We like frogs. A lot. We just can't help but love the Red-eyed tree frog, which is so colourful and small. We've chosen him as the Alpha21 mascot because he sticks to things, is stealthy, shows off some gorgeous colours and sometimes eats the competition. Our frog is the Red-eyed tree frog: Found in the tropical rainforests of Central America, the Red Eyed Tree Frog is arboreal and excels at jumping. This species of frog moves in a very stealthy yet deliberate manner.

Reports of malformed amphibians have been reported in 35 states in the U.S. and 3 provinces in Canada since 1996. In Minnesota, nearly three-quarters of our 87 counties have reported malformed frogs since 1996. A map of national reports is available at the North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformations.

Frogs and toads make a variety of sounds, depending on the situation. The most common are "advertisement" calls, and "alarm" calls. Frogs and toads advertise their presence either to ward off challengers to their territories, or to attract mates. Alarm calls serve to startle predators.

Frog populations are disappearing for many reasons. Obvious reasons include pollution in waterways, surface water being drained away, land clearing, and urbanisation. Some less obvious reasons that are affecting frog populations far from human interference may include climate change, exposure to increased UV-B radiation, and emerging diseases.

Until the scientists know the answer there is not a lot that can be done except to continue studying the issue. However, by getting people interested in the issue and by having students involved in writing about it, people will become aware of the issue and about the problems facing frogs and our environment.

Adult frogs and toads are always predatory, preying on insects mostly but also smaller frogs and fish. Tadpoles are mostly vegetarian, grazing on algae that grow in leaf or rock surfaces under the water. Sometimes, very large tadpoles, such as bullfrog tadpoles, become meat-eaters and sometimes even eat other frogs! Tadpoles can be a significant food item for fish, mammals, and even other adult frogs.

Possibly. Amphibian populations are in serious decline in many areas of the world, and scientists are seeking explanations for this. Most amphibian population declines are probably due to habitat destruction or habitat alteration. Some declines are probably the result of natural population fluctuations. Other explanations for the population declines, as well as the reductions in range of habitation, include disease, pollution, atmospheric changes and introduced competitors and predators.

This is probably one of the most common questions that I get asked. Your best bet is to experiment and try out how much food seems to be good for your frog. Try dumping in 3 or so crickets per feeding session per frog, and see whether the frogs seem to still be hungry or starts to look underfed.

Yes!!! Don't confuse the natural process of growth with skin disease! I went to Poland for six weeks in the early summer and left my frogs in the care of a frogsitter, who, considerably nervous about undertaking the enormous responsibility of taking watch of my dearest, fell into an absolute panic when the African Dwarf Frogs started to shed their skin! While the African dwarf frogs skin just comes off every now and then, other species of frogs that don't swim underwater all their lives can look.

If you're dealing with outdoor frogs from your area, there's no reason to "save frogs" from a temperature which they normally live in! But, when you import a species of frog or toad which needs to hibernate, (or have one in your home), one method for dealing with creating the cold environment is refrigeration! Frogs and toads are the only species that can be hibernated reliably in a refrigerator, although it's recommended that you only attempt it with the hardiest species.

Use extreme caution when holding frogs. It is best to grasp their shoulder blades (or scapulae) with your thumb and forefinger. Be careful not to squeeze their abdominal area. Touch frogs only with wet hands that have been cleaned of all sunscreens or insect repellants, which can kill frogs, tadpoles, or eggs.

Yes. Frogs hear using big round ears on the sides of their head. What you can see is called the tympanum. It is the outside covering that protects the external ear opening.

They squeeze their lungs with their nostrils and mouth shut. Air flows over their vocal chords and into their vocal sacs located on their throat, which then blow up like balloons. There are some frogs that can make noises without vocal sacs.

There is not a simple answer to this question, several factors need to be considered when deciding how many frogs can be housed together. Among the relevant information needed to make the decision are questions like what is the temperament and habits of frogs will you be keeping, their size, whether they tend to climb or be more terrestrial, and how much time you will have to keep up with feeding and observing the frogs to make sure all is going well with each of them.

Toads and frogs are attracted to damp gardens and ponds. Leave shelved edges along pond edges with pond lilys and plants such as marsh marigold. Piles of logs or bricks are good for amphibians to spend hot days and attract insects for them to feed on.

Some frogs have missing eyes, but most problems are associated with the limbs, especially the hind legs. These deformities typically include missing limbs, extra limbs, partial limbs, limbs that are bent and contorted, or limbs that have little muscle, or that have branched at various points along the limb. Problems in the digestive, urinary and reproductive organs have also been found in frogs with external deformities.

Many of the deformed frogs can still function; however their ability to eat, move, migrate, and avoid predators can be slightly or greatly hindered depending upon the severity of the malformation(s). Few frogs live into the second year -- it appears they don't survive the winter.

In Minnesota, abnormalities have been documented mostly in the northern leopard frog, and to a lesser extent in wood frogs, green frogs, mink frogs, gray treefrogs, spring peepers and American toads.

No. Leopard frogs don't breed until they are three years old. When they do, they require particular environmental cues, which are not made available in the habitat.