Going for a ride

So we've got the toads at our house this week.

Nate is quite happy to be sharing his room with them, and spends a good deal of time watching them.

(sometimes, though, it's like watching paint dry. They find a nice sheltered corner, and then they just float there, not moving at all, except for this little stomach twitch).)

I was a bit concerned about Poison the last few days, as he/she (ok, let's just call them both "it", and not have it be a disparaging pronoun, ok?)... so IT wasn't looking very good. Poison had turned dark, and looked skinny, and was just hiding behind the filter. So I intervened.

I've spent the last 3 days pulling Poison out on a spoon, and sequestering it until it eats a cricket. I've gotten these extra-small crickets, too, so I know that they're tender and delicious.

And Poison seems to be perking up a bit. It's not as dark, is greening up nicely, and looks a little plumper.

And while it's still a little frightened by the spoon, it's not so freaked out once it is scooped.

(ok, this "it" business isn't working for me at all. I think I will call them both "him" until one or the other one lays eggs.)

So here is Poison, going for a little ride.

For size comparison, here's Toxanne on the same spoon.

Maybe not QUITE twice as big, but surely coming close to doubling Poison's size.

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Nate showed his bravery this afternoon during the toad feeding...

Those are his fingers, letting Poison back into the pond.

He also carried Toxanne...

He says you can really feel the difference in weight. I'll take his word for it, as I wasn't going to touch the toads... yet.

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And here is the other resident of Nate's room right now:

I want to call him Hermie Knevil, with that shell. Or maybe Super Dave Osborne the Hermit Crab.

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Ahem, I think we need to work on the Pecking Order in the family... someone thinks they're the king of the castle...