Room for Ribbit

There’s always room for one more, they say.  In this case, the “one more” doesn’t take up a lot of room.  He (or maybe she) also doesn’t take food out of our mouths, doesn’t need to be walked or brushed, doesn’t use a litter box or require us to clean out a cage.  We just need to be careful not to step on him.  

Ribbit is a southern leopard frog.  He took up residence in our pool a couple of weeks ago, and shows no sign of leaving.  Not quite as big as my thumb, I suppose Ribbit is still a froglet.  Wikipedia says his body can grow up to 13 centimeters, so he still has a long way to grow.  I understand that leopard frogs are mostly nocturnal, and we have seen Ribbit leaving the pool a couple of times in the evening…to hunt I suppose.  But most of the time he can be seen basking by the pool.

Here is Ribbit on his rock.  We had placed a couple of flat stones on the top step of our pool so any small creature that fell in would have a way to exit.  Ribbit has apparently decided that the stones make a good basking spot, and the area behind them affords a fine hiding place.

During the day, we sometimes bring him small worms from the garden, which he gobbles up as soon as we place them on his rock.  When Colt enters and exits the pool, water streaming from his coat, Ribbit usually just sits quietly as 50 pounds of border collie leaps over him on the way in or out. 

Occasionally, when we swim the waves wash Ribbit off his rock and he swims around the pool.  I usually just scoop him up and put him back on his rock so he won’t get caught in the skimmer.  So far, he seems to be managing very well.  

It’s too bad frogs don’t do cute things like puppies and kittens do.  Then I would have more pictures to entertain you.    Unfortunately, Ribbit's big, googley eyes look the same no matter what is going on around him.  His expression never changes, except when he smacks his froggy lips after eating a worm.  His right and left profiles look the same. 

No matter; it doesn't take much to amuse us and we’re enjoying our new friend.  We hope he stays around for a while.