# Ways to advance the hobby....



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

The discussion of methods to advance the hobby:

Advertising, Internet, methods, thoughts, designs, suggestions ect ect.


Here is one thing I have seen recently. There have been two different hosted frogger meetings that I have attended recently.

1. 2 meetings at Scott Menigoz's house

2. 2 meetings at Jason DeSantis's house

Both meetings had over 25 DB members attending. Let me say that again.....*OVER TWENTY FIVE* different people at each meeting, who had intense passion and interest for frogs, plants, vivariums, techniques ect ect. Both venues were excellent and I'll bet everyone had a great time.

We had food. We had a 4 foot sub. We had grilled burgers, dogs and chicken. We had numerous frogs to trade and transfer. We had home brewed beer. HOMEBREWED beer. We had cigars (well at least I some). A greenhouse full of broms and plants were you could handselect your fav broms! and on and on.....others could probably add a dozen other cool things or reviews.

these two meetings were the MADS (Mid Atlantic Dendorbatid Society), and Jason's meeting was referred to simply as the 'NJ meet".

I recently saw a guy start a thread about getting some Virginia and "lower Maryland" people to start thier own group and get together and I intially thought " man, why not just join MADS - why try to start something new" and now I think differently.

Start a group. *Start a social group and ACTIVELY work it*. Take a look at the Florida group. It has 45 members. Whenever I see anyone with a Florida location, I personally invite them to join. I even cajolled (sp) a member to join and he did, with some joking around on both parts.

Host a meeting....start a group. Create.....report on how cool YOUR particular meeting was.

just some thoughts.


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## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Indeed. I think getting to meet the faces behind the avatars has made this a much more enjoyable hobby for me. 

[warm fuzzies]I've been into herps all my life and have never really had friends that shared this interest. It's really fun having folks that you can bounce stuff off of and also learn from. [/warm fuzzies]


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

indeed. i wish there were opportunities like that in my area. and i hoped i would see some familiar faces at repticon today! i did met one db member who was vending. 

anyon in he coastal ga/ sc/ NE fl area that would like to have a meeting at my place feel free to pm me


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

I think another important way of advancing the hobby is to constantly push the envelope of design and technologies with vivs, etc. Look out how spray foam changed the frog hobby, then on to the grout/cement rockwall boom. We need to expirement with everything and not get discouraged by naysayers and so-called experts, anything is possible until proven otherwise.


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## DCreptiles (Jan 26, 2009)

This is a great thread with some great points. The frog hobby is deff one of a kind. I was pulled in by the creative freedom you have when planning and building your vivs. The frogs are really affordable ( for the most part ), and the. Frog community is filled with some great ppl. Also ( for the most part ). But I agree with phil that we need more active hobbyst standing up joining the group in their area and getting each other together to enjoy this hobby on a larger scale. Thanks to this hobby I made some good friends.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

I`ve only met a few of you people in person over the years.
I`m really hoping to attend Andy`s ( Brooklyn Dart Frogs) meeting, I think sometime in the spring?
I think these little personal meetings with each other are actually pretty cool, although I haven`t been able to attend one..... yet!

By the way, it`s nice to be able to talk about something other than the rep. poll!

John


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## Chicago Frog Man (Mar 5, 2009)

I've been thinking about ways to promote the hobby for a long time. The community of froggers seems so small to me, and a few years ago when I saw Dart Frogs for the first time at the Shed Aquarium in Chicago, I didn't even know that we could keep them as pets.

I do a lot of photography, and I sell my photos through gift shops at zoos. I have begun to put info on the backs of the photos about how fast amphibians are becoming endangered, and included web addresses of TWI and Dendroboard. 

Pete Mertens, owner of Chicago Dart Frog, had a table set up this year at the DuPage County fair in the suburbs of Chicago educating people about Dart Frogs and showing the kids the frogs themselves etc. Nice tool to spark interest. 

