Dart Den

I recently got my first clutch of viable eggs from my variabilis imitator. From the first clutch one of the eggs slid down the vivarium glass and onto a piece of orchid bark. I removed the egg and am currently rearing it outside of the tank (its progressing very nicely!!). A few days later my girl set another clutch of three eggs on the other side of the vivarium on the glass. After I was certain they had been fertilized I removed them from the tank to rear them myself. Not even five minutes after I removed the eggs my girl was in the spot where the eggs had been searching for her now lost eggs. I have to be honest, it made me feel really bad. I was wondering what your thoughts were on taking eggs from the parents? Should we feel bad about removing eggs from a vivarium to rear them ourselves?

Interesting question. At times, I will admit to 'feeling bad' when taking all the eggs from my azureus. In my mind, they started hiding new clutches in different places in an attempt to beat me from taking them. That said, I highly doubt they are sad or have bad feelings, as a non-intelligent organism.

I actually hate pulling eggs and really try to let all my frogs at least transport. I don’t think it is because I feel bad when I do pull them, but more that I like the idea of them being able to behave closer to what they would in a natural setting. Watching the parents and offspring together in the same tank is also very satisfying somehow.

Sally