Frog lady loves sharing

VICTOR — Lenora Hagen has always loved frogs. As a three-year-old in Des Moines, she used to play with the frogs in the underground pool at her home.

Hagen has kept many frogs and toads throughout her life and recently turned her obsession into a business — Toadally Awesome Pets.

“Ever since I was a little girl, I was interested in frogs,” said Hagen.

When she was three, a tornado destroyed the house, and her family cleaned up a space near around the pool to make a safe place for Hagen to play. “I just played in there [with baby toads],” said Hagen.

“And ever since then people were giving me little frogs and toads.”

Hagen has a large collection of ceramic frogs, metal frogs, crocheted frogs indoors and outdoors. Thirty live frogs and several toads live in six tanks in her living room.

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Hagen earned a degree in biotechnology, then married Russ Hagen, of Lake Mills, who attended college with Hagen’s brother.

Hagen stayed home to raise her children until they went to school, then entered the workforce. The classically trained pianist taught piano and worked at various other jobs.

“Last year, in August, I quit my job,” said Hagen. She had worked in information technology for 20 years in Williamsburg and Victor.

“I just want to do what I love, and what I love is frogs,” Hagen said.

Hagen spent four months earlier this year at the Amphibian Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia, learning to be a field scientist. Forty percent of amphibians have died off, said Hagen, and the Foundation works to save the endangered species.

Hagen looked for flatwoods salamanders, newts, gopher frogs and other amphibians while with the Foundation. She waded into swamp water, using a net to capture amphibians living there.

The Foundation had tanks of little ecosystems set up in which they grew tadpoles that they later released into the marshes, Hagen said.

“I also was doing their online class,” said Hagen. She studied caecilians, salamanders, frogs, toads, snakes and crocodilians, she said. After 16 weeks she had a master herpetology certificate.

Hagen also studied venomous snakes and is now certified to handle them.

At Pigeon Mountain, Hagen did a lot of caving. “I loved spelunking,” said Hagen. Her small light pierced the darkness, “and you’d see these little salamanders stuck to the wall.”

Hagen also explored old ore tunnels with the Foundation and found a lot of salamanders and some pickerel frogs.

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“I came back from that all excited,” Hagen said.

The Foundation also had ambassador animals and a critter camp for children. “And I was like, Oh, I want to do that.”

Hagen’s brother and sister-in-law, Blaine and Melanie Deaton, operate Grandma’s Pumpkin Patch in Davis County and invited Hagen to show her frogs there. She taught children about the amphibians and helped them make origami frogs to take home.

“It was such a hit,” said Hagen. “And they want me to come back next year.”

Hagen offers three packages at Toadally Awesome Pets. The Amphibian Discovery Display provides frogs in tanks with written descriptions that people can read on their own.

The Educational Amphibian Experience is a mini herpetology course, said Hagen. She explains why frogs are disappearing and how people can help prevent it. She teaches the biology of frogs, toads, salamanders and newts with detailed discussion of anatomy, life cycles, habitats and conservation and provides close-up interactions with live amphibians.

The third option is a wildlife party. It’s a great idea for a birthday party, said Hagen. “We’ll have the crazy frog lady come.” Party-goers will meet live amphibians and learn about them and will create a related craft to take home.

“I just love to see kids’ enthusiasm,” Hagen said.

Toadally Awesome is still a new business, and Hagen is contacting organizations that might be interested in her program.

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“I’ve emailed schools and nursing homes,” said Hagen. She’s offered her program to libraries and communities.

“I can make this work for all ages,” Hagen said. She likes to go to nursing homes. “I enjoy their stories.”

Hagen said she looked at similar programs, such as the one offered by Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, and offers the same thing for less.

Hagen allowed a breeder to breed her Pacman frog, also known as a South American horned frog, and she’s now got tadpoles she can show at various stages of development.

She also has an Australian tree frog and Budgett’s frogs (technically Lepidobatrachus laevis) named for John Samuel Budgett who discovered them.

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“This is probably my favorite,” said Hagen as she held a Budgett’s frog in her hands. “They’re just so squishy and funny.”

Hagen named her pair Shrek and Fiona.

Hagen is getting some poison dart frogs and axolotls from the Amphibian Foundation. Axolotls are a favorite with children.

Anyone who is interested in Hagen’s frogs and toads can book a program through Toadallyawesomepets.com. She’s also on Facebook at Toadally awesome pets.

Hagen will have her amphibians at the Victor Public Library during Victor’s Old Fashioned Christmas from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 13.

“That’ll kind of be my first one around here,” said Hagen. She’ll have a program at the nature center in Vinton Jan. 16.

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