# Weird legs



## BugBear (Jun 16, 2021)

My kids and I brought 4 tadpoles from our pond inside to watch them change into frogs. All is going well so far, they all have their back legs and one has front legs. For three of them, their back legs look like small fog legs, bent and tucked up against the body and you can see them kicking them against the gravel sometimes. 

Then there is this guy. Maybe his legs are completely normal. I really don't know. They just look off to me. He's a frisky guy, eats well, swims around, cuddles with his tank mates. He's the most active of the tadpoles - he'll suddenly swim all over the tank frantically and even jump out of the water a bit. 

But his legs... They just kinda drag behind him and even curve up. It almost looks like he doesn't have knees? I've never seem him kick them. Is this normal? He has the biggest, beefiest legs of the four tadpoles. But they are just... weird looking. 

Is there anything I should do for him? Anything I can do? They are in a 20 gal tank with about 5 inches of water. It has a filter and the water is cleaned regularly. They have a basking shelf thing to rest on and hid under. I feed them Hikari algae wafers mostly. We put in cooked veggies sometimes but they seem to just ignore them.

Thank you so much!

I tried to include lots of pictures to show what this little guy's legs look like...


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

nothing you can do...let nature take it's course. You need to feed those big bois more protein.....not just veggies and wafers. Fish food with protein.


----------



## SpaceMan (Aug 25, 2013)

You can also get tadpole bites at your big box pet stores -- check the label for the protein make up.


----------



## BugBear (Jun 16, 2021)

Oh man. Thank you both for responding! Everything online said boiled Romain lettuce and other veggies or algae wafers for raising pond frog! I put in some fish food last night. I had tried it before and they didn't eat it but I'll try it again. I also put in some blood worms from our betta. I'll get tadpole food today. 

Do the legs look normal? I know there is nothing I can do but I'd like to have a chance to prepare my kids if he's not going to develop correctly. Is there a point at which we will know this isn't going to resolve correctly?

Thanks again!!


----------



## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

No they are not normal. Its something you need to prepare yourself and the.kids for. 

Many ranid tads are quite carnivorous. If you are feeding.fish food, mix a stiff paste with water and smear it thickly on a rock. 

Feed them a variety of foods as the other members above have suggested.


----------



## BugBear (Jun 16, 2021)

Thank you! I checked on him this morning and both of his front legs came through overnight and look good and he's kicking his back legs around now. They still stick out at rest, but at least he's moving them!


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

You never know...could morph out ok.


----------



## Kmc (Jul 26, 2019)

That would be cool. Even if they are a little different they still might make nice pets.

Once they are frogs you just have to determine if it interferes with life motor abilities of eating, changing where they want to be, or causes so much struggling that its frightening to them as they wouldnt understand why their body isnt operating the way mammals and birds and people, who have developmental ability stages, are able accomodatively 'get used to' with limb differences, absences.


----------

