Tadpole collection.

noexcuse4you · Tadpole collection.

I collected some tadpoles today. I'm not sure what the regulation on collecting is. I just know that the red-legged from is one you shouldn't collect. I collected 6 of them in various stages of development. I'm not sure what kind they are. One species is obviously larger than the other. I'm keeping them in a large pretzel container and they seem to be feeding on the lettuce I have provided them.

Here's a pic. Its through a foot of water so the quality isn't that great.

cacoseraph

you are probably supposed to have a fishing license to collect them. i believe you need a fishing license to collect any herp or amphib except rattlesnakes in CA

josh_r

they look like tree frogs eh. maybe cali tree frogs or pacific tree frogs. they often lose volume in size when metamorphosing as it takes up alot of nutrition. so they morph out slightly smaller than they originally were. tiger salamanders do the same thing.

Paradox51483

I agree with Josh. They definately look like Pacific Treefrog polywogs. We have a million of them in the creeks around here right now along with the California Newts.

josh_r

robert, are the taricha torosa really nice looking?? got any pics?

Celeste

I think if they were Bullfrogs (an invasive species) you could collect as many as you wanted. But those don't look like Bullfrog tadpoles to me...

noexcuse4you

Well I have a fishing license, so I guess I'm safe. I plan to keep them until they mature into frogs and then release them, unless I get too attached to them Smile

Paradox51483

noexcuse4you

One died. It turned into a frog and drowned. I didn't realize they metamorphisize so quickly! One day it was a tadpole with legs, the next it was a frog. I put a piece of corkbark in there so there's a floating platform for when they turn into frogs. I read online that some species don't know to go on land and you have to physically take them out of the water because in nature their pools would be dried up by the time they change. I hope that's not the case with these guys.

noexcuse4you

One turned into a frog. Unfortunately, I dropped my flash so I can't post any good pictures of him. I have it in a KK with a waterdish, coconut substrate, and some silk plants. How do I get this guy to eat? I put a roach nymph in there and he didn't want it. I read somewhere to use fruit flies and to put cheesecloth over the container so they don't fly out. I'll have to try that.

NBond1986

wow, i had no idea that the metamorphosis was overnight like that!

i thought it was so much more gradual.

josh_r

the frog wont eat right away. it may go a week or more without eating. even though the frog has left the water, it is not fully morphed. the mouth will completely take shape within a few days and it will reabsorb the entire tail before it eats. it will get nutrition from the resorbtion of the tail. once the tail is gone, feed it week old crickets or smaller. you can feed fruit flies, but they will be a little small. these guys arent as small as say, dart frogs that need FF's when they morph or even smaller, springtails. these guys should be able to take small crickets, small flies, etc. be sure to allow plenty of air flow into the KK and dont worry about them drying out if they are not WET all the time. pseudacris regilla as well as pseudacris cadaverina (both found in your area) will bask in broad daylight. good luck with them

-josh

noexcuse4you

Most of the tadpoles died except for 2. I think the water got contaminated with something.

The one that morphed into a frog is doing fine! He eats roach nymphs from my hand!! He's sooooo cute! How often do I need to feed him?

WBurke17

Daily or everyother day depending how much your feeding in one sitting..

noexcuse4you

Well, now I have a way to get rid of my ever growing lobster colony. Better than smashing them with a hammer!

noexcuse4you

Here's a pic of the little fella. I think he's a pacific tree frog since he has the stripe in his eye. I'm not sure though.

What

Definitely a Pacific Treefrog.

NBond1986

ogershok

I have a PTF that I've kept for well over a year now. I caught her outside of where I work when it was about 1/4" long. It's full grown now and still eating like a horse. When it was very small I fed it grain moths and fruit flies. I'm assuming it's female because of how fat it is and it never sang. It's eyesight is so good I can't believe it. It slams it's face against its glass trying to catch crickets two cages away if it sees them move. Frogs are cool, M'Kay?

WBurke17

I picked some up from Kevin at his BBQ and had them caged for awhlie, but then let them go outside in my pond area, i hear them and another sp. thats been living out there for over a year now... Smile

bhoeschcod

that almost looks
like a wood frog Smile

Jules

WOW! I missed this thread when it was active. Do you still have the little frog? Did it start to sing or is yours a female too? The picture is SO CUTE!!! Dave, do you still have your little frog? They're adorable! Wink

ogershok

Jules

noexcuse4you

Sorry guys, he's moved on. I left for 2 days and his waterdish dried up. I found him dessicated underneath the waterdish. Fragile little buggers Sad

. I'd like to try to get some spadefoot toad tadpoles next.

ogershok

OK, as asked, here's my little girl. Tomorrow will be a big day for her because I'm bringing her to work and giving her to a coworker who has two small ponds in her backyard. She says that she hears males all the time now. So, she's going wookin pa nub. Ain't she cute?

BugMom

Very cute. Hope she finds a nice guy. Wink

Celeste

Great pictures, too, Dave! She sure is a FAT little cutie!

Matt Kogler

I skipped through most of the responses (sry), just wanted to tell you this is the most important part of development, run over to your local herp shop and pick up some Tadpole pellets, a rounded diet is essential right now. Matt