Sex Changes and Birth

Last summer, Josh and I decided we needed pet frogs (more me than him). We arrived at the pet store to pleasantly discover that African Dwarf frogs are cheap ($2.50 per frog) and very easy to care for. We took two frogs home that day and named them Mrs. Hazelnut and Mr. Hopkins.

Mrs. Hazelnut died within days, so we returned her and brought home Mrs. Hazelnut the second. Then she died. So we returned her and came home with Mrs. Hazelnut the third. All the while, Mr. Hopkins couldn't figure out where his friend kept going.

Mrs. Hazelnut died (again), and after some research, Josh figured out that my tap water was full of chlorine and we needed to buy some drops to clean my water. After buying the drops and returning back home with Mrs. Hazelnut the fourth, we finally got Hazelnut to live.

Within a few weeks, however, Mr. Hopkins died. Josh had had enough. "No more frogs," he declared, but I knew I could get him to budge. Mrs. Hazelnut was unhappy all by herself, so within a few weeks, we brought Lily home.

Since that time about 9 months ago, all has been quiet on the frog front.

That is until a few nights ago. I was watching TV and heard a clicking noise.

Click, click, click, click. Very fast and very loud. I paused the TV to listen and figured out the noise was coming from one of the frogs.

Josh immediately began researching on the Internet and discovered that only male frogs make that call. And, it's his mating call.

Uh, oh. Lily is actually Larry.

Josh also informed me that once the mating call is sent out, the boy frog will eventually wrap his legs around the female and hang out for the course of their mating. After that, the female will drop eggs.

The following morning as I was leaving for work, I checked out the frogs. Larry had his legs wrapped around Mrs. Hazelnut, just as Josh said would happen, and they were doing the happy dance.

Within hours, my tank was full of at least 100 teeny tiny eggs.

Josh's research said that the frogs will eat the eggs unless they are separated from them, so Larry and Mrs. Hazelnut have been moved to a different bowl for the time being. The eggs are floating on top of the water, and we're waiting for any type of movement, which will happen about 2-3 days after being laid. Once they start to move (the tadpoles will start to wiggle), we have to feed them. Josh started calling some pet stores to find the specific food, but no one carries it. One lady told us we can feed the tadpoles hard boiled eggs (crushed and mixed with water), so we're waiting for any type of movement.

Josh's research said that most of the eggs will not survive, so we're really not expecting to get any frogs, but we're going to try to save a few. It's so exciting. I'm a new momma to 100 frog eggs.