Jul24
Free the Frogs--and the Snail
Posted at 04:50 PM | Permalink
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Comments (26)
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The guilt that I carry around because of those poor fish has recently been rivaled by my anger and sadness at learning that Brookstone stores are hawking the "Frog-O-Sphere," a tiny aquatic prison that comes stocked with two African frogs and a snail (called "the janitor").
Brookstone tells its customers and employees that these frogs only need to have their water changed twice a year and to be fed twice a week. I can only imagine that those frogs will try to jump out of their cruel confines the first chance they get, so that they don't starve to death or die from poison.
Brookstone is offering a one-year warranty on the lives of the frogs, who can survive for five to 15 years in the wild. I guess that when the snail dies, the customers (and the frogs) are SOL—"the janitor" gets chucked into the garbage. And when customers place a complaint with the company, Brookstone offers up lame reasons why the Frog-O-Sphere is fine for these animals—reasons like "This species of frog will not out-grow the aquarium," and "when in the wild the African Dwarf Frogs generally live in a very small area of a pond or a stream." Then the company sends 'em 10 bucks.
PETA is squaring off with Brookstone, and we need you to write polite letters to the company urging it to join Magic Beans, "Tarjay," and other retailers that have stopped selling similar products prisons.
For anyone who insists on owning a portable, inexpensive, low-maintenance "aquarium," I have two words: "Koi Pond."
Posted by Karin Bennett
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Frogs and snails are blessed creatures of God and as benevolent stewards of the earth we have an obligation to respect and protect them.
Posted by: Brien Comerford | July 24, 2009 08:47 PM
If you think this is bad, you should go into Los Angeles Chinatown on a busy weekend and see how many stores are selling turtles and frogs in little plastic boxes and fish in water filled bags. We saw this last Easter weekend and I was totally disgusted.
Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | July 25, 2009 03:15 AM
Sent the a polite letter, and made a product review for the item on their website... though I doubt they'll post it. Though, I made it very polite too.
Come on Brookstone... you're better than this. Seriously. Have some respect for nature.
As PETA says.. "Animals are NOT ours to use for entertainment"
Posted by: david | July 25, 2009 03:52 AM
It is shameful how people sell these animals and even more so, how they give out care instructions that are so inhumane. (the same goes for Betta fish that are kept in tiny plastic cups - and most times, kept in small bowls, unless owned by someone with a brain) There is a store I passed by the other day, a small boutique, and outside was a sign that read "African Dwarf Frogs.. hassle free." I plan on bringing in some copies of this article and sending PETA the company information.
Posted by: Chelsea | July 25, 2009 09:50 AM
i'm really glad to see this, i was in one of these stores last week and saw these horrible death chambers and was really disturbed! i kept saying to my boyfriend "these are mean!" so i wrote my letter! thank you peta!
Posted by: laura | July 25, 2009 04:12 PM
They're going to run out of ten-dollar bills.
Posted by: Jacob | July 26, 2009 03:54 AM
I agree with this post. But what im wondering is am i being told its wrong to have animals as pets, even if you take really good care of them? And provide them more than enough space?
Posted by: David | July 26, 2009 04:06 PM
Anybody reading the basic frog info about these animals posted on Wikipedia would realize the care of these frogs is more than that recommended by Brookstone. Also...they are ACTIVE creatures, not suitable for a boring sphere. I reccommend people get a pretty glass fish bowl with nice rocks and a beautuful glass frog sculpture if they want a low maintenace 'pet frog'. Living African frogs belong in streams and ponds in the wild of Africa.
Posted by: Joanna | July 27, 2009 01:46 PM
Joanna your glass frog idea is about as good as a pet rock. everyone may buy it until they notice it dont do anything. Then its off to buying frogs again. Or catching them.
Posted by: Jess | July 27, 2009 03:07 PM
Jess, My 'pet sculpture' would be alot more pleasing than looking at a frog living in hell. Or maybe you just don't interpret the frog's suffering as such and see its vain attempts to live in a glass sphere as funny pet-like behavior. You know, like watching an elephant sway from foot to foot in neurotic stress and then saying it's happily dancing. Don't get me wrong, I am all for animal companions, I live with several, I just don't think you should torture an animal. I had a beautiful gourami fish in a tank (he jumped out when I left the top off and died). I wanted to learn about them and the more I discovered about their complex natural life cycle and intelligence the more concerned I became that my fish was bored and unhappy in his tank. Only by comparing them to their counter parts in the wild can you appreciate how awfull their life must be in a bare glass bowl. Frogs and fish are wonderful complex creatures that deserve our respect and protection. Try building a natural frog habitat for your local native frog population if you like frogs. I have constructed several amphibian habitats in my yard and am delighted when I see them being used. You don't have to make every living thing a pet to enjoy it.
