Posts tagged "frog"

Have you ever been so close to achieving a goal, only to miss it by the slightest bit? It could be an actual physical maneuver or something more abstract, but the failure feels the same. Here are two slow-motion videos of the same hungry frog living two of those moments. He tries to catch a delicious bug and fails, falling flat on his face (we presume). It might look like he missed by a mile, but when you consider that these were shot at 500 frames per second, it becomes clear that Froggy couldn't have gotten any closer to lunch only to walk away empty-handed.

Labor Day has come and gone, and that means another summer-movie season has passed. Did you see any blockbusters? Most of them were disappointing, huh? Rise of the Planet of the Apes was pretty good, but for the most part it was another summer filled with a lot of CGI and not a lot of heart.

You don't need a lot of special effects to make a good movie. All you really need is a good story and some emotional impact. Anything can be a story; even a frog climbing on a leaf becomes packed with dramatic implications if you use the right angles and lighting and stuff. Hey, I'm not an expert. But I know that the right soundtrack helps too. That Requiem for a Dream music makes anything seem intense. It's effectively the exact opposite of "Yakety Sax" that way.

Check out this cute little Jedi master-to-be! We can tell the squee is strong with this one. OK, fine, maybe our friends at Daily Squee gave us a hint, but we probably would've figured it out anyway. Especially if we started hearing our co-workers murmur, "This is not the squee you seek."

That's how you know the Jedi mind trick is being deployed, right?

Rounding up our favorite animal stories, photos, and videos on the web each week!

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  Attack Cat Saves the Day

  Lima doesn't like when you mess with her mama, a point the kitty proved by defeating two large pit bulls.[via WFAA.com]

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  License to Coo

  Indian police arrested a pigeon on suspicion of being a Pakistani spy. The pigeon escaped using a laser watch and a charming British accent.[via My Fox LA]

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  Twitty Kitty

  A new twitter device for cats lets the Internet know what they're up to. Most common tweet: "I hate my owner."[via Mashable]

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  Start Spreading the Oysters

  Oysters are being used to clean up New York waterways. They not only help filter polluted water, they're also great at giving tourists directions. [via the New York Daily News]

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  Snake Smiting Mom

  A woman wrestles an eight-foot python to save her dog. Isn't it supposed to work the other way around? [via People Pets]

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  Frog Crossing

  Thousands of frogs are disrupting traffic in Greece. Insert joke about "Frogger" here. [via New York Times]
  
  More Pet News

Name: Dumpy Tree Frog, aka White's Tree Frog, aka Smiling Tree Frog

Personality: Docile and reasonably easy to tame, according to Animal Planet.

Care: Dumpy tree frogs have just a few requirements: A large dish of clean, fresh water; high humidity and a controlled temperature range; as well as a diet of gut-loaded mealworms, crickets and waxworms, according to Animal Planet. All About Frogs suggests at least a 25-gallon tank or terrarium filled with plants and hollow branches. (Taller branches rather than wide ones are the best option, so the frog(s) can climb.) You'll also need a lamp and proper lighting: 12 hours of light, 12 hours of dark.

Common Health Issues: This is a very hardy pet with a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. Animal World points out, however, that they're still susceptible to some health problems, many related to hygiene. You'll want to watch out for bacterial disease called redleg, intestinal impaction from ingesting sand or gravel when eating, blindness, fungal infections, metallic bone disease from insufficient calcium and vitamin D3, endoparacites, and stress.

Training Tips: Because they're not terribly active, these frogs are fairly easy to handle if you do it regularly, according to Animal Planet. You can even teach them to eat from your hand! Just be sure to wash your hands after each time you handle a frog.

Best Animal/Owner Match: This is a great pet for the first-time pet owner because they're hardy, calm, and easy to care for and handle.

What Dumpy Tree Frog Owners Have to Say: Jennifer Krosche of Hicksville, N.Y. tells Paw Nation, "I had a dumpy tree frog and he was the best pet I ever had! He passed away about a month ago. I miss him terribly. His name was Bubba."

Ahhh! Frogs can scream! Tell everyone! This video is proof. Watch as a decidedly confused cat bats at a frog while it screams bloody murder. The cat tries to meow in response but nothing can combat the ear-piercing, glass-shattering shriek that comes out of this little amphibian. Tell the world: frogs can scream.

Roses are red, violets are blue... and our furry, feathered, winged and scaled friends come in every possible color under the sun. From Red Rover to purple finches, the Animal Kingdom puts Crayola to shame with a stunning array of hues.

You won't find a pot of gold at the end of this rainbow -- but you will get a rewarding glimpse at nature's impressive palette. Read on to see the dazzling effect of nature at work.