Feeding Frogs?

[Stefan-A]

The question is, are the parasites found inside those WC vertebrates in fact spreadable to our snakes? That's not a poke in the ribs to Stefan that's just a serious question I have that I am having trouble finding answers to...

Duly noted.

The answer is "Yes." Many of them are spreadable. We can get many of them if we eat uncooked or undercooked fish. The fact that both amphibians and reptiles are "cold blooded", already takes down one barrier (temperature) that could perhaps otherwise prevent some parasites from transfering from prey to predator.

worldwide, you are totally right, they're not doing well on a global basis. BUT, in my backyard, with all this rain I can't even take a walk outside without accidentally smooshing a baby toad or frog... so if I need to use a few to get a picky eater off the ground, I do!

Local abundance says nothing about the overall situation. Remember that kid who fed T. brachystomas to his ringnecks? He used that argument.

I don't use them as a steady diet though as there is really no reason to. Garters are easy to switch onto other already dead preys and I don't enjoy decimating wild populations of frogs for my convenience.

Good.

Just to be clear, I'm not being short here to be rude, it's just that it's 2:39 AM.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Local abundance says nothing about the overall situation. Remember that kid who fed T. brachystomas to his ringnecks? He used that argument.

If the species of frog in my yard were an endangered species like t. brachystoma I would see it comparable... but considering the frogs in my yard are not endangered, and are not illegal to take, and I need a few every now and then, I feel no shame. As far as the world's amphibian population goes, I can't really do much for them except continue to advise people that on no circumstances should they be releasing amphibians into the wild. People are always wanting to buy bullfrog tadpoles at my store and then say they just want to turn them loose when the change into a frog. Makes me sick every time. Then they get offended when I tell them it's not okay to do that.

[Stefan-A]

If the species of frog in my yard were an endangered species like t. brachystoma I would see it comparable... but considering the frogs in my yard are not endangered, and are not illegal to take, and I need a few every now and then, I feel no shame.

Legislation always lags behind and the current status says nothing about population trends.