daylia*
Date: 13 May 06 - 08:17 AM

Well the frogs in my locale must be more musically inclined. THey usually rev up the chorus all singing at the same pitch - a wavering Bb, more or less (yes I actually verified that on the piano one night - don't laugh!) Then a few tenors break out with the Gb below that Bb, and the night air resonates with the cheerful strains of a major third ... it's rather hypnotic, calms the soul, and only two notes are required! Eat your heart out, Amadeus!

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Amos
Date: 13 May 06 - 11:22 AM

I like the little tiny ones at Mudlark's place; in the right season and conditions they climb up the picture window on the front porch and watch the music.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Ebbie
Date: 13 May 06 - 03:16 PM

It just occurred to me that I haven't seen a frog in 18 years- since I came to Alaska.

"They" say that we have frogs but I havne't seen or heard them.

Obviously there used to be frogs here- or the Tlingits wouldn't have a Frog Clan in their Moiety/tribal structure.

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Amos
Date: 14 May 06 - 01:35 PM

Tadpoles is vegetarians. They convert when they grow their legs.

~ Becky at Amos's

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: MBSLynne
Date: 14 May 06 - 01:58 PM

Not true...I've seen tadpoles eat a dead or dying sibling on lots of occasions. And you can feed un-legged tadpoles with bits of meat and watch them eat it

Love Lynne

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Amos
Date: 14 May 06 - 03:13 PM

Hmm. It was a factoid I recalled from high school ecology class. P'raps they makes the digestive transition earlier than the locomotory one. :-) And p'raps, as usual, there's no one right answer: clicky.

~ Becky (Desert Dancer at Amos's, not having mucked about with his cookie)

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 May 06 - 05:13 PM

Wish my pond had frogs.... not even a tiny pollywog yet..... :(

Stupid thing is, we had both frogs and toads in our previous garden and that didn't have a pond!

My pond has got a deep bit and a shallow bit and a slope for the little darlings to clamber up, some nice weed, daphnia, flatworms, water snails and those little tiny shrimp things but still no amphibians.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Anthropomorphic behaviour of frogs?
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 14 May 06 - 05:16 PM

clicky