Froglets... Need Help

[jay]

Two of my american toad tadpoles just turned into froglets, i don't think they eat lettuce anymore, what should i feed them?

 

[chuck]

While they are toadlets with tails they will not eat. They will get their energy by absorbing their tails. If they want, if they are still aquatic I'm sure they will eat flake food or algae pellets. When they become land-based they will eat small insects like springtails or aphids.

 

[chuck]

p.s. I'm raising black tadpoles too, which some believe are toads. I just feed them flake food, which falls to the bottom, or break up algae pellets.

I considered getting algae from a local stream but I don't know how polluted it is (though there are minnows and crayfish in the stream).

 

[chuck]

Forgot to add, as soon as they get front legs add something floating to your aquarium so they can climb out when they want. Make sure the edges are not too high so they can reach the top of the floating object. I put a plastic lid in my aquarium, it has a low profile and works out great.

I have had toadlets with front legs for about 3 days now, and none voluntarily went to the floating "pad". So I grabbed one with the net and put him up there. He stayed about 5 minutes and jumped back in the water.

I also noticed these "tailed toadlets" will often swim for the surface, then float down to the bottom, often resting on their backs. They appear to be dead but they aren't. I don't think they are drowning as they were still alive the next day, though they don't eat at this point.

They are gradually turning from black, to getting gray colored spots on their backs. Also, their bellies are turning cream colored, just like a toad.

I suppose when their tail is mostly gone, their lungs will develop shortly thereafter and they will require more air. I'll watch them closely.

(Message edited by bulrush on June 06, 2005)

 

[jay]

Their tail was completely gone when i posted this. I put them in a new terrarium with a giant plate filled with water. I also dropped in fruit flies. I put in a moist paper towel, very moist. I don't know if there lungs are fully developed yet, but they hopped out of the plate within two minutes and started hopping around exploring. How do i know if a plant has aphids on it?

How big do American Toads grow to? I read they are from 2-3 inches, but the ones at the pond where i got the tadpoles from were only about 1 1/2 inches.

 

[edward]

Depending on the species, intestional and morphological changes can carry on past the time the metamorph has moved onto land so failure to feed for several days to a week post metamorphosis is not unusual. In addition, if the humidity is too low the metamorphs will not leave any shelter to forage and ffs tend to climb up out of reach. Keep a small piece of orange on the lid of a yogurt cup (or something similar) to allow the metamorphs a longer access time to the flies.
While in the aquatic stage, typically feeding ceases shortly before the front leg buds become visible and does not resume until after metamorphosis is complete.

Many toad populations can have smaller adults breeding than is commonly listed in the field guides.


Ed

 

[jay]

They are the american toad (Bufo americanus). I know this because about a week before I saw the tadpoles, there were about one hundred frogs there (literally).