Growing up as a child in Sacramento the spring and summer months seemed to last forever. Our backyard pool resembled something penned by Mark Twain, a swimming hole complete with rocks, ivy, waterfall, and of course a rope swing. During the summer the local population of toads (Bufo Boreas) would even use the pool as sort of a singles club. Naturally, being a little boy I was utterly fascinated by all things creepy or slimy (or both!), so I would spend hours on end on those hot summer nights floating in our pool watching the frogs and toads do their thing. Sadly, over the years the toads slowly disappeared, and within five years they had completely vanished from our neighborhood... I guess they didn't like all of the new housing that was popping up in their habitat.

Another favorite summer activity of mine was camping, and whenever we went I would spend most of my woodland time in the creeks either fishing or looking for rough-skinned newts (Taricha Granulosa). At the time I had a fifty-five gallon sitting at home, which I couldn't wait to fill with whatever creature had most recently caught my fancy. My father and I also took the time to build a fully functional pond in the front of our house, which was actually a miniature version of the pool in the backyard. I spent the majority of my childhood catching critters with my father's swimming pool net, so in no time the pond was full of every sort of frog or tadpole I could get my hands on. Unfortunately, many of these nets were destroyed along the way (official "casualties of frogging")... sorry Dad!

The good news, on the other hand, is that the kid in me never went away, and as I approached my adult life I managed to hold on to my deep love for frogs. Eventually I encountered the poison dart frogs at the zoo, and ever since any subsequent trip would find me glued to their exhibit with my face pressed against the glass. They left quite an impression on me, of course... I was completely amazed at how bold and colorful they were.

Fate stepped in not too long after, when on Valentine's Day my girlfriend presented me with a little green treefrog of my own. That's all it took... I'd been talking for years of how much I loved frogs and had always been drawn to them, and now I was hooked. After only a few months I'd managed to acquire a nice group of Red Eye Treefrogs (A. Callidyas) and had built my first real terrarium; little did I know that my frog addiction was just beginning!

I moved to Seattle at the age of eighteen, and as luck would have it (and without prior knowledge) I'd landed right smack in the middle of a poison dart frog breeders Mecca! Eventually I would come to find out that I lived right down the road from some of the best dart frog breeders in the United States, and needless to say I've been working with dart frogs ever since. Years later, I now have a "frog room" in my very own home and spend upwards of five hours a day tending to my growing collection. Naturally, the kid in me still loves every single minute!
 

Happy frogging!