Any other ideas? I was thinking I would have gotten involved in frogs earlier if I had exposure to them in Biology class or science class, when I was young and intrested in the creepy crawlie things before I became interested in girls! Maybe we should try to educate and interest kids in frogs and maybe get some asking their parents for frogs for Christmas rather than a video game.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Chi town is BIG region for CB Herps and even dart frogs....always has been. You are lucky to live there.

There is a member here that started a social group "Chicago froggers" here on this very forum. Join that group. Hopefully the guy or gal who started that group will seek out and invite members living close by and the next thing you know...

Someone will be making T-shirts, bumper stickers.....brewing their own beer and you'll find yourself in a basement with 40 vivs filled with frogs for 8 hours on a Sunday.


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

JoshH said:


> I think another important way of advancing the hobby is to constantly push the envelope of design and technologies with vivs, etc. Look out how spray foam changed the frog hobby, then on to the grout/cement rockwall boom. We need to expirement with everything and not get discouraged by naysayers and so-called experts, anything is possible until proven otherwise.


Quoted for emphasis.. also husbandry methods as well.


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

What is meant by the term "advance" in the original post? Simply to "promote" or to take to another level (mature)? 

I tend to think the latter...but it seems many so far are thinking along the lines of the former?


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## snooknfrogs (Sep 25, 2009)

Hey Phil,

We have enough people here in FL to have a meeting like that... Maybe we could do it to coincide with one of the herp events here... Maybe Daytona next year??? Or sooner... What do you think??

JP


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## Marty71 (Nov 9, 2006)

I have been to a few New England area meetings and am lucky enough to be part of the NEFG. It is a great group, great area, and filled with very knowledgeable froggers.

I think being part of a local frog community provides countless benefits. People helping each other when cultures crash, sharing knowledge, pooling funds to purchase imports and help guarantee breeding success and regional establishment. 

Consider breeder loans, especially locally. I have plenty of lonely single frogs as I am sure others do. What better way to increase populations and limit teh need for imports than to get the ones we all have working..


Personally I have been thinking about contacting the local library and see if they would be interested in a donated tank. I have no idea the procedure, protocol etc. but there really wouldn't be any downside. I could build a small manageable tank like a 20L for short money, plant it with clippings I have, and fill it with 2-4 Leuc froglets that my group has produced. Offer to maintain the tank, feed the frogs and see what happens. They could create a rainforest display, complete with the tank, a pamphlet from TWI whatever. There are a ton of considerations (securing the lid, building an untippable base, light it etc.) but what better way to promote frogs, rainforest preservation etc. than a display with frog information, a tank, library books etc...

Just a few ideas....


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

skylsdale said:


> What is meant by the term "advance" in the original post? Simply to "promote" or to take to another level (mature)?
> 
> I tend to think the latter...but it seems many so far are thinking along the lines of the former?


Can it be.....both, Ron?

Actually, since I wrote it....It's up to me to clarify it.

I would have to say "Advance", meaning to grow....to move forward. To come up with numerous new and helpful husbandry designs and techniques. To share succeses and failures. To enjoin the many facets that make up the hobby to include the ideals of conservation.

and most importantly....to have MORE people interested in these animals.

More members....more meetings....more shows.....more conferences..more people keeping CB frogs.....more pictures, blogs,websites, literature.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

snooknfrogs said:


> Hey Phil,
> 
> We have enough people here in FL to have a meeting like that... Maybe we could do it to coincide with one of the herp events here... Maybe Daytona next year??? Or sooner... What do you think??
> 
> JP


JP...we sure could...

but 

I have a 2 bedroom condo (in FL).....gonna be a li'l tight at my place until I get something bigger.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Marty71 said:


> I have been to a few New England area meetings and am lucky enough to be part of the NEFG. It is a great group, great area, and filled with very knowledgeable froggers.
> 
> I think being part of a local frog community provides countless benefits. People helping each other when cultures crash, sharing knowledge, pooling funds to purchase imports and help guarantee breeding success and regional establishment.
> 
> ...


