Toad on a Stick

As some of you might know my other hobby is fish. I have 4 aquariums, a little one gallon "tank" and a bowl, all with some form of fish or fry in it but I had this wish to have a paluradium which is a tank that has land and water and animals on land and fish in the water. I came across another tank at the flea market, a nice octagon shaped tank and I knew right then it was my paluradium. I got the seller down to $25 and took it (Phil was shaking his head but...whatever). I didn't have any idea what I wanted to put in it but as I went along the idea for a waterfall came in. I had a pump, sponge filter, heater, and a few other things that were needed. I bought some spray foam and a terrarium background piece and I was off and running. It was harder than I thought it would be. The tank only had a small square in the top and the background piece (which was actually my separator between land and water) wouldn't fit so I had to cut it in half down a seam and hoped it wouldn't show (it doesn't). I didn't actually get a waterfall like I wanted because the foam moved back my slab where the water ran down but the water does trickle down the front piece so it still works. I added some plants from wal-mart and some "dinosaur" plants (some type of resurrection fern, I think) that I got for $ .25 cents at Tractor Supply plus some Spanish moss and some rock. I just picked up things when there was a good deal or I had a little money. You get the idea, anyway, I stopped at the fish store and they had a half water/half land tank and they had a gecko in it and some frogs--Fire bellied toads actually...and I liked those frogs so when the tank was finished, I got two of them. (Technically it is not a paluradium as I did not get the fish but there are some drawbacks to having fire bellied toads as their skin exudes a toxin that may be bad for fish).

I have added a few more rocks and some more moss going down to the water since this picture so the frogs can get to the water easier. They are not real fascinating yet as they hide a lot and eat yucky crickets (which I have to buy and maintain in the greenhouse for them. I dislike being touched by crickets, yet I have to get them out of my container in the greenhouse and into the frog tank--so far I have managed not to touch one) but they are getting braver lately and coming out more.

I know you are wondering why I posted this one here...well, as you all know my 20 year old daughter Michelle is not all on board with our self sufficient ways. She is always worried about any animals I bring in and if they are going to end up in her food so tonight when she asked what we were having for supper I happened to be looking at this tank and answered, "Frog on a stick. What do you think I am raising these frogs for?"
I immediately heard, "What!?"
He he he...