One of my sites for reptiles and amphibians is Kingsnake.com. I'm not sure which site you were referring to originally but this may do the trick for you. Bryan Here is a link that might be useful: tree frog forums

Lucy- If they are indeed Ensatina, they do not need standing water to complete their life cycle; these salamanders are fully terrestrial. Their "larval stage" is completed within the egg, and they hatch out as miniature versions of the adults. Ambystoma gracile, on the other hand, needs water. I suspect that your animals are Ensatina. If you could send me an email (twpierson gmail.com) with a photograph, I'd be happy to confirm.

DO NOT STICK THEM IN THE FREEZER!!!! - thats actually been proven to be a very inhumane and painful way to euthanize any reptile or amphibian and is banned from IUACUC practices as well as by the AZA and other organizations. The animals die very slowly and painfully as their blood crystalizes within their veins and arteries. That practice was popular even a few years ago, but researchers cringe at the thought they had committed countless animals to a very painful form of euthanasia. As for the Orajel - just a large dab on the tip of your finger and rub it on their head. It basically numbs them and stops their brain from functioning, causing them to stop breathing and their heart to stop beating. ~Mike

The frog isn't necessarily doomed - you'd be amazed at the freeze tolerance of most temperate-ranging anurans and caudates - there are many papers coming out showing how hardy these animals are. Bullfrogs are one of the most successful anurans out there and its for a reason - they are ridiculously adapatable and robust animals. Another thing to consider - bullfrogs have had their numbers be unnaturally increased by human encroachment - they are one of the few subsidized amphibian species out there (subsized species are those whose numbers are denser in areas of human inhabitation or as a result of human influence than they would be in a more natural environment - good examples of this are raccoons, skunks, and opossums) - if one dies, there will be plenty more to take its place. ~Mike