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First froglet

17 years ago

I've just found my first baby froglet from this year's tadpoles. Aaaahh! :o)

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Comments (11)

big_kid
17 years ago
Blimey, I've still got mine in a bucket and just one in the pond. I was beginning to think they were going to stay as taddies for ever! No sign of legs on mine. Does it stunt them in a bucket? It's a 9' x 8' pond and I had a number of dragonflies and damselflies last year, as well as having eight goldfish. I don't want to tip them in there in case they end up as a meal for something!

Think it was you who mentioned feeding pet food as they developed. Is it dog or cat food?
dampflippers
Original Author
17 years ago
The froglet I spotted was from my washing up bowl pond. Very few of the others seem to have legs yet, so I'm not sure how he managed to beat them.
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When I drained my pond last year, I rescued the tadpoles, and they thanked me by jumping on my pants legs, and climbing on my finger this spring. I though that was cute. I enjoyed their soft purring/cooing sound last summer. But this year they are LOUD! 200 LOUD tree frogs, and one soft peeper, you bearly can hear. My frogs start 'shouting' at 8:15 p.m., and yell until 12:30 p.m. All lights are out, as my husband goes to bed at 7, (he is a bus driver who has to get up at 3 a.m.) I keep things quiet so he can sleep, but I can't here the t.v. over the tree frogs. I have both peepers and common tree-frogs. The first year I loved them, they were soft and soothing. But this year they have gone wild! Last year most were peepers, and this year. I have so many more tree-frogs. I have taped them on my phone, because no one will believe how loud they are! They are NOT cute anymore. What can I do to send the tree frogs packing? My husband said he already saw a snake, (fortunately I have not). Should I borrow my sons cat? They are ridiculously loud! When I got outside to stomp on the deck the close ones are around, they stop, But as I get to the door to come back inside, they start again...grrrr. Any ideas?
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Saw first froglet today!! I am amazed how well tadpoles hide. Sometimes it looks as if there are none, and then if I go out at night there can be loads. Good thing they are good at hiding, as it looks like we have grass snakes too! From what I can tell though, they don't endanger amphibian populations even though that is what they eat. It is all in numbers I guess. We do have loads of young toads now though, many about 2 or 3 seasons old. Found a nice question answer website, that made me feel better about the grass snake--(I like snakes too, but worried about how much they eat!!) Chip Here is a link that might be useful: question/answer site
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Hi Mark, I have noticed that when they get to a certain size they become very sensitive to me walking round the pond, and immediately dive down. I have sticklebacks in one pond, and they eat most of mine. Last year I only saw a few froglets, but hopefully more survived. I had some froglets about a month ago, but in my top fish free pond I still have lots of tads undeveloped. Even if you are feeding dragonfly larvae, they are a beautiful thing (when grown up) to have in your pond. It's all nature, and if the tads weren't there there would be a lot less life in your pond. ps I agree with the advice to go out with a torch- you'll see alot more activity in your pond at night.
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big_kid
17 years ago
Perpetual taddies? I hope not!!
dampflippers
Original Author
17 years ago
No, I didn't mention cat food. Rabbit pellets- yes.
I am currently feeding boiled spinach or fish food tablets
alison_froglady
17 years ago
I have lots of little froglets now. They just seemed to appear as if overnight. Last week they didn't have legs or anything but now they are fully changed. Some still have a bit of a tail though. There are still some taddies in the pond that haven't developed at all. They just all do it at a different rate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alisons pond and garden
big_kid
17 years ago
Not a leg in sight yet!!
pondgoblin
17 years ago
I had hundreds of tadpoles but the goldfish ate them!!
one froglet was found a week ago but no sign since. :-(
i think i will net off a fish free area next year!
big_kid
17 years ago
Mine are doing fine in a liner from an old peddle-bin. I don't change the water because they eat the algae around the sides. I do have oxygenators in there and I keep an eye on them, but they seem perfectly happy. Rather their small home than the bellies of my eight fish or any dragonfly nymphs that might be lurking about in the depths!!

P.S. Pondgoblin's a great name!!
big_kid
17 years ago
Oh dear, August now and still not a leg in sight. Is this normal?
alison_froglady
17 years ago
I have some still like that in the pond so don't panic too much. Sometimes people say that they don't all change at the same time in case some disaster occurs which wipes them out. It is a kind of safety mechanism for the species. I have had them not change the whole year and go through the winter still as a tad. But it isn't generally all of them, most do change within a couple of months.
Another thought which is probably completely wrong, but you say they are in a liner from a peddle bin. I am just wondering if the sides are high and they haven't begun to change as they can't get out of the 'pond' - I know - it probably sounds very far fetched, I am just thinking out loud.
Alison

Here is a link that might be useful: Alisons pond and garden
big_kid
17 years ago
Thanks, Alison. If this carries on, I shall have to over-winter them in my kitchen!

Incidentally,I make sure the water is right up to the top, so there's no chance they can't get out if they do grow legs and want to leg it!!

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