Organic fertilizers are made from the same grains everyone is talking about here. In addition most of them add potassium sulfate. I'm not sure what effect the potassium sulfate would have on the frogs, so if you don't know but still want to fertilize, stick with pure grains and/or the chicken manure. Tires are a commodity I don't think you are allowed to own in Calif. Why? Because mosquitoes breed in them. Still if you want to try a mosquito diet for the frogs, you could put out anything shallow that catches water. I have used corn meal almost exclusively since 2002 and love it. Since I started using it my toad population has increased all the way up until we acquired 3 cats. I have not seen a toad since. As the cats age we're finally getting geckos back. Where do you live in CA? Please be more specific than NoCal or SoCal. Calif has far too many zones that run from Mexico to Oregon, across all climates, for the zones to be meaningful.

I think Horton was right about it looking like a Leopard Frog - they look like the Southern Leopard Frogs, and the website below has a GREAT picture of them. Also mentions a possible subspecies, Florida Leopard Frog. The website even has some sound files, too! Maybe that will help. Good luck ~ they're PRETTY little frogs!! Maybe one of them ate a Prince ;) Here is a link that might be useful: University of Florida's Wildlife Extension Frog Lookup

I realize this is an older post but we live on a small farm (we are hay farmers) with creeks, springs, a farm pond and an under-construction koi pond (not yet stocked or ready). I LOVE frogs and toads and we have tree frogs here and I am hoping we will have more frogs and tadpoles when we get our koi pond finished. I picked up a toad the other night and 'petted' him. He curled in a tight, nervous ball and I tried to soothe him and let him go right where I picked him up. Of course, the snakes or various large birds may eat him but I loved him for just a moment!

I am a new member of this forum. I have really enjoyed looking at the terrariums linked on these pages. The info regarding certain harder-to-keep varieties of plants has also been helpful. When I read this thread, I felt that I had to reply. PDF's are not hard to keep. There are 10 year old children in my neighborhood who are successfully maintaining a vivarium with the frogs, and even breeding the frogs. Personally, I have over 50 vivariums in my home. Each one contains some poison dart frogs. Any and every color you can imagine. Orchids, bromeliads, tropical mosses, waterfalls, you name it. I really like the terrariums, but when you add a pair of bright, electric blue frogs, now you have some life!! Yes, you do have to culture, or purchase, the fruit flies. The flies we use in the hobby cannot fly. They are non-invasive and very easy to culture. They do not smell either. I have 200 cultures going at a time, there is a slight smell with this many cultures, but most visitors to our frog rooms do not even notice it. Mixing the frogs and plants to create vivariums has been the most rewarding journey of my life. I encourage everyone, not to base your opinions of keeping PDF's based on heresay, or an experience of a friend from 10 years ago. The hobby has changed drastically over the last decade. The frogs are easy to obtain, and there is soooo much info on keeping these precious little gems. Remember, everyone starts with no experience. Please fell free to email with any questions. I live in the Chicago suburbs. Pete