Ok, this is a funny question, right? Well, I had a tree frog lay her eggs in a old plastic garbage can I keep under the eave of my greenhouse to collect water that I use to water my plants. Now, my watering can is full of tadpoles! I know they won't all survive in there, so I'm gonna take most of them to a lake nearby, but I would like to keep some of them and have some tree frogs to replace the ones the black snake ate in the spring! So, the question is, what do tadpoles eat? There isn't much algae in the can, so I'm not sure what they would find to eat in there .. . . is there anything I can feed them to help them along?
Thanks!
Onalee
what do tad-poles eat?
Onalee,
First off, if you have standing still water in that can, and you live in Florida, it's a surefire magnet to mosquitoes to lay their larvae. Your tadpoles will eat those. I have a still pond/pot I bought for a water plant. Had to put guppies in there to eat the larvae. Putting a bit of an oxegenating plant in the can will help freshen the water and help the tadpoles.
Hope this helps.
:^)))
Molly
Thanks Molly - yes there are some mosquitoes in there now - but they are bigger than the tadpoles are right now! Hopefully, if I take most of the tadpoles to the lake, then the rest of them can find enough to eat with the mosquitoe larve. I have some kind of algae growing in my birdbath, maybe I can put some of that in there for them . .. will that put O2 in or take it out? I don't have any water plants because I don't keep a water garden .. .
Thanks for your help!
Onalee
Taddies usually eat vegetation and dying animal life. (fish)
They will nibble your plants so keep that in mind.
You can set up a makshift pond for them out of a barrel/dish they have room to move in. Make sure they can get out of the water when they morph. :-)
you can feed them fish food- they love it!
You can also bring some in and put them in an aquarium. Just make sure to remove them when they morph!
Thanks!! I'll pick up some fish food today for them then! I wasn't sure if they'd eat it or not. I'll keep an eye on them and make sure to put something in there that they can climb up on when they get ready. Other than the mosquitoe larvae, there really isn't anything else in there they can eat. The have plenty of room to move - a big garbage can full of rain water . . . I moved it out from under the eave so it wouldn't over-fill and my husband syphined some of the water out from the bottom just in case we got a really hard rain it wouldn't splash anyone out! He thinks I'm crazy, he must love me to help me with my little pet projects like saving the tadpoles!
Thanks, guys!
Onalee
LOL! Every tadpole is gonna make a frog! A frog that eats the bad bugs in your garden!! LOL
Dont feel bad at all- I rescued a toad at work the other day. My boss was laughing at me! LOL
Turns out the kind I rescued is the ONLY Spadefoot Toad native to this area! I told Dori it looked like an "odd" toad to me! LOL Iw as right, muahahhaa.
Last winter I discovered bunches and bunches of tree frogs living in the rungs of an aluminum ladder I had hanging under a barn. I knew they would freeze living there in that ladder, so I had my husband help me get them all out and I put every last one of them in my green house on various plants so they would make it thru the winter .. . . well - they made it thru the winter but in the spring a black snake discovered this cornocopia and started eating the frogs in my greenhouse I had saved all winter! You just can't win sometimes!!
I moved a bunch of the taddies to a lake near my house .. . they'll have to survive on their own. I kept plenty in the garbage can to replace all the frogs that darn snake ate (so he can have something to eat next spring??? ). Oh well.
thanks a bunch!
Onalee
Sorry to say it Onalee. but that is the fact of life, the food chain.
My tree frogs are camping out in my rubbermaid 1/2 shed. I don't mind except for the times I open the shed door , they jump at me and I almost pee myself over it. Some of them are smart enough to stay out of the line of fire of the snakes. (and my dog)
They are so cute tho aren't they?
:^)))
Molly
My tadpoles have just left the water. Hope they stick around....
I would like to find some pollywogs...
Am I correct? Tadpoles make toads, and pollywogs make frogs?
