The little frog under the mop
By spalladino
@spalladino (17891)
United States
January 22, 2009 4:52pm CST
It's cold down here in Florida today and it's cold inside of our store because we don't have any heat. Ok, it's 58 degrees outside but I still say that's cold. I dropped a can of soda a few minutes ago and had to get the mop to clean up the little bit of mess that I made and, when I returned the mop to where it had been, I saw what I thought at first was a little dead frog. He was pretty pale and completely still but, when I picked him up, he moved just a bit. Since I don't have anything to take him home in...other than the pocket of my jacket and I'd hate for him to get loose in my truck and then freeze to death in there, I used some cleaning cloths to make a bed for him. He's on a little box, off of the cold, concrete floor and under the light that shines on the Chopper in the window which might throw off some heat. So I'm hoping that he'll survive the night. I guess I'll find out tomorrow when we open. It's suppose to warm up tomorrow so he only has to make it through one more night. It's supposed to get down into the low 30s down here tonight so I'm wondering, do the little creatures like frogs and lizzards simply slow down when it's cold or do they die?
I report the frog's status tomorrow. 
4 people like this
6 responses
@eaforeman6 (8979)
• United States
22 Jan 09
How do frogs survive the winter in cold places?
A. The frogs hibernate in burrows or bury themselves in mud. Toads and frogs are cold-blooded and their body processes slow down as the outside temperature drops. This is why you sometimes find frogs sunning themselves in the spring. Their body temp needs to rise for them to move well. Frogs' bodies have some natural antifreeze chemicals built into them, but a few kinds of frogs who live in especially cold climates can even survive being frozen solid.
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/FrogNotes3.html
Its pretty interesting, iisnt it?
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
23 Jan 09
Yes, that is pretty interesting...thanks! I guess that little green guy will survive the night then even if he doesn't stay in the warm bed I made for him. My husband thinks I'm nuts to worry about frogs and lizzards. 
1 person likes this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
23 Jan 09
UPDATE ON THE LITTLE FROG:
I'll put this up here so it's easy to see. When my husband went to the store earlier he checked the little frog's bed (as I had requested) and it was empty. Later on he spotted him hopping around in the back so he opened the back door so he could leave. It's warmer today and sunny so he chose to go outside and rejoin his little frog family. My husband told me that there's a fly in there now and asked if I want to save him, too. I don't like flies so he's on his own!
1 person likes this
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
23 Jan 09
Sorry I'm a little late and responding by email but up here I know that frogs and turtles dig down in the dirt and hibernate for the winter. I'm not sure what they would do down there since they aren't use to the cold.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
26 Jan 09
That's what my problem was, too...I don't know what the heck they do down here either and the poor little thing was already barely moving when I found him. We've got a lot of them living behind the store for some reason and, now that it's warmed up again, I see them hopping here and there so they must have some sort of plan for cold snaps. That's what they call it down here...a snap!
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
29 Jan 09
My granddaughter and I love to see the lizards and frog and she probably would have done just what you did. We live in SC so at this time of year we don't see too many frogs or lizards but love to watch them during the summer. I see that some one has already told you about their slowing down as they get cold. It is like hibernating. This just goes to show what a kind hearted person you are.
[i]
I smile because I have no idea what's going on. [/i]
@underdogtoo (9579)
• Philippines
23 Jan 09
I don't worry too much about frogs and other wonderful creatures. I am sure they are going to make it, or not as the case may be. Cheers!!!
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
23 Jan 09
Just one more cold night and then our temps will be back to normal around here. 
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
23 Jan 09
Hi spalladino! I wonder if they can't take the cold either!
I really don't know! The poor frog! That was nice of you
to try to cover him up a bit and put him somewhere to warm
up a bit! I do hope that he will be alright too! I don't know
what the lizards and other critters do about the cold! I
don't know if they can live on the land when it's cold or
need to be in water since sometimes the water is warmer than
the land. I'd have to check that out. Please let us know how
the little guy made out! I'll say a little prayer for the
little froggy!
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
23 Jan 09
Thanks Opal. When we got home this evening my husband asked me if I wanted to go out in the yard and look for cold frogs there, too, but *I* was cold so I decided not to. We have to go to the V.A. in the morning so I won't be able to check on him until sometime in the afternoon but I'll let you know how he did.
