222 ] Snakes and Frogs and Their Relatives 



Alligators in the Home: An alligator is an unlikely but not im- 

 possible pet. It is not suited to captivity and seldom lives more 

 than a couple of years away from its natural surroundings. How- 

 ever, it is occasionally possible to obtain young 'gators and 

 judging from inquiries to zoos and museums about their care a 

 number of people do cope with the problem of keeping an alli- 

 gator in the home. 



A little alligator, like other reptile pets, must be kept in a 

 consistently warm temperature with plenty of sunshine, and with 

 shade always available. Its cage must be kept dry and clean and 

 furnished with a pan of water. Feeding it once or twice a week 

 is enough. Raw fish or bits of meat should be offered on a moving 

 stick, preferably to one side of the 'gator's head. 



Frogs 



Naturalists call the frog an "amphibian" a creature that lives 

 a double life. This is a good name for the frog, as it divides its 

 time between land and water. It has characteristics in common 

 with fish: It is cold-blooded, and it lays its eggs in the water. In other 

 respects it is akin to reptiles, which are also cold-blooded but 

 are able to live on dry land. Thus the frog, along with the toad, 

 newt, salamander, and other amphibians, is a "connecting link" 

 between the two great cold-blooded groups fish and reptiles. 



THE HOBBY OF COLLECTING FROGS' EGGS 



For generations children have sought frogs' eggs, and suc- 

 cessful hunters still bring them home to observe their development 

 in an aquarium. Collecting eggs should not be encouraged, as it 

 makes inroads on the frog population. However, the ability to 

 recognize eggs adds interest to a springtime expedition to a pond 

 or quiet stream. 



If a child is serious about exploring nature and particularly 

 anxious to watch tadpole development, it is important to know 

 what species he is collecting; the time required for development 

 of the eggs varies widely according to the species of the parent 

 frogs. Wood frogs take on adult form the same season the eggs 

 are laid; green frog tadpoles usually do not grow into frogs until 



