# Basti mom eating babies?!



## plant_geek (Apr 10, 2009)

So I have a pair of orange/red bastis that are about 1.5years old. They have been laying eggs for about 4-5 months. I became concerned that something was eating the eggs because some would disappear before or during development- just after I witnessed the female in the spots where the eggs were. Today- she went to transport a lone tad- and about 30 minutes later i see her with a tad tail hanging out of her mouth!! Therefore- I'm positive she's been eating the eggs/tads! What is going on?! I dust every other feeding....sometimes i feed heavily everyday- then every few days to promote egg laying. They get plenty of food, vitamins, misted every couple days or everyday. There are 5 broms in the tank- one newly introduced one. There is just the pair in a 40 gal tank. I've searched the forum for anyone else with this problem- but didn't see anything with only a pair of frogs- not 2 females.....


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

> Today- she went to transport a lone tad- and about 30 minutes later i see her with a tad tail hanging out of her mouth!!


 

Did you happen to get a pic?


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

If there are only 5 broms in the tank, provide many more tadpole depositing sites, and see if the behavior goes away. She may just not have found that place that is 'just right'. You could try film canisters, too.


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## DCreptiles (Jan 26, 2009)

i have to agree with Zbrinks she may not have that special place she feels comfortable to drop the tads off. i have also witness this with pumilio when they have transported and all the sites have a tad. to control the population in the viv the male will pick off the eggs that the female lays.. although i have never heard of them eating a tadpole befor.. but i guess its possible.

try the film cans.. mine perfer black.. also those condiment cups i zip tie them to high points in the viv onto pieces of wood.


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

My solarte use condiment cups right down on the substrate to raise froglets. just don't keep them real full of water .


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

frogface said:


> Did you happen to get a pic?


I dont know if I would have been able to pull myself away to get a pic.

I would have been floored to see that.


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## plant_geek (Apr 10, 2009)

I didn't get a pic- I was furiously watching her because i thought when i saw her transporting the tad that for sure her problem of eating tads/eggs was fixed....obviously not. My patience with her is wearing thin- i see all these tads developing....then gone before or after they've developed for transport. Could a female develop a taste for eating eggs/tads? She's eaten eggs before too- why would she do that if they weren't even developed?


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

Give her more places to rear tads, and see what happens.


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## kheckeroth (Dec 28, 2008)

I thought that was happening as well, saw this guy with a tad hanging out of his mouth. Turned out swam into the brom and grabbed the tad in his mouth, then moved the tad to another location further back in the same brom.











I was freaked out until he spat it out lol.


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## ryangreenway (Apr 30, 2010)

kheckeroth said:


> I thought that was happening as well, saw this guy with a tad hanging out of his mouth. Turned out swam into the brom and grabbed the tad in his mouth, then moved the tad to another location further back in the same brom.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Haha he's just being a good daddy!


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## crzsnwbdr (Sep 23, 2010)

That's an awesome catch kheckeroth! Very nice pic.


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## mongo77 (Apr 28, 2008)

Wow! I would never have guessed that frogs could have that level of parenting!


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