Pat’s Wildways: Sam’s Flying Frog Ranch Revisited
On a whim, I stopped into Sam’s Flying Frog Ranch pet store in Yulee recently and couldn’t be more impressed with the collection of animals contained therein. It was about four years ago when I last wrote a story about this place, back when I was still published in the News Leader. And how do I know that? It turns out that Sam memorialized my column in Plexiglas and exhibits it behind his counter. How flattering is this!
You wouldn’t know from the modest storefront located on Pages Dairy Road near the intersection with U.S. Route 17 what wonders await you once inside. When I stopped by unexpectedly, Sam and his assistant Tryis Osborn were busy, as usual, I might imagine, tending to the scores of amphibians, reptiles, birds and small mammals maintained in this shop. Many of these animals were bred and raised right on the premises, an impressive accomplishment.
When I showed up, Sam was happy to give me a royal tour once again. First off he took a panther chameleon out of its terrarium and I admired its independently moving eyes and its bright colors as it held tightly to Sam’s hand with its tail and feet. Sam told me that this particular chameleon was the grandson of the chameleon I photographed in his shop four years ago. Soon, right in front of our eyes, the lizard became much brighter and even more colorful. There was a reason for this change. The chameleon was excited by the presence of another male chameleon that was nearby and they both eyed each other and became more vivid in color, a display that no doubt serves to impress their perceived opponents and attracts perceived mates. Beautiful! But soon our chameleon had to go back to its heated terrarium to warm up again and we moved to other sights to see.
Sam led me to another nearby large terrarium, opened the top and pushed around some bedding material, and there they were, the cutest little batch of baby hedgehogs I’ve ever seen. But I’ve never seen any others to judge. Sam took out one baby for a close-up. These looked like great pets!
More reptiles lurked in other terrariums. Bearded dragons were happily munching on fresh kale in some terrariums and a small ball python was exploring its enclosure, its full length extended and not in its namesake ball that it adopts when threatened. Around the corner Tryis was busy cleaning out a tank containing a handful of turtles, but not the red-eared sliders that are prohibited to sell in Florida due to their tendency to outcompete other turtles in areas where it is not a native.
And of course there were amphibians, not actually “flying frogs” that bear the store’s name, although such things exist. No, Sam specializes in poison dart frogs, these small brightly colored residents of tropic Latin America and he successfully breeds and raises a number of species. And, for me, the most interesting amphibians were the axolotls with their external gills — an amphibian that never loses its gills and ventures to land like most of its kin.
Throughout my tour, the repeated sounds of “hello” pierced the air. Dakota the scarlet macaw wanted attention! I admired the bird but knew enough not to put my figures near its beak. These large birds can bite! I told Sam about the scarlet macaw, Seminole, that was my friend at Miami Seaquarium when I worked there decades ago. Seminole ruled Lost Island, an area full of iguanas, turtles, fish and Seminole, who lived in a small cage in a movie theater lobby for so long that he didn’t know how to fly. Seminole laboriously climbed up the tallest tree and watched for me. When he saw me coming he flipped upside down and flapped his wings like a bat to greet me. When I went onto the employee access-only island to feed the critters, Seminole laboriously climbed down from the tree and was always waiting for me at the entrance. And, believe it or not when I walked back to look at Dakota again, he was flipped upside down doing the same thing! Coincidence I guess, but it was funny for sure.
Next time you drive along Pages Dairy Road and have some time, stop by Sam’s Flying Frog Ranch. There is a lot to see of interest, especially if you are a biologist like me. And if you are in the market for a new and unusual pet, I'm sure there’s something there for you. Check it out! You won’t be sorry!
Pat Foster-Turley, P.h.,D is a zoologist on Amelia Island. She welcomes your nature questions and observations. patandbucko@yahoo.com
