Burien Pacific tree frog breeder Mohawk Kuzma holds a container of eggs, right. On left he holds a Pacific tree frog over his 10-foot by 15-foot pond. He gives the eggs and tadpoles away for free.
Photo left by Mohawk Kuzma. Photo right by Steve Shay
As of May 11, Mohawk Kuzma's new craigslist ad is:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/grd/3010215586.html
When it comes to breeding Pacific tree frogs, Mohawk Kuzma, a Burien 21 year-old formerly known as Miles Partman, should leap on to your radar. The Evergreen High School graduate and current civic engagement volunteer said he noticed that many in this species, called Pseudacris regilla are being killed off by the chytrid fungus or "Chytridiomycosis". He raises eggs and tadpoles to give away for free.
"I am encouraging people to spread the native frogs as there is a decline in the amphibian population," he said. "I am bringing the amphibian population back up with one frog at a time, all happening from my backyard pond."
His pond is a hole in the ground he hand-dug, with a plastic 10-foot by 15-foot swimming pool set inside.
"A lot of people will drive an hour to get my eggs and tadpoles to repopulate the area and set them free," he said proudly. "I'm guessing I have raised nearly 3,000 tadpoles that have become frogs. Over 65 people have come for eggs and tadpoles over the last three years.
"Females lay 400 to 750 eggs, which are externally fertilized by the male. The males croak to attract a female. It can be louder than the airplanes that fly over our house here which is near Sea Tac. They croak all night. I collect the eggs in containers. Legally you're not supposed to sell frog eggs because they're native. Technically I ask for a donation for pond maintenance.
"Usually they lay eggs in April and May, and frogs become adults in June through August. They come back to my yard to lay eggs. It's instinctive. My brother used to raise frogs four or five years before I did. They kept coming back and I became a 'frog person'.
"Right now I have no wait list for eggs, but I have a three-week waiting list for tadpoles," he said. "You have to wait a couple of weeks after the eggs become tadpoles until they get tough enough to catch and give away. Otherwise their bodies are too fragile. When they're eggs you don't have to feed them. When they are tadpoles I feed them algae. I scoop them up with a net in the pond when they're big enough.
"My eggs and tadpoles are great for education, for schools," he said. "If you're not able to come, I'll deliver them to you for a five dollar fee. I take the bus which is a lot more environmentally friendly."
Here is more information on Pacific tree frogs.
To pick up your eggs and tadpoles, visit Mohawk Kuzma's craigslist ad, or call him at (206) 334-6007. Also, visit his Facebook pages under "Mohawk Kuzma" and check out his his page called "how to take care of pacfic treefrog though their stages of life".