Tadpole help

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Falconerguy

Falconerguy

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I collected some tadpoles from a puddle outside on a whim and I think they are Northern Leopard frog tadpoles. Can anybody give me tips or advice on how to keep them alive until I can release them into the wild as frogs?

 
If this was a mud puddle they are probably not leopard frogs but instead are probably toads assuming you have toads there. Leopard frogs take much longer to develop than toads and would need a more permanent body of water. If you want to keep them until they metamorphose, any largish container should work. You can probably put them into any decent sized aquarium or other container about half full of water. Add some leaf litter to sink to the bottom to act as a source of refuge and nutrients.

 
What Rick said. I did the same a few years ago. I also bought algae wafers at the pet store for them to eat. They turned out to be American toads. The water can get stinky if you over feed, use bottled spring water or rain water if you can. Good luck!

 
I have raised leopard frogs from tadpoles and it is not a hard thing to do. Be sure to do a partial water change daily to keep the water oxygenated and the ammonia levels low. Don't do a complete water change,tadpoles like slightly acidic water.Also be sure not to use chlorinated water. Nothing will kill a tad faster than chlorine. Algae wafers are a good source of food but in a pinch you can use boiled egg yolk or leaf lettuce. Be sure to freeze the leaf lettuce first in a little water so it will sink.Toads and frogs make very interesting aquarium subjects if you decide to keep one or two. Toads are more visible and not a skittish as leopard frogs and they grow fast. As for over wintering and hibernation the first winter they will be somewhat sluggish and go off food for awhile,but after that they should remain active all year round,at least that is how it was for my leopard frog who died at the ripe old age of 9 years last year. If you do keep a few be sure to use calcium powder and reptile vitamins and gut load their prey very well. No artificial lighting or heat sources are needed (unless you use live plants in the enclosure) since they are primarily crepuscular animals. Toads like to burrow,so keep that in mind as well,and use fertilizer/perilite free potting soil. Sorry to go on and on but I love frogs and toads! Now I'm wanting to break out my leopard frog's old 30 gallon aquarium and go hunting for tads!

 
Okay, I've learned that they are some kind of toad tadpole, they have the slightest inkling of back legs right now, I have been feeding them fish flakes, is that okay?

 
Falconerguy said:
Okay, I've learned that they are some kind of toad tadpole, they have the slightest inkling of back legs right now, I have been feeding them fish flakes, is that okay?
Click to expand...
That's fine. I've raised them on algae wafers and fish flakes.
 
Maybe your tads are Spea intermontana (Great Basin Spade-foot toad). They are cool looking little toads and not a threatend species.

 
No, not that. I did a google image search and it was somewhat similar, but the american toad tadpoles matched much better. They are still alive and kicking, despite me never seeing them eat any fish flakes.

 
I'd also like to add that you can use an aquarium pump with an airstone to provide more oxygen to the water. And when they're about to complete metamorphosing you'll need to add a land area for them to climb up on or else they'd drown. A sloping bank, floating objects or even tilting the entire enclosure a bit would work. Good luck

 
I've fed tadpoles boiled fresh spinach leaves, frozen bloodworms, frozen daphnia, algae wafers, goldfish flakes, and frog & tadpole bites. Also aquatic plant brought from pet store I think called hornwort? The metamorphosing tadpoles climbed on the plant as they got front legs, I had toadlets so they were tiny but the tadpoles ate the plant too.

 

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