# Weak tadpoles and early hatching ?



## skinnybonedog (Feb 18, 2004)

Hi,

I sold my breeding group of azureus to a friend's friend about 2 years ago. The group of 4:1 was about 5 years old then and they bred like crazy for me and I did not have alot of problems once the eggs got to tad stage. The problem is she has not been able to get any viable tads let alone getting them to froglet stage for the whole time she has had them. I just went to her house a few weeks ago and she handed over 3 about to hatch eggs and 5 eggs that had just been laid. The problem she has is that most of the eggs die before showing any development and if they do develop the tad often dies in the eggs and the few times she has gotten any to hatch the tads are very weak and die pretty quick. Now the eggs I got from her are displaying that....one tad died in the egg, two were ok until I looked this am and another had died that had hatched a few days ago and the other looks weak and flops on it side alot and swims weakly. The eggs....1 died within a few days of me having them....a few days later another died and to my surprise when I looked yesterday the remaining three had hatched but all still have gills and have yolk sacs still attached...I am not sure of the exact age but I think they were about 13-14 days. The only thing wrong I could see with her husbandry is she had not been giving them calcium....could that alone be the problem? She thought I had told her only to give vitamins...which were from 2004....so I told her to get new herptivite and calcium asap.

Any thoughts on what is going on here?

Thanks,
Tammy


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## Curt61 (Jan 16, 2007)

Hey, I am not very experienced but I believe getting no calcium could get this result. I heard it could cause weak frogs, but I didn't think that all the eggs/tads would die.
If the temps are right then I don't know what else it could be.

Curt.


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

The supplements were from 2004???
That sounds like most of your problem right there. The frogs are not healthy from lack of good vitamins and therefore the tads are not healthy. Changing the supplements to fresh ones every 6 months should help.


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## Derrick (Oct 28, 2005)

dragonfrog said:


> The supplements were from 2004???
> That sounds like most of your problem right there. The frogs are not healthy from lack of good vitamins and therefore the tads are not healthy. Changing the supplements to fresh ones every 6 months should help.


I also agree that you should stick to the expiration date on all vitamin/calcium powders. Change them every 6 months. I started to do that with my geckos and frogs and they have gotten more color and are a bit more active.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

In addition to sticking to the expiration date (although see note below) on the supplements, replace them within six months of opening. 

I would also be leery of the expiration date on a lot of the supplements sold as these do not take into consideration the conditions under with the supplement was transported and/or stored. If they were stored in an area that got hot during shipping then they will have a shorter shelf life. 

I suspect that the supplements are a big part of the problem and I suggest not only that she get new supplements but rests the frogs for several months to allow for them to rebuild thier nutritional stores. 

Ed


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