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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Oh, hear the frog song

Shannon Amidon home@spokesman.com

When I was a girl I lived with my family in the pinelands of north Louisiana. We had two ponds, one close to our house. From early March until late October I always left my bedroom window open – for the frog song.

My mother said they trilled for rain, but it often rained in Louisiana, so to me there seemed no need for such glorious pleading. My little brother said they sang to the moon, which sounded very romantic to a 10-year-old.

But on more than one morning I awoke with a little peeper that had mysteriously appeared on my pillow – the prank of one of my three younger brothers. Frogs don’t sing for hair, I learned. They get confused.

Last weekend my friend’s two sons found a frog in their back yard, and there was much excitement. It hopped, as frogs will, around their steps a while and finally disappeared into the grass. That incident reminded me how long it’s been since I’ve seen or heard a frog. So I started asking around and was reassured, because everyone has a story. The funniest one I heard involved a frog race that is a community event – right out of Mark Twain.

The most poignant story was told to me by Megen Hall, a substitute teacher and reptile breeder in Spokane. Hall recalls the exact moment she became a lover of amphibians, in particular, toads.

“When I was little I actually remember finding a toad in my backyard that was hurt,” she said. “I rode my bike all the way to my babysitter’s house, which was about a mile and half away, because I knew she could fix it.”

Hall believed her babysitter could fix anything, partly because she’d seen her rescue baby squirrels, and partly because she was young and believed if something was hurt, there was always a way to make it better.

“But she just sent me home,” Hall said.

Today Hall has two pet toads she keeps in an aquarium in her dining room. She bought them to share in the classroom when she was student teaching. Since the class was done with science for the year, she created a special unit.

“I really wanted to do something different. I bought a couple of water frogs, the toads, and I already had a leopard gecko and a newt,” she said.

Hall cautions people considering a pet frog or toad purchase.

“Remember these are animals for looking at, not for taking out and touching,” she said. “They aren’t like cats and dogs.”

But there are benefits for nontraditional pet owners said Anita Raddaz, 4-H Program Coordinator for Spokane County.

“Human beings become more compassionate if they have an animal that they are responsible for,” she said. “The animal can look you in the eyes and give you that feeling of love.”

Hall suggests purchasing heartier frogs if you are planning to handle them.

“There’s Pacman Toad that gets pretty big,” she said. “Big enough to eat a mouse. And toads are pretty hardy. The ones that I have are firebelly toads.”

But don’t forget about the bugs, crickets in particular, that the little green “ribbit” guys crave. Feeding a frog or toad is not for the squeamish.

Madonna Luers of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in Spokane reminds potential frog owners that the key word is purchase. She said it is against the law to bring any wild animal into your home.

“But if you build a habitat, a pond in your back yard, that attracts frogs, that’s OK,” she said.

In fact, the WDFW offers tips for landowners who wish to encourage toads and frogs to hang out on their property. Start with a fishless pond, or even a temporary pool created by a wet springtime. If you have cattle or other animals that might wander over for a gulp, fence the area. Insecticides and pesticides should not be anywhere near frog ponds. The new eggs and baby tadpoles are highly sensitive. Place small brush like dead tree branches near the edge of the water. These limbs provide great hiding spots for the young as they leave the pond.

This summer, I’d encourage you to leave your window open. You never know what sweet cacophony may find its way into your dreams. But if you have a little brother, you might want to close your door.