My froggies are dying!

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My froggies are biting the dust!! I’ve had to give two burials at sea this week. Ugh, I am traumatized by the whole thing. Gherkin is still swimming around like a mad woman, but Sluggo and Sprocket have gone to froggy heaven. Since Gherkin is thriving, and all of the other frogs came from another place, I have to wonder about the health of the frogs I am getting. The woman who works there is kind of rough getting them out and they are terribly fragile. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it, but they don’t last very long and I’ve had Gherkin since January with no trouble whatsoever.

Mr. Peepers got a proper burial, but I couldn’t keep traumatizing myself that way, so it’s been “burial at sea” with Sluggo and Sprocket. Now, if Gherkin bites the big one, Frog Mama will be in froggy-grieving mode. I am very attached to her (possibly a “him,” but I’ve decided to say “her”).

Anyway, I am going to do a good water change today and take the shell out, even thought the test strip says everything is fine (except the pH is tad high). The shell is the only new thing I’ve added to the aquarium since froggy genocide started. Argh, it just sucks losing my froggies!!!

Mr. Peepers died...

Sucks. Mr. Peepers was dead when I came in this morning. He was floating on the top of the water. I buried him outside the office in a little mossy spot overlooking the pond. My co-workers humored me by attending the funeral. Poor Mr. Peepers. He was so happy to be eating when I left yesterday and was active. My fear is that he ate too much too fast...so I hope I didn't contribute to his demise, but he also could have been sick from the get-go. It's hard to know, but I sure did love his little webby toes while he was here. I just hate it. I get so attached.

Hanging out in the dinner plate...

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Mr. Peepers figured out pretty quickly where the grub was stashed. I guess he decided to take a rest in it. His poor little froggy legs have atrophied.

Yum! Tadpole bites!

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Mr. Peepers is getting his first good meal in a while!!! Thanks Ma!

Poor Peepers in his sick bay tank...

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He is emaciated...who'da thunk frogs can be anorexic?

A froggie miracle...

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I finally saw Mr. Peepers after practically tearing the aquarium apart. He is emaciated and looks terrible. Being the most shy, he doesn't eat as much and even though I have been trying to put the food near him, it's obvious he's not good at sniffing out his food.

So, I moved Mr. Peepers into a separate little "sick bay" container with a little sea shell in it. I am putting the food in the shell so he will learn to go to this shell. He chowed down pretty quickly in the "sick bay." I am going to plump him up and then transfer both him and the shell into the original tank and see if he will continue to eat from the shell, and thus, be better able to forage for his food.

Sluggo, did you eat Mr. Peepers?

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I can't find Mr. Peepers anywhere. I've even shaken the silk leaves and unearthed my little house to no avail. Sluggo is looking a little more well-fed than usual. I wonder if Mr. Peepers has died and Sluggo has snacked on the remains. I hope not. I loved Mr. Peepers...but alas, unless we have a frog thief in the office, I don't know where else to look. :-(

Where is Mr. Peepers?

I couldn't find Mr. Peepers all day today. I hope he's just being extra sneaky and hiding in a new place. He's the most shy of the frogs.

All Three Frogs

All Three Frogs, originally uploaded by hatamaran.

It is so rare that all three frogs come out at the same time. I immediately grabbed my phone and snapped a shot...left to right: Mr. Peepers, Gherkin, Sluggo