[oneshot]

But what you can do for your hobby.

Seriously. What does the hobby need? Are there species that are low in numbers, locally and world-wide? Should someone be focusing on them? More education about them? More conservation?

What can one person do to really help the hobby?

Ideas, comments, questions welcomed.

Brian

 

[afterdark]

I think the most important thing is to plan to be in the hobby long-term. Keep what you like and don't get discouraged. Adapt and try new things. Network and meet other froggers.

Great topic, Brian.

 

[Pumilo]

No secrets. Share what you discover and learn, with others.

 

[Tony]

In my opinion, one of the best things an individual can do is pick one particular species or morph and specialize in it. Grab as many unrelated bloodlines as possible and keep them going regardless of hobby/market trends. If everybody dedicated some space in their collection this way we wouldn't lose so many species/morphs/lines over time.

 

[poison beauties]

The short list...........

This hobby needs better tracking and management of whats here for longterm benefits, We need to actively preach better husbandry practices to all like QT, testing and other practices like preventing cross contamination between vivs. We need to stop settling for the basics like ten gallons, AGB mix, Pothos, and work on bettering it all. We need to keep working on issues like air circulation, lower heat lighting setups, the perfection of micro fauna culturing and use, get rid of the unnatural viv ingredients like GS and Silicone and go natural. There are many things we as hobbyists or groups can advance.

But teaching new hobbyists and supplying a giving them the most up to date practices to build off are the key.

Michael

 

[deboardfam]

Not sure as far as future..

But I just want to pat DB on the back for being a big progress in the hobby. A way to communicate.. share stories.. information.. for serious hobbyists.

 

[varanoid]

Not sure as far as future..

But I just want to pat DB on the back for being a big progress in the hobby. A way to communicate.. share stories.. information.. for serious hobbyists.

I agree 100%

I think that one of the best things that can be done by the average hobbyist is to try new things, document then share the results with everybody. As pumilo says, "no secrets". Many things seem to work but within what parameters? I recently asked the question of how thin can one make a clay background. Nobody really had a definitive answer as nobody seems to have tried this experiment and if they have did not share their results. Preserving lines and diversity is great, but even average hobbyists can contribute to the betterment of the hobby by documenting their trials and errors in exeriments regarding gerneral husbandry, and then sharing. DB is a perfect venue for this.

 

[poison beauties]

Your right, everyone can help but the long term hobby's stability is dependent upon a much better long term management of the frogs that are here and coming, It wont matter how how thin clay can be applied if the frogs aren't healthy enough to make it.

Michael

 

[jwthought]

I think we can do better in terms of environmentally friendly practices: water conservation, limited use of electricity, re-using materials, etc. I started a decent thread on the topic:

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/science-conservation/70842-eco-friendly-frogging.html

 

[PeanutbuttER]

Research and find frogs that used to be relatively common. Specifically, those that went through a boom/bust cycle of popularity and are now in danger of being forgotten and disappearing from the hobby. Find them and breed them so that they aren't lost to the hobby.

 

[skylsdale]

Amphibian Steward Network | Tree Walkers International

 

[JoshH]

Develop ways to create more natural artificial habitats for the animals we keep; go beyond what everyone has done before. Push the design envelope a bit, take risks and find out how we can improve on animal husbandry within the confines of the artificial environment.

The closer we strive to replicate natural systems down to the tiniest details, the more likely we will succeed. All amphibians and reptiles, no matter how rare or difficult can be kept and bred in a captive system if you can adequately replicate it's natural environment. Atelopus, histos, , all the hard to breed obligates....all within the realm of captive breeding.

The goal should be never to just settle on just having our animals survive; but providing all the necessary ingredients to allow them to actually thrive.

Finally as many have said, let go of the secrets and promote your observations and successes!

 

[boabab95]

i agree with Pumilio, no secrets. I know way too many froggers [not naming names] who claim to share everything, then when asked how they do something, they say it's a secret and they aren't sharing it....

Josh has a good point aswell...for example, IMO, misting isn't natural at all, a rain system[aswell as misting] would be much more realistic [which i'll be trying in my 120.] maybe even a fogger going off after it "raining" to create the actual rainforest effect some of the frogs are used to...

We also need to find better ways to make realistic/naturalistic setups without spending $1000's of dollars on some of the products available...