My name is Sam

Each of my frogs has their own personality, Sam is no different. I’ve spoken of him several times. He’s got a skeletal issue that might be a mild form of Metabolic Bone Disease. He’s the only of my 4 Aussie frogs with this issue. Because of his marked size difference and physical deformation, Sam mostly stays to himself. I know I attach human emotions to the frog but, when I see him away from his brothers I think of my young self who felt physically different in an obvious way. I had leg and foot issues with leg braces and special shoes. I had Lupus before my teen years, but more than that, I felt different socially.

Sam is very quiet unless his brother Clyde tries to sit on him, then he’s rather vocal about Clyde moving on. What I find interesting about Sam is how big his head is. Again, thinking of human responses, I think about how much I couldn’t depend on my physical self or my environment but I had a lot going on in my head.

Sam is more timid and shy than the other 3 frogs in the terrarium. He’s more prone to move away if there’s any change in environment. I have one frog that doesn’t care what I do in the enclosure. Sam is down right offended when I go in to change the water or whatever. He gets as far away as possible. Oh, and hates to be picked up.

When I first got Sam I thought he was a girl so I called him Samantha, Sam for short. Later it became obvious that I have a male. Because of his tiny size and how he wasn’t gaining weight, I began to give little Sam extra food. Here he is now nearly 5 years old but still behind in development.

Despite his solitary preferences, the frog formally named Samuel Benjamin Austin, clearly has moments when he’s comfortable, if not serine.

Sam Stats

  • Great accuracy during ambush hunting.
  • Refuses tong and hand feeding unless it’s a cricket
  • Loves the water pool
  • Stays low in the enclosure instead of high
  • Mostly quiet but loud when he croaks
  • Like other frogs, his skin color changes but not nearly as drastically as the other three.

He and his three frog siblings really make me smile. Working with their home is satisfying. I love my frog family.

Faith

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