Tadpoles!

Hey,
Last weekend I went to my friend's house who lives out in the country, and I got a clump of frog eggs(about hte size of my hand) from her ditch. So, I put them in an ice cream pail along with some water from the ditch, and today I looked in the pail and their little tadpoles! But I need to know how to take care of them, I read that you put some goldfish flakes in, so I put a tiny pinch in. The tadpoles are about the size of your baby fingernail. I also put out some water in another ice cream pail and put some water conditioner in it, then set it outside for tonight to declorinize. My question is, does anybody know how I might go about doing water changes without harming the tadpoles, and how do I take care of them exactly? How long will it take for them to grow up, am I feeding them the right stuff, what do I do with them when they get bigger, etc. Just general information on caring for them would be greatly appreciated!

Best thing to do would be to put them back in the ditch. Or if you live by a nearby lake, put them in the most shallow part you can find. Taking them out of the wild isn't so nice. :(

I will eventually set them free, but I think it would be a cool "experiment" to raise them and then set them free when they mature eventually.

Perhaps do the experiment when you are fully ready and very knowledgeable about what you experimenting with? Just know that you are experimenting with lives.

I agree. My sister and I used to try and raise tadpoles all the time when we were kids. Unfortunately we were never able to get any to survive to maturity. They are very fragile critters.

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Originally posted by Fur&Feathers
Perhaps do the experiment when you are fully ready and very knowledgeable about what you experimenting with? Just know that you are experimenting with lives.

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Exactly.

Do some research first.

I hope they make it :(

A couple of years ago my cousin and I thought it would be neat to do the same thing, it was a bad idea and only a few made it to adulthood, I would recommend putting them back too. Good luck!

Well, I would recomend releasing them too, but my dad gave me some and I killed them with clean water, they apparently like it muddy.

It's very hard, I believe, to keep tadpoles that turn into frogs, alive. Atleast that is what someone told me. I had an aquarium fill once of tadpoles (like, A LOT of them). Most of them died shortly after being in full frog form, so I started taking them back to the pond which I got them from as they became frogs. It's amazing to watch them change though! I got mine from swap like water..they need stuff in that water to eat or live off..like algie?

Yeah, they need algae. But it doesn't matter to whalelover. Completely leaving them alone in the pail will work wonders for them. :rolleyes:

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Originally posted by CagneyDog
It is sad to see such helpless creatures being killed by someone so ignorant.

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I couldn't have said it any better.

Although it may seem like a neat thing to watch tadpoles grow up, IMHO I would put them back where you found them so they can grow up in their natural habitat. Do some research so you know what to do... I would imagine it's hard to take care of them just like it is hard to take care of of baby bird or any creature at such a young age. Whatever you do, I hope you make the right decision.





:)

That's so neat!!! We would love to have frogs in our pond, but we don't know where to get them.... !:confused:

Tadpoles are supposed to stay where they came from---the wilderness. They have better chance of survival in the wilderness...they aren't supposed to be taken from their homes. Please do some research before you take them out of their own home:( It is cruel IMO

Okay, well yes, it does matter to me what kind of water they have. That is why I posted in the first place Fur&Feathers!
Jeez, I wouldn't have posted asking for ADDITIONAL information on caring for them if I didn't care about them. I have done extensive research on caring for them, and yes, I feel I do know alot about them now. I know that they need real pond water, or declorinized, aged water, so my friend has been giving me fresh water from the ditch I got them from. They are growing and are doing well.

Instead of making derogatory remarks to whalelover, why not either give any knowledge or advice you may have to help out or simply state you feel they'd be better off being released and leave it at that? I try to stay out of these types of situations but the nastiness I see a lot nowdays towards people seeking help here has truly discouraged me the past few months.

Whalelover, I really don't know anything about the proper raising of tadpoles. I do remember me and my mom catching 3 out of a little mud puddle one time when I was still quite young (9 or so I think). One of them didn't make it, but the other two turned into little frogs and we released them. They were very tiny, I think little spring peepers. I remember only that we kept them in a shallow container with a little rock cave and we put out an old coffee can to catch rain when it rained and used that for water changes etc. I imagine we were probably mostly lucky that they made it since we knew nothing about what we were doing, but to this day I remember how excited and thrilled I was to watch them grow and become little frogs. I wish you the best with your little tadpoles :)

Thanks, that's all I wanted was some info!:)

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Originally posted by whalelover
so my friend has been giving me fresh water from the ditch I got them from.

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Hm, that's funny. You sent me a PM saying that the ditch where you got them from was all dried up. So that's why you wouldn't put them back. :rolleyes:

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Originally posted by k9soul Instead of making derogatory remarks to whalelover, why not either give any knowledge or advice you may have to help out or simply state you feel they'd be better off being released and leave it at that?

