frogs

[Steve]

has anyone tried any native frogs? r there any toxic ones to look out for?

[bunyanuternie]

I've never eaten one, But I just read a book called "dingoes den" where the people of the Tanimi desert , save a white fella who was lost and had passed out in a dry creekbed , they revived him by squeezing the bellies of the fat little sandfrogs that burrow in the sand, (real good to remember ) their was enough water in the frogs to keep him alive. as far as eating them , I do think their are some toxic ones , theirs not enough here for me to start munching them yet . Ian

[Naturalista]

Frogs around the world are in trouble due to the spread of chytrid fungus which kills them in large numbers. It's just recently hit Australia, spreads thru waterways and has been found in my area already.

Apart from finding the idea of eating fungal frogs a bit yucky, I'm inclined to put them in the 'special privileges - don't eat' category. You'd need a few for a meal and they're in enough trouble already. It's recommended not to touch or transport frogs either, to avoid spreading the nasty.

Maybe leave it to the French Unless you grow them yourself, of course. There's a huge attrition rate for metamorphs so you might as well. You'd have to grow them to a decent size. Personally I couldn't eat a frog I'd raised from an egg. ... or any frog, come to think of it.. they too cute.

cheers

[seedplanter]

A friend of mine is from Papua New Guinea and she LOVES frogs and big spiders, grashoppers and crickets. She says they put them on little sticks and roast them over an open fire.

I really want to try (ozzy) frogs and spiders with her when we go camping in a few weeks. I'd love to know if there are any that should be avoided.

Much of the flora and fauna of PNG is related to Australia's so that's a start. I'm so keen that I'm willing to go 'russian rulet' style.

God help me!

[Thomas B]

Most Australian frogs, including the green tree frog, secrete irritant chemicals when handled vigorously. This would suggest that eating them would be a bad idea. Also, all Australian amphibians are protected species. If this doesn't stop you, the larger the glands above their eardrums, the more likely they are to be toxic. Look at those on a cane toad for example.