Last Sunday, we were excited to watch the Carolina/San Francisco playoff game and went to more trouble than we usually do and invited a few people over. Not a huge party by any means, but we had caught the football fever and wanted to share it with others. A lot of good it did us, but that's for a sports blog writer to complain about. Our story only took place on this day and has nothing to do with football.
Just as the game was about to start, Logan yelled for me. He was upset because he thought one of our African Dwarf Frogs had lost a limb. Although I was truly the last person qualified to look at a missing limb, I did. Indeed, a bloody stump was where the left front leg should have been. I also noticed, to my horror, that the little frog was incredibly thin.
Once I confirmed the injury, Logan spiraled into a crazed child, complete with unintelligible screaming, flailing and threats of fainting. Although, I was fairly calm, I was not doing so well myself. I love frogs and I hate blood. We quickly deduced the other frog or one of the fish had become violent and attacked the frog.
I really did not want to pull Ryan from the game, but I didn't know what to do. Logan was inconsolable, a frog was missing a limb and a violent aquatic animal was loose in the tank. This was a crisis.
To say Ryan was not annoyed with the rantings and ravings of his wife and son would be to lie to you; however, he is a good husband and father and within a two-minute Panther timeout, he assessed the situation, calmed Logan down, and asked me to call the specialty store where we purchase all our replacement fish and frogs.
I described the situation over the phone with the salesperson. He was doubtful about our story that the frog was attacked. He explained that mollies and frogs are all docile, definitely not prone to attacking one another. He said it was more likely that the frog got his leg stuck in the filter.
Instantly the story finally became clear: the frog's leg was stuck in the filter and could not get food. This explained the very skinny frog. We did not notice because the tank is in Logan and Sean's room and the boys were not allowed in their room for a few days while Ben's ceiling was being repaired.
Just like James Franco in 127 Hours, the frog had to rip off its own leg to survive.
It has been over a week and he is still living. I bought special frozen worms to help him gain back his weight. It seems to be working because he is definitely putting on the ounces. He is fairly lethargic, and we have to watch that the injury does not get infected. We are cautiously hopeful.
If someone had warned me that my week would only get more challenging, I would not have believed them. But alas, the universe had other plans for this family.
Just as the game was about to start, Logan yelled for me. He was upset because he thought one of our African Dwarf Frogs had lost a limb. Although I was truly the last person qualified to look at a missing limb, I did. Indeed, a bloody stump was where the left front leg should have been. I also noticed, to my horror, that the little frog was incredibly thin.
Once I confirmed the injury, Logan spiraled into a crazed child, complete with unintelligible screaming, flailing and threats of fainting. Although, I was fairly calm, I was not doing so well myself. I love frogs and I hate blood. We quickly deduced the other frog or one of the fish had become violent and attacked the frog.
I really did not want to pull Ryan from the game, but I didn't know what to do. Logan was inconsolable, a frog was missing a limb and a violent aquatic animal was loose in the tank. This was a crisis.
To say Ryan was not annoyed with the rantings and ravings of his wife and son would be to lie to you; however, he is a good husband and father and within a two-minute Panther timeout, he assessed the situation, calmed Logan down, and asked me to call the specialty store where we purchase all our replacement fish and frogs.
I described the situation over the phone with the salesperson. He was doubtful about our story that the frog was attacked. He explained that mollies and frogs are all docile, definitely not prone to attacking one another. He said it was more likely that the frog got his leg stuck in the filter.
Instantly the story finally became clear: the frog's leg was stuck in the filter and could not get food. This explained the very skinny frog. We did not notice because the tank is in Logan and Sean's room and the boys were not allowed in their room for a few days while Ben's ceiling was being repaired.
Just like James Franco in 127 Hours, the frog had to rip off its own leg to survive.
It has been over a week and he is still living. I bought special frozen worms to help him gain back his weight. It seems to be working because he is definitely putting on the ounces. He is fairly lethargic, and we have to watch that the injury does not get infected. We are cautiously hopeful.
If someone had warned me that my week would only get more challenging, I would not have believed them. But alas, the universe had other plans for this family.
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