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I would've just left it at that, but when someone who is so ignorant and takes living things out of the wild, then proceeds to blindy hold them captive, I'm not going to just sit back and blow it off.

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I would've just left it at that, but when someone who is so ignorant and takes living things out of the wild, then proceeds to blindy hold them captive, I'm not going to just sit back and blow it off.

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You are doing nothing to help the animals you are so concerned about by your behavior. Please read and consider my thread here:

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...threadid=77230

I'm truly getting tired of some of the judgemental and self-righteous behavior that goes on that has nothing to do with what might really help the animals in question, but more to do with passing judgement and making an effort to insult/drive someone away or make them feel less a person.

No, I can't do anything to help these LIVES that I care for when dealing with such an ignorant person.

I thought the ditch was dried up, because she said that she wasn't sure, she thought it was probibly dried up. Then a couple days later she went and checked because she was going to give me some water, and she saw that there was water there. So she gave me some water. Happy?
I don't know why I'm even bothering to talk with such an ignorant person as you, fur&feathers. You're so caught up in what you think is right you won't even hear the other side of things.
Thank you k9soul

I give up on you. You're not worth my time.

Edit to add: All you can seem to do is copy my word usage. Try dictionary.com, they've got a thesaurus there. ;)

After I say "I give up on you" you just say the same thing back, then say "stop repeating what I say". What sense does that make? Well it doesn't even matter anymore, becuase I'm adding you to my ignore list.

Jess, I agree with you completely.

WhaleLover, I found this information from a website.. Im sure if you do a search on google for raising tadpoles, you'd find tons of more helpful tips. :)

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Feeding. Feed the tadpoles twice a day. Each tadpole should be given two tablespoons of fresh boiled spinach or lettuce (not cabbage). Although tadpoles naturally eat algae, this may be hard to get regularly and may introduce unexpected animals.

If available, two crushed rabbit food pellets can be given to each tadpole as a diet supplement. Flakes of hard-boiled egg yolk can be added twice a week for added protein. Give your tadpoles an hour to eat and then completely clean the container after each feeding.

Avoid using soap or cleansers in your tank. Remember to refill with treated water. As the front legs grow the tadpoles will no longer eat. At this point they will reabsorb their tail as a food source and the tail will appear to shrink.

Transformation. Tadpoles undergo four remarkable changes that are easy to observe. First they grow legs - back legs first and front legs last. Second, they slowly lose their tails. The tail shrinks as its material is used as food by the tadpole.

Later, breathing with gills changes to breathing with lungs. Finally, the creature's diet changes from eating only plants to eating only live animals, such as insects. As the final stages of transformation take place the rock in your container will help prevent the new froglet from drowning.

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Originally posted by Fur&Feathers
No, I can't do anything to help these LIVES that I care for when dealing with such an ignorant person.

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I don't think she's ignorant at all and you don't even know her in real life, so making such a statement is a little absurd.

I've caught plenty of tadpoles from the wild and never remember any of them dying, but I do have a lot of experience with "baby" animals. Having been a frog breeder for 6 years I can shower you with loads of information that may be useful. One thing to make sure to do is remove the new frogs from the container as soon as they are able and put them into a tank, because if not done soon enough, even after turning into a frog, they will die. Another good food source is seaweed. I gave this reguarly to my tadpoles and they loved it, and it seemed as if it made them stronger. You can find it in any Asian market place or section at your grocery store. :) If you have any other questions let me know.

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Originally posted by K9soul
You are doing nothing to help the animals you are so concerned about by your behavior. Please read and consider my thread here:

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...threadid=77230

I'm truly getting tired of some of the judgemental and self-righteous behavior that goes on that has nothing to do with what might really help the animals in question, but more to do with passing judgement and making an effort to insult/drive someone away or make them feel less a person.

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I totally agree with you. By people giving the remarks which they are, all it does it keeps the person from getting adice to best care for the animals. Somehow I can see the person going 'oh, you're so right, I'll go put them back right away'

Ok, for all you people just itching for an argument, I'll do as you wish.

Oh, whalelover!!! So cool that you caught tadpoles, good luck with them! It will suck terribly if they die. But who knows, maybe they'll get lucky! Let us know how they're doing!!!!

Better? :rolleyes:

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Originally posted by Fur&Feathers
Ok, for all you people just itching for an arguement, I'll do as you wish.

Oh, whalelover!!! So cool that you caught tadpoles, good luck with them! It will suck terribly if they die. But who knows, maybe they'll get lucky! Let us know how they're doing!!!!

