Moo’s Frog

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Moo’s Frog

April 1, 2011 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Our friend Moo was in Proserpine, Queensland recently.

Whilst there, he and a friend purchased a $12 palm tree from the local Woolworths, and were delighted to find this tiny frog hiding in amongst the leaves. It was really very small, and not the least bit perturbed by the human company…

Moo, who is a marine biologist but not a herpetologist, believes this is a small dainty tree frog, camouflaged to its surroundings. Frogs can be notoriously difficult to identify, so if there are any herpetologists out there, please let us know if that’s not right.

And in case you’re wondering…Moo and his friend released this little guy into the lush verge surrounding the Woolies carpark.

Live long and prosper, tiny green tree frog!

Posted in Food & Friends | Tagged Australian frogs, dainty tree frog, Queensland frogs | 32 Comments

32 Responses

on April 1, 2011 at 12:50 am sallybr

Way too cute… I once had a neighbor who was doing a PhD on frogs and in her house she kept cages and cages with rare specimens from South America and other places. They are amazing creatures!

I lost contact with that woman, too bad, I am sure she could help identify your little friend
on April 1, 2011 at 1:12 am steve

Those are some great pictures of a really cool frog, whatever species it is.
on April 1, 2011 at 1:28 am Joanna @ Zeb Bakes

What a little treasure! I must show this post to Brian who used to rescue the frogs that came in with the bananas to Safeway where he used to work. He had several when I met him in a vivarium and he used to feed them live crickets. The zoo didn’t want them. Gorgeous photos Moo! Thanks for sharing them :)
on April 1, 2011 at 2:29 am norma

He is so cute…
on April 1, 2011 at 4:02 am Abby

So fun to find an unexpected friend! And soooo cute! =)
on April 1, 2011 at 4:21 am C

He’s absolutely lovely Celia. I don’t regret not having your spiders but little frogs are gorgeous. The nearest I can come to this is buying a basil plant from the supermarket with an unknown inhabitant. I didn’t realise that it wasn’t only me eating the basil until I found a large catepillar. In fact there were two – I turfed one into the garden but the other had already made a crysallis on my windowsill (that I shamefully hadn’t noticed!) and I hadn’t the heart to destroy it. One morning I came downstairs to the empty crysallis and a large (unidentified) brown moth fluttering at the kitchen window. I just opened the window and let it out!
on April 1, 2011 at 5:06 am heidi

I think that the frog is a bonus creature!
So cute.
The only thing that I ever got with another purchase was a black widow spider that came home with a large bunch of grapes. AHHHH!
on April 1, 2011 at 5:15 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

I’m so glad you’re all enjoying these photos as much as I did! Moo took them with his point and shoot waterproof Lumix – amazing resolution for such a little camera!

Sally, if you ever run into that lady again, or Joanna, if Brian can shed any light – would love to know more about this little frog! :)

C, you’re a kind soul to let the bugs free! And Heidi, finding a black widow is pretty scary stuff! I guess you knew the grapes weren’t sprayed! :)
on April 1, 2011 at 6:32 am Gillian

What brilliant photos Celia. Thanks for sharing.

HoneyB was thinking maybe you could cook some flies for the frog so it can grow bigger ;-)
on April 1, 2011 at 7:16 am bagnidilucca

I love frogs!! This one is gorgeous. I hope it lives a long, happy frog life and has lots of tadpoles.
on April 1, 2011 at 9:39 am Amanda

We do a fairly good line in frogs here in the Adelaide Hills, but none can hold a candle to this little beauty! These colours are just gorgeous on this tiny little creature, but really can only be carried off well in the tropics!
on April 1, 2011 at 10:12 am Jan

Beautiful little thing, so tiny and perfect but so vulnerable.
on April 1, 2011 at 11:37 am Cat

What a beautiful little creature. Its colours are just amazing. Reminds me of the little baby frogs that I saw as a kid when my cousins were digging a pit for an outhouse at my uncles old farm. There would be about 20 or so in the pit in the morning because water would seep into the pit.
on April 1, 2011 at 11:52 am Melanie

