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Florida Gardening

cuban tree tadpoles?

15 years ago

Anyone know how to tell the difference between a native tadpole and one of the cubans? I have quite the froggy nursery happening in my pond, and don't want to let these guys get any bigger if they're the cuban treefrogs.

Thanks-

stephanie

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Comments (7)

manature
15 years ago
I'm wondering the same thing for the same reason. If they are native frogs or toads, I don't want to hurt them, but if they are Cubans, I want to scoop them out and get rid of them. I don't know how to tell! But there are a TON of them in my container water gardens. Anyone have any ideas?

Marcia
perstephone
Original Author
15 years ago
I found a picture of a tadpole here:
Smithsonian Marine Stationhref>

but I can't get much of a look at them, they're still too little, I guess.
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Comments (29)
You make some very good points, minibim. We will NEVER turn Florida back into what it was. I'm only hoping we can keep some of it from getting any worse. I'm a 64 year old Florida native and I've never lived anywhere, city or country, that I didn't have green treefrogs around the lights at night. But that doesn't mean every other yard had them. Just that they were always frequent visitors to yards that supplied (intentionally or otherwise) food, shelter, and a bit of water somewhere. The Carolina anoles are making a comeback and are adapting to living with brown anoles in the same habitat. That's a sign of nature "rolling with the punches." Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes we have to help it out a bit. But overall, Florida is being taken over by exotic species, and some of them will never be gotten under control. What it will do long term to the environment is anybody's guess. Probably won't be good, though. I guess my feelings about the CTF stem from the fact that it isn't too late to stop them in some areas. And I just don't understand why everyone wouldn't want to at least TRY. But I've said my piece on this subject over and over, and many people still don't get it. I think, like sterile Mexican petunias, it's an issue that some folks just don't want to hear about. To me, that's sad. Yeah, if we could get rid of every single CTF in the state, which we can't, it would only be a drop in the bucket in the war against exotic species. But it could certainly go a LONG way towards helping to save the green treefrog. Which, btw, is definitely in peril, according to every source I've ever read. Some think they will be extinct within the next decade, certainly at least gone from Florida. ALL our native frogs, across the whole country, are in decline due to environmental reasons, including over-development and pollution. But the CTF is hastening the demise of the green treefrog, and will certainly destroy it long before the environmental issues have been resolved one way or the other. I have always said, everyone will have to make up their own mind concerning what they want to do about these invasive frogs. For my money, it's whackity whack. It helped my green anoles and I think it is the only chance I have of enjoying green treefrogs in my yard again. CTF's belong in their native country and not here. They are not welcome in my yard, but I don't think there is another thing I can say to help people understand this issue. By now, they either get it or they don't. Moving on, here, to other posts on other topics. Marcia
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Thoughts on killing Cuban Tree Frogs?
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Comments (143)
It all started with a good sized frog that we would see in and around our small garden tool shed at the pool. We live just north of Orlando and recently moved. When we moved, the shed went into storage - for 4 1/2 months. When we finally moved the shed from storage, guess who was there, healthy as could be - and with a friend, no less! We had no idea the 'poor things' were in there, much less how they could still be alive in that heat, with no food or water. And boy, can they hide!! Now the 6'h x2'x2' is home to as many as eight Cuban Tree Frogs every day! I think all but one are female, that's how they roll, one guy with his harem! They sleep all day and hunt all night. Our daughter volunteered to annihilate them for us. Those darn frogs have decimated our green anole population. Our backyard has many brown anoles, but only ONE green left. He cocks his head watching me, then goes back to licking the sweet base of the flower buds. All my life living in central Florida I have adored green anoles. Never even knew about or saw a brown one until vacationing near St.Pete Beach as an adult. Now they've moved farther north and browns are everywhere, and greens are scarce. Brown ones are much more aggressive, especially in mating season. I'll try to attach recent pix I took of 2 males fighting to the death. Over a girl. Not a pretty girl. Little eggs they buried are currently hatching and we have tiny brown babies all over the place. How I wish they were green... STOP WISHING - GET RID of the___ FROGS !!!!!!!
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Comments (22)
Thanks, Ima! Glad to have all that info. One thing...apparently many experts have discarded the notion that freezing reptiles is painless and have updated their procedures to the benzocaine/Orajel method. Orajel is 20% benzocaine, and believe me the little frog I had this morning was bloomin' DAID! You can see right through them at that stage, and his heart quit beating completely. I disposed of the body in a bag and put it in the trash. No chance he'll wake up and hop around my yard any more. As to the skin irritation thing, perhaps the reason it has never bothered me is because I routinely wash my hands thoroughly after handling just about anything in the yard. I probably was my hands 30 times a day anyway. Maybe more. I don't like the feel of dirt on my hands (it dries my skin terribly) and I sure don't like the wet feel of frogs and critters that I might have reason to handle. So perhaps the possible irritant has never had a chance to bother me, I don't know. But by all means, if anyone is worried about that or just doesn't want to "feel" frog skin, grab those disposable gloves Evelyn mentioned. Easy solution. And don't forget, in addition to the skin on the head, CTF's have blue bones (those were clearly visible in the baby frog, right through his skin), and much larger toepads than native frogs. But again, if you aren't SURE, I would say don't kill the frog. Marcia
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Comments (17)
omg im so sorry someone said that to you. I would have seen if there are forum rules and if you could have reported them. I don't understand why people can't act like adults and say something like " I don't advocate killing frogs " or " im against killing frogs " and not directly insulting people. That quote " the more people I meet the more I love my dogs " is so true. I kill any frog that comes near my house because I don't them to hurt my dogs. I believe all the ones I see are cane. I don't slaughter them. I just toss them in a shopping bag, seal tight and toss in the trash so they suffocate. If frogs wouldn't possibly kill my dogs I wouldn't hurt them but after working for a vet and seeing a few dogs a week die from coming in contact with those, im not taking any chances
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early_bird_2007
15 years ago
I don't know who are these tadpols, but once I had a "frog-question" I wrote to this person:
Steve A. Johnson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
University of Florida-IFAS Plant City Campus
1200 N. Park Road
Plant City, FL 33563
813-757-2273
tadpole@ufl.edu
http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/
I hope he doesn't mind I publish this info here, it's from UF website.
Maria
perstephone
Original Author
15 years ago
I haven't contacted Dr Johnson, although that's a good idea. I suspect that the tadpoles I have are the Cuban variety- I saw a much larger one today and it looks a lot like the one in the photo. I have another clutch of eggs in my pond (little- it's 4'x6') today, so I need to figure it out, quick.