Better? :rolleyes:

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I don't think anyone is itching for an argument with you. I think we just don't agree with how your APPROACHING the subject.

Just put yourself in her shoes, and think of how you would feel if you were being chewed out because of something you didn't know about. She would like to learn more about tadpoles, how to care for them etc, which is why she came here.

At first, you simply stated that it wasn't nice to take them out of their habitat, and that's how you should have left it. You will not make whalelover change her mind by telling her she's ignorant for doing so.

But that's just my opinion. No offense whatsoever.

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Originally posted by Fur&Feathers
Ok, for all you people just itching for an argument, I'll do as you wish.

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There is definitely someone here itching for an argument, and I believe that person is you. Since I am finding it hard to not be affected by your nasty and sarcastic remarks, you may need to be the first person here that I've ever put on ignore, which is a shame because I have enjoyed some of your other threads up until now. But this kind of thing actually upsets and affects me so deeply, it discourages me to the point of not wanting to visit and enjoy the board. If you can please just drop your perpetuation of this negativity, it'd be much appreciated. At this point it just appears you have a need to have the last word. I have dropped it and not responded again up until now, and I will not respond again after this. If you just can't let it go, then I guess I'll have to add someone to my ignore for the first time.

As far as the whole tadpole situation, frogs lay hundreds of eggs. Statistically in the wild, perhaps only a very tiny percentage of tadpoles make it to adulthood without being devoured, their puddles drying up, etc. As long as they are not a protected or endangered species, I seriously doubt any lasting harm can be done, and if anything, since whalelover is trying to gather information, they may have a better chance of survival than they would otherwise.

I nominate Jessica for President.

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Originally posted by Kfamr
I nominate Jessica for President.

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I second that! :D

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Originally posted by LilFireTiger
And fur&feathers take that advice from a 10 year old!

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You're 10? Aren't you supposed to be 13 on this site? :confused:

PS- I must agree in nominating Jess for President! :D

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Originally posted by flamepony12
You're 10? Aren't you supposed to be 13 on this site? :confused:

PS- I must agree in nominating Jess for President! :D

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It says she's 10 in her signature. We've got a bright one.

So there are no misunderstandings, I'm not directing the last comment towards you, flame.

stop the madness ha ha ha your all acting 10, lol. u know, if u just leave it alone, the fighting will stop.

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Originally posted by Kfamr
I nominate Jessica for President.

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I agree!!!!!!!!:D

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Originally posted by countrycowgirl
I agree!!!!!!!!:D

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me too! :D

Thank you all for the helpful information on the tadpoles! It is greatly appreciated, and thanks for sticking up for me those of you who did.:)

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Originally posted by Fur&Feathers
It says she's 10 in her signature. We've got a bright one.

So there are no misunderstandings, I'm not directing the last comment towards you, flame.

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okay, but is she allowed to be on this site? I've heard that people can be banned by being underage... just curious.

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Originally posted by Fur&Feathers
Ok, for all you people just itching for an argument, I'll do as you wish.

Oh, whalelover!!! So cool that you caught tadpoles, good luck with them! It will suck terribly if they die. But who knows, maybe they'll get lucky! Let us know how they're doing!!!!

Better? :rolleyes:

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Fur & Feathers, your profile states that you were born in 1986, that means you are 17/18 years old, however your maturity level and ways you carry yourself about resemble that of a 6 year old. Yes, so WhaleLover may have interfered with nature by taking some tadpoles out of a ditch, but the extent of damage to the ecosystem caused by her actions is minute. It is not the end of the world. She is asking for help to care for them properly, to make sure they grow up happy and healthy- but instead she gets reamed for it. Where did you get your Nanday Conure from? By purchasing an exotic pet such as that, you are only pushing the exoctic animal trade and taking them out of the wild and domesticating them. You have impacted nature in a negative way too. You are just as guilty as she is, so do not point fingers. Just stop it already, this situation could be FAR worse.

Whalelover, keep researching! I am sure if you get enough information you should be able to raise them. I used to catch tadpoles all the time and raise them into frogs- it is not rocket science if you know what you are doing. I was a little kid (like 7/8)when I first raised tadpoles into frogs.

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As far as the whole tadpole situation, frogs lay hundreds of eggs. Statistically in the wild, perhaps only a very tiny percentage of tadpoles make it to adulthood without being devoured, their puddles drying up, etc. As long as they are not a protected or endangered species, I seriously doubt any lasting harm can be done, and if anything, since whalelover is trying to gather information, they may have a better chance of survival than they would otherwise.

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EXACTLY! Very good point, I was going to state the same thing.