What a beautiful little tree frog. Thank you for sharing these pics! I used to like to play with tree frogs when a child, but none of them were this small. Is it a baby I wonder? I hope he wasn’t too scared.
on April 1, 2011 at 12:07 pm Claire @ Claire K Creations

He’s gorgeous! I have a little frog living in my waterfall. I haven’t spotted him yet but he is very vocal. I can’t wait to meet him.
on April 1, 2011 at 12:51 pm cityhippyfarmgirl

Now I’m no herpa-whats-ama-called-thingy BUT I do believe it is a dainty tree frog. (Not daintree tree frog as I used to think they were called.) They used to come down with the bananas from QLD sometimes and Mr C would rescue them. There is a group called FATS in Sydney that rescue any little frogs that don’t belong where they are found. Someone from the group will either come out and pick up said frog or tell you where the nearest drop off spot is.
(Although Moo’s little frog is safely still where it belongs)
http://www.fats.org.au/Frogs.html
If you look on the site there is a little dainty tree frog cousin on the froggy list.
I like frogs.
on April 1, 2011 at 4:32 pm Yvette

What wonderful colours…and great photo’s.
on April 1, 2011 at 4:38 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Thank you all – I’m glad Moo let me share the photos with you, because they were really something!

Amanda, Moo sent me a photo of the palm they found it in – interesting to see how well it matched the surroundings. As you say, I don’t think they’re nearly that bright down here!

Melanie, I think it might be a baby, dainty tree frogs are supposed to be a bit bigger than that, but not a lot – 3cm to 6cm.

Brydie, thank you for all that info! Moo spent ages trying to ID the frog (and I spent less time, but still some) and the pics are so variable!
on April 1, 2011 at 4:55 pm thecompletecookbook

I love Moo’s frog – too cute!
:-) Mandy
on April 1, 2011 at 7:01 pm Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

Aww I adore little froggies! And I’m amazed that it has no fear of humans! I still can’t believe how tiny it is :)
on April 1, 2011 at 8:23 pm Lee

If it eats mosquitoes, it’s welcome down here…
on April 1, 2011 at 8:45 pm Mrs Bok

OMG HOW ADORABLE!!!! I love frogs. That little one is so cute and its eyes seem to say ‘oh hi!’ Gorgeous colour. Looks so friendly!
on April 1, 2011 at 10:03 pm Mariana

Yes! Long live the frog – couldn’t agree more. Gosh – it really is the most vibrant green colour isn’t it. Gee the little fellow did well to survive the habitat in Woolies. Being in a palm tree ain’t so bad. I just wouldn’t like to find him in my lettuce thank you very much.
on April 1, 2011 at 10:10 pm InTolerantChef

What a cutie! My nan used to get tiny tree frogs in her palm trees on the Sunshine Coast. I always used to wish they would stay still so I could wear them as jewellry, but they never would :(
on April 2, 2011 at 5:06 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Long live the frog! I’m sure this little frog will be doing just fine with all your good wishes! :) Becca, I’ll bet your nan’s frogs were just like this one – it came in a palm tree!
on April 3, 2011 at 8:24 am Sasha @ Global Table Adventure

What a gorgeous, sweet creature. Beautiful shots :)
on April 3, 2011 at 3:20 pm J Cosmo Newbery

How do you cook them?
on April 3, 2011 at 4:36 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

Sasha, thank you! Moo always takes amazing photos…

Cosmo, you don’t – they’re a bugger to skin. ;-)
on April 4, 2011 at 3:04 am justalittlepiece

He is so cute! I wish I could find little guys as cute as that here.
on April 4, 2011 at 11:55 am Susan

That is the cutest thing ever!
on April 9, 2011 at 8:38 pm MamaVix

Please thank Moo – the little lad insisted I print out a frog photo which we then stuck onto cardboard and turned into a puzzle.
Hours of GREEN entertainment :-)
- on April 10, 2011 at 11:49 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  
  Vix, I’m sure Moo will be delighted! :)