 
Marty,

Yep....from what I hear, you guys up North have it going on.

Good stuff.

That Library idea is VERY good....Libraries would love small dart frogs, I would think.


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## Rich Conley (Jun 12, 2008)

Philsuma said:


> Chi town is BIG region for CB Herps and even dart frogs....always has been. You are lucky to live there.
> 
> There is a member here that started a social group "Chicago froggers" here on this very forum. Join that group. Hopefully the guy or gal who started that group will seek out and invite members living close by and the next thing you know...
> 
> Someone will be making T-shirts, bumper stickers.....brewing their own beer and you'll find yourself in a basement with 40 vivs filled with frogs for 8 hours on a Sunday.


Really? Never heard of them. I don't see it in the social groups either. EDIT: Nevermind, found it. The social groups is a really poorly set up part of this page. Wow, I'm the 4th member.

I think people need to advertise/push these things harder. I know I'd be interested if I could find something (and I have homebrewed beer)


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Rich Conley said:


> I think people need to advertise/push these things harder. I know I'd be interested if I could find something (and I have homebrewed beer)


I'm trying!.....We all do what we can, when we are able.

Homebrew??? The basis of a meeting right there.

When I was doing geckos in the 80's...Chicago was a big hub for them. I joined the Chicago Herp Society and anxiously awaited the newsletter in the mail. Pre- Internet can ya believe it?

The social group thing here is kinda new, but VERY important in my opinion. It also serves as a collection of all the close by people that one can quickly access if you need some FF or have a problem that needs some quick, close help.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

is the ADG newsletter still in circulation?


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Julio said:


> is the ADG newsletter still in circulation?


I doubt it....it's gone extinct due to printing and postage costs.

possibly a victim of the 'net.

This forum is more effective than a newsletter anyway.


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## Malaki33 (Dec 21, 2007)

This is a great thread, as I talk to people here in chat, in PM's and such I have been so amazed at some of the things I heard, how to get noticed, how to become trusted etc. A few people even told me that people just "give" them frogs to work with. I would love to see more on how to advance in this hobby, and become well respected, by the others in the hobby.


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## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

Philsuma said:


> I doubt it....it's gone extinct due to printing and postage costs.
> 
> possibly a victim of the 'net.
> 
> This forum is more effective than a newsletter anyway.


That is what i thought, it was still a great publication.


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## snooknfrogs (Sep 25, 2009)

I live in a condo and I have a meeting room downstairs... maybe sometime we could do it here... or like I said at one of the bigger shows... Daytona or Tampa or something??

JP


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

snooknfrogs said:


> I live in a condo and I have a meeting room downstairs... maybe sometime we could do it here... or like I said at one of the bigger shows... Daytona or Tampa or something??
> 
> JP


 
Thats certainly a viable option. The Daytona show had a huge food court and great table space. I think some guys here did have a little quicky get together there this year.

Whenever there is a reptile show, you can always try to see if you can reserve a little space somewhere and post on here - all the details.

One of the largest Reptiles shows on the East coast area - Hamburg PA, does not really have the space and isn't suitable for a group meeting yet we always get a dozen or more DB members attending and manange to hook up and coordinate via cell ect.


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## chuckpowell (May 12, 2004)

I stopped printing it because membership dropped below acceptable levels. To much work for to little return. I still have paper issues if people are interested. $25 for a full set mailed. 

I doubt this forum is any more effective than the ADG or ISSD Newsletter. They contained new information and everything I see here is the same information rehashed that was discovered in the 1980's and 1990's. I find remarkably little here that's new. 

Best,

Chuck



Philsuma said:


> I doubt it....it's gone extinct due to printing and postage costs.
> 
> possibly a victim of the 'net.
> 
> This forum is more effective than a newsletter anyway.


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