I've sunk a few pvc pipes around the pond to see if I can catch any adults. Maybe that will shed some more light on the subject.

Collecting Frogs in Pipes
You can also attract the frogs to hiding places where they can be easily captured and removed. Place 3-foot long segments of 1Â½-inch diameter PVC pipe in the ground around your home and garden. After a few days or weeks--depending on the weather and frog population density--frogs will show up in the pipes.
To remove a frog from a pipe, pull the pipe out of the ground and place a clear plastic bag over one end. Insert a broom handle or other "plunger" device in the other end and scare the frog into the bag. If you do not wish to handle the frogs, contact your local nuisance animal trapper.
from UF/IFAS website.
babalu_aye
15 years ago
I had a Cuban Tree Frog that for the past two summers would lay a batch of eggs in my tiny pond about once per week. I also had a couple of cheap goldfish in the pond and they did a great job of gobbling up all the tadpoles.

This spring while painting the house I found a big CTF hiding behind a piece of siding and put her in a baggie in the freezer. And I haven't had any more eggs in the pond since, or any of that raucous noise they make at night.
perstephone
Original Author
15 years ago
This morning I don't have any frogs in pipes (my husband thinks I'm nuts, by the way), but I do have another couple of clutches of eggs in our 10' pop up pool.
These little buggers sure are busy, no?
babalu_aye
15 years ago
BTW, I tried using the PVC pipes last summer to catch them but never got any.

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