I've only ever seen the FBTs and the odd African Clawed Frog. Availability in Canada has never been great. One always needed to go to a specialty store or have them special ordered, or go to a reptile convention (the best place to go anyways, both for price and quality, as well as knowledgeble salesmen). I actually find the selection at my local PetSmart better recently, because they remodeled the store, and built a nice unit for more birds and reptiles and amphibians. So now we regularly get White's TFrogs, anoles, geckoes, etc. Still no RETFs or PDFs though. Apparently a store in another part of Alberta has a really good selection of amphibs and reptiles, but they aren't always very healthy. And we almost never get turtles, and when we do, they are SO expensive! I think the reason is that they need a lot of paperwork to bring them across the border, and it gets quite expensive. I don't regret it though, because judging by the way the tanks are set up, with all screen tops, a heat lamp on every tank (whether the inhabitant needs it or not), and abismally low humidity, coupled with a dry bark or moss substrate that the poor creature is trying to hide in, they must kill a lot of frogs and geckos. And if they manage to sell any before they die to some unsuspecting customer, who is told that all they need is a little 2 gallon 'tank' with a bit of water and pebbles or bark chips, and maybe some fake plants, and one or two crickets every week to feed the frog, then they die in their new home. Either way, it's cruelty to animals. So I think that they should only try to sell the ones they know how to keep, and in my area, that seems to be leopard geckos and FBTs.

I've noticed that here in MI too. I'd have to agree though, they really shouldn't be in stores much of the time. The stores don't take good care of them. Worse than the stores though, I have noticed a huge drop in the wild population too. There was a park I used to go to as a kid, and every log you turned over had salamanders under it. I haven't gone in a while, but the last time I did it was very hard to find them. It's sad really. I know one local pet store stopped carying reptiles and amphibs completely, because they weren't making any money anyway.

-DH

or perhaps because there aren't as many 'phibs to find anymore?
http://www.gsreport.com/articles/art000181.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no6/daszak.htm

I just think it's a demand thing. If a person buys a leopard gecko and sticks it into a tiny cage with some sand and a water bowl, the lizard will survive (though it certainly won't thrive). Whereas, if you stick an amphib in a cage with some moist gravel, they reqire work and are much less hardy. After killing off a few amphibs, a person isn't likely to buy more.

Hi,
I don't know about the lizards, but here in central oregon the African clawed frog (the ones with the black toenails on its hind legs) are not permitted due to the fact that they are invasive species. People let them go and they create havic on native wildlife here. It may be the same with others since the salamander (spotted) is also very competitive and outcompetes our natives. Apparently the box turtle can also be a problem.(personally I don't know why...maybe disease, or again outcompeting?) If you previously own one of these animals of course you won't get into trouble but to purchase one now in this state is illegal. The other frog with the webbing on its legs is okay though, it is less aggressive (so I've been told). I'd be interested in knowing if it is the same there.-ddot

I rather suspect it is a $ issue. Because, as others have said, many petstores rarely take good care of their charges the amphs often die at the store or soon after purchase. Can add up expense-wise ... especially if the store has any sort of return policy.

Personally rather happy not seeing the amphs in the big box stores. I would expect [though I could be wrong] that those one would find at a herp show would be healthier and you'd be able to get better tips on raising the amphs properly by talking with the folks who raised them.

I know what you mean. At the store I work at, we try our best to keep a good amphibian stock. We have 6 different dart frogs, 6 different mantellas, 3 types of salamanders, 2 types of newts, and probably about 20 other types of frogs...but the ones that used to be so common such as eastern newts, any salamanders (should have seen how long it took us to track down the ones we have), etc. have become almost impossible to get in the first place. Though I still am amazed by the reluctance of people to provide what they need. When people come in for a pet for their kids, they remember how they kept frogs and newts (and especially turtles, but here in NJ, we can't sell turtles anyway) when they were kids, and refuse to come to terms that such practices were not adequate, and that a few months is NOT an acceptable lifespan. And I'm still surprised by how many people come in and as if we have any 'disposable frogs'...

I know! I used to want to work in a pet store, but now I think it would be way too frustrating for me. It's the same thing with goldfish in bowls. People are like "When I was a kid I had a goldfish in a bowl, and it lived for years!" Did it? Or did your mom regularly buy one that was identical, to replace the one that had died after about a month? And even if it did manage to live for a few years, goldfish should live for at least 20 years, so it is still not an acceptable lifespan. It all comes down to people wanting more of a decoration, or something 'exotic' than an actual pet that needs to be properly taken care of. They didn't realize it wouldn't be cheap, but they don't want to disappoint their kids, so they just buy a plastic box to hold the poor animal in, a water dish, and the odd cricket. It's so sad! As humans we're supposed to take care of the world, and instead we exploit it for all it's worth.

I actually have a friend who keeps an FBT in a little 2 gal. plastic box with some gravel and water. I don't know if she even uses RO water. It's probably just untreated tap water, and she feeds him a few crickets a week. When I first met her, I knew nothing about frogs, so I didn't say anything then, and now I don't know how to say something or what to say, or if the frog is even still alive. Hopefully I can get my new tank soon, and then invite her over when it's done, and we can start talking about frogs. . .

I used to work in one when I was a kid. I don't care for them at all. They are very irresponsible. They will sell anyone a burmese python, but fail to mention that their growth is measured in feet per year and that they will approach the size of a telephone pole. People start getting edgy when their pets start eyeing them as food and you can bet that its the snake that ends up suffering for it. People don't understand the care these pets need, and even worse, I dont think most of them really care.

-DH

I think your right. Some people don't want to care for their pets. They buy them and let them sit as if they were wall hangings. But, some people aren't about status. When I bought 3 betas from the store I had a seperate tank for each of them, one beta tank ( you know the 1 lt tetra tank) and two bowls. I was told that they only live for 2 years. That seemed like an acceptable life span for a fish, and I didn't want to be committed any longer than that. I cleaned their tanks every week, talked to them every day, named them. After 3 years I moved them up to larger living accomidations (even though they are "supposed" to like small places), and they loved them. After a while they gave me the eye attitude resenting the fact that they weren't again upgraded. So I bought them each a 5 gal tank. Again they loved them. Those guys lived 6 1/2 years!!! The pet store couldn't believe it. They had so much personality that after they died I bought another one. I put it in the 5 gal tank. It lived only 1.5 years- and had none of the attitude :( I'm not going to buy another. But, I loved them very much and fussed over them constantly. I had the slim coat, and the special foods and gravel, only the soft plants etc. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that not everyone is irresponsible, just misinformed. And I think your right, the pet store needs to know what they are doing and tell people the optimal not minimal conditions required for a pet. I'm glad I had them, but if I was told they would live for 6 + years I would have rethought the situation- like getting a dog.

I miss my bettas. I'll get another one as I can think of a place to put it so that my cat won't get it. And a nice vase that's big enough. I don't really like square tanks anymore. 6 years is really impressive though! Mine also died one by one due to ignorance. I read about keeping fish, so I would do a 10% water change every week. Little did I know that 100% of the water should be changed once a week or more if the water volume is less than 10 gallons! And of course I also didn't put heaters in their bowls, which also shortened their poor lives, due to the stress of constantly not being warm enough. *sigh* They are so pretty though. Every time I'm in a pet store, I want to buy one. =)