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Sunday, August 21, 2011

possible first pet?

We came across these African water frogs, and thought they might be the (closest-to-) perfect pet for our kids. Noah and I both have allergies, and we're not sure yet if Carter also does. So that rules out anything furry and cute, unfortunately. These are the frogs they have set up in-store, Ben and Jerry. We didn't even realize there was a second frog until we got home and looked at the picture on the computer, but he was sitting in the bottom of the tank all along. See if you can spot him in the first picture!

The way the process works is pretty awesome, we thought. You buy a kit for $25, which includes a small tank, the stuff that goes in it, a year supply of food, and a special certificate. When you get home, you mail in the certificate, and a couple weeks later they deliver a TADPOLE to your doorstep! The tadpoles are brand new little babies. They're transparent, and you can even see their heart beating!! So you get to watch this little tadpole grow into a frog. African water frogs have extremely sensitive skin, so they have to stay in their tanks at all times. The gravel in the tank is self-cleaning, and it also comes with a stick of bamboo to provide their necessary oxygen. Once a month, you replace 1/3 of the tank water with fresh water. The tank doesn't require a pump, thanks to the self-cleaning stuff on the bottom. The frogs will usually grow to the size of their tank, so if you later purchase a bigger tank, then you may end up with a softball-sized frog! I thought that was amazing. The only thing we're trying to figure out is where we'd put the little guy. Kitchen, maybe? Please comment if you have any ideas, or experience with these frogs. Thanks!



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