Posted by: Joanna | July 27, 2009 07:45 PM
AWW! I feel so sorry for those poor Frogs & Snails. :(
Posted by: Matt Greenwood | July 28, 2009 10:27 AM
Help!?! I am hearbroken. I bought these African Dwarf Frogs at Brookstone. I THOUGHT we were giving them a nice life and that the aquarium is ok for them.
We've had it for 2 weeks and the snail died!
I don't want the frogs to suffer.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to how we can save the frogs and perhaps release them into an appropriate environment? I don't know what to do and I want to do the RIGHT thing.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Shari
Posted by: shari | July 31, 2009 08:00 PM
As an employee of Brookstone I would like to add that most of the people that work in the retail sector of the store agree with the idea that the Frog-o-Sphere is wrong. I actually won a 'sphere' in a contest and plan to get a much bigger aquarium for them, maybe a 6-gallon and then see if i can rescue one or two more! I feed my frogs several times a week and they are active and seem fairly content. Most of the snails have died, their life span is significantly shorter than frogs. It is unfortunate, but i am opting to perform a 1/2 water change weekly instead of replacing the snail. Keep sending letters, most of us at Brookstone agree that these "toys" are awful!!!
Posted by: JollaBee | August 17, 2009 08:19 PM
What sadistic pleasure do all of you get from mistreating and neglecting innocent beings in your care? I use the word "care", loosely.
Selling these innocent beings to customers who have no idea how to properly and humanely keep these frogs and snails, is criminal. And, a store whose management feels obliged to sell animals should at minimum give their employees humane and proper instructions on how to care for these beings. Any animal that is sold, should be accompanied by literature explaining how to properly and humanely care for the animal.
Frankly, no store should be selling any kind of animal. Too many of these innocent beings are ripped from their habitats, die before they reach the store, or die while at the store in very inhumane ways because no one gets them proper veterinarian help.
STOP SELLING ANIMALS!
Posted by: Carla | August 20, 2009 06:42 PM
I am appaulled by your treatment of all creatures great and small
Posted by: sue lesmond | August 21, 2009 03:34 AM
I will not shop at your store while you treat animals in such a dreadful manner
Posted by: beryl lesmond | August 21, 2009 03:38 AM
please stop using aniamls as experimental things....!! whats fun about that? i cant understand ......so shocked
Posted by: amani | September 4, 2009 03:34 PM
I will not buy from Brookstone till they stop selling frogs in dirty tanks and over crowded living areas. Companies like this make me sick.
Posted by: Rockie Sirico | September 9, 2009 06:32 PM
this is so wrong in every way
stop it ... there is no reason to be confining wild creatures in tiny boxes
Posted by: lk | September 18, 2009 11:13 AM
Living abroad, I hadn't heard of this. On holidays in the US I walked into a Brookstone, happily shopping, and left instantly.. nearly crying. Such sadness came over me! Needless to say I have now written to Brookstone, and forwarded PETA's example to my friends.
Posted by: Manon | September 20, 2009 09:11 PM
Koi ponds are not portable, low-maintenance, or inexpensive...
It's a lot more work keeping a 10+ gallon *outdoor* pond clean and the fish in it healthy, then maintaining a smaller aquarium.
They used to sell these 'bio-orbs' things at the Nature Store (which has since been long out of business) except these ones weren't even openable.
Just gravel, some sticks, a small tuft of grass and tiny prawns, snails and/or fish.
Posted by: Eden | September 29, 2009 12:34 AM
@ Eden: The koi pond we think that everyone should check out is actually an iPhone app. Check out the link—it's pretty cool.
Posted by: Shawna Flavell | October 1, 2009 02:41 PM
Are some of you suggesting that the average Koi pond is some sort of abuse and that an iPhone app is better?
I believe I saw it posted by Shawna.
Just because people keep fish as pets, doesn't mean that ALL of them are keeping them in improper conditions.
Posted by: Danielle | October 9, 2009 04:10 AM
Well guess what folks, it's not just the Brookstone stores. I was at the local Hallmark greeting card store and Coach house gifts and they both had the frog aquariums. Please stop giving these stores our business till they stop selling animals.
Posted by: Caroline | October 10, 2009 01:36 AM
Letter sent to Brookstone, now on to Coach House. Are these companies so greedy for money that they need to make animals suffer? So sad that our society has stooped so low.
Posted by: Nancy | November 2, 2009 11:30 PM
Sell plastic frogs and snails. All living creatures need space and sun and weather and natural food to live full lives and not feel tortured. Do the decent, humane thing. Free your remaining frogs and snails. Even tiny creatures with spines and brains feel fear, pain, claustrophbia, and affection.
Posted by: April Silverman | November 5, 2009 11:36 PM