Tadpole Question

[RUDisney]

My DS's tadpole finally came last week and one thing that wasn't addressed in the frog pond manual was whether the tadpole needs to have more light than plain daylight, like a fishtank, or if it liked natural light better. The book DID say to keep the pond out of direct sunlight, but didn't address other lighting issues.

So, if you've raised a tadpole before, can you let me know if I need to keep the task lighting on under the kitchen cabinets for him or not? When he's a frog, he's going to move to DS's bedroom. Will I need to keep a lamp next to the pond for him, then?

Thanks! I feel very inept when it comes to this critter.

The tadpole is a leopard frog, if that makes a difference.

 

[jamsmom]

Not a clue. Maybe a google search or askgeeves could help.

 

[dandave]

I found this:
The more tadpoles being kept in the container, the more underwater plants you'll need but don't choke up the tank with plants. If you need to fill the tank with plants, then you probably have too many tadpoles in it. In order for the plants to survive, they will need some sun each day. The tadpoles also need sunlight to obtain vitamin D which in turn helps them process calcium. Position the tadpole containers on a covered veranda or other spot where they can get an hour or two a day of sun but no more than that. Too much sun will heat the water too much!.

There's some interesting facts on that page:
http://www.fdrproject.org/pages/POtads.htm

 

[doxdogy]

When I was a kid, we just kept them in a small bowl with low sides. Can't remember if we put any plants in there or not. You can mail order a tadpole? I remember going outside to the big drainage ditches and catching them.

 

[Margie J]

I raised tadpoles years ago, got them from a nearby stream.

I kept the container on our porch, with natural sunlight. Also, there were plenty of water plants in the container to mimic the natural environment from which they came. The stream was shaded and cool, with places for the tadpoles to feed and hide.

One thing I learned was not to overcrowd the tadpoles. A few died off the first few days and then the rest made it to full development.

As for light/heat, you don't want too much. Frogs tend to live in moist environments and out of bright sunlight. They like shade (toads do too) and their skin is more delicate than lizards, for example, which need a heatlamp.

 

[KarenB]

Is this the Grow A Frog kit??? OMG..we had two for YEARS!! The things just wouldn't croak!! LOL!! They got to be about the size of an adult's fist!!!!!

Poor things, it got to the point that they were so gross and no one wanted to get near them to change the water. I often wonder if the dirty water gave them more of the nutrients that they needed!

This was about 6 or 7 years ago and DSs and I still laugh about them.


Karen

 

[RUDisney]

Gee, Karen, thanks for the encouraging words.

Right now, we have two fish, a maroon clown and a sebay clown that won't die. I won't outwardly kill them but I hardly take care of them. I want to use the space where the tank is for a plant ledge in the wall. If I wanted them to survive this long, they would have died 2 years ago.

If the frog pond gets too gross, maybe we'll have to give it back to Auntie and Uncle who bought it for my DS for Christmas.