I thought tadpoles made frogs, but then if you are right whats a baby toad, and I thought toads didnt hang out in water. I gotta go google:
http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/cycle.html this is tadpoles.
Now for pollywogs: Pol´ly`wog
Noun 1. pollywog - a larval frog or toad
polliwog, tadpole
Amphibia, class Amphibia - frogs; toads; newts; salamanders; caecilians
larva - the immature free-living form of most invertebrates and amphibians and fish which at hatching from the egg is fundamentally unlike its parent and must metamorphose
When I was a little girl we used both terms never questioning a difference, or if there even was one. Nice to learn a bit of new information that is not earth shattering, but just interesting to know.
:^))))
Molly
My tree frog hiding in the shed:
I feel like the old woman in the shoe, so many tadpoles I don't know what to do!
LOL weeds!!!
Hey Crim, when are ya gonna come count my tadpoles???
wow - very interesting stuff! I guess I'll boil some lettuce for them!
MollyMc - I know - I just wish the snake would find something I don't like - maybe mice or rats or moles - to eat instead of the cute little (and big) tree frogs!
I know these are tree frogs because I saw their mother in the garbage can a few days ago; I didn't realize what she was doing until I saw all the eggs! So, does that make these pollywogs or tadpoles? In any case - I took probably a thousand (i didn't count them, tho!) to a lake nearby where they will have to make it on their own. I kept about 50 in the garbage can, so the snake will have something to eat and we should still have some to save from freezing next winter! ;-)
thanks guys!
Onalee
Onalee,
I wonder if there is a way to ship some to me?
Mabe in a small jar or something? I would be more than happy to pay for the shipping, Priority Mail 2 to 3 day service....
Let me know what you think....
Eggs, or tadpoels or?
and that was very interesting to find out.
thanks
jeff
Jeff,
Ya know, if the State of California doesn't like the dirt that comes from other states, I bet they wouldn't like tadpoles to be shipped into the state either.
Funny, I got some dirt from San Diego today, and it looks just like our dirt. LOL
:^))))
Molly
Jeff - I'm afraid I've set most of them free already . . . and I just wouldn't feel right shipping them . .. I would really worry about them. Surely, there are lots of tree frogs in CA - put out some water, I'll bet you'll find some coming to you!
Molly - I think that CA and FL will always be at odds - I hear we now have sudden oak death disease from plants shipped in from CA . .. I wonder what we sent them in return!? ;-)
Jeff - good luck on your quest!!
Weeds!
I should have come this weekend! If I'm off this next weekend I'll see if ginger can get away from the house- if not I'll see if mum can carry me out there!
I'll hekp ya get some garden work done if ya want.
I'll "be your slave for a day". LOL!
I really want some of that bamboo stuff, hehe.
This message was edited Jun 14, 2004 11:58 PM
Hm....
JTSpeaks...
You want the taddies to put in your pond? I must advise against this. Releasing a non-native species can be devastating to the enviroment!
Unless you just wanted them as pets and have an aquarium/terrerium to put them in.
Good Point Crim,
Just a little distraught over my tadpoles leaving the pond.
Now that you mention it. My sister bought the tadpoles somewhere, so I'll bet they were not even native.
Oh what have I done : )
Looks like I will have to go a hunting 'round here, and find some tadpoles of my very own.... Thanks for jogging me back to reality..... You all are all right in my book....
Crim, GREAT......All of you come and guess what??? I have started digging the bog garden! I want YOU to go with me to get the plants, pretty please????
Sure thing Weeds! Just gotta make sure I'm not working. :D
I might be working this weekend, I'll ask tomorrow at work then get back to you. If I'm not working and can get a ride- I'll come on over this weekend? Whatever you decide!
Jeff, I have treefroggies living in my hanging gardens. You should be able to find them in the small creeks around here. Where are you in SD?
Frogsrus......
Paradise Hills...... 54 & 805?
I am in Mira Mesa. We should take a trip to Balboa Park or Anderson's nursery or something. E-mail me.
Janice