# Anyone feed with chicken egg yoke?



## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

I purchased a few vivariums from a member on the board and found some tadpoles. Since I don't have any other egg feeders, decided to try my hand at raising them myself. Aaron from Aaron's Frog Farm had mentioned using chicken egg yoke, so I decided to try it. This was 2 months ago.

All tadpoles are still alive and doing well. What I do is take the yoke of a chicken egg, mix in a little Rep-Cal Herptivate or Calcium and mix it up on a plate. I then set it out on the counter until it is almost dry. Usually about 3 to 4 hours. I can then take the yoke and roll little eggs in my fingers and drop them in the deli cup. After about 24 hours I change out the water. The tadpoles eat so much they have a hard time moving around. 

Has anyone else had any luck raising tads this way?


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## GSXR_MURRHEE (Sep 16, 2006)

I've heard and read of others doing it and having success, but I've never tried using chicken egg yoke. I did have some success feeding other tadpoles to some mancreek tads I had a while back, lol.


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## midget (Jul 30, 2009)

i've read about this but most said theres came out rather small and very few servied might i mind you though these were back in 2007, not sure if somthing changed.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

There are reports of people trying this going all the way back into the early 1980s (I have reports in the literature going back to before 1984) and the results have consistently been very poor and while the tadpoles do feed on it, the rate of successful metamorphosis in general tends to be poor as is the survivorship post six months. 

However it appears you really didn't have any other options. 

Ed


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

That`s probably because they were using it on the "harder" costa rican and nicaraguan morphs. It seemed to work well for bastis and man creeks but not for escudos.
I think the morph has a lot to do w/ it.


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## pigface (Apr 28, 2006)

What type of tads ? Are they obligate or non obligate egg feeeders?


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## kingnicky101 (Feb 20, 2009)

Did you cook the egg or use it raw?


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

kingnicky101 said:


> Did you cook the egg or use it raw?


Raw. I think the tads are either Man Creek or Nancy. They may be a few of each.


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## jfehr232 (Apr 13, 2009)

How are these tads doing???


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

The tads have been alive and growing since July.


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## Cutterfly (Apr 9, 2009)

From what I know (I didn't try to do this on my own but some of my friends did) there are 2 stages during the tadpole's development, where feeding chicken egg yolk doesn't work:
If the tadpoles aren't fed original feeder eggs at least directly after hatching AND after they got their back legs before they get their front legs they almost ever suffer from SLS or stop metamorphosing at all.

If someone has different experience, let us know, I think this is interesting for many people.

greets,
CF


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## jfehr232 (Apr 13, 2009)

Jason said:


> The tads have been alive and growing since July.



So are some morphing out then? I am just curious thats all. Glad they are doing great because it is very interesting.


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

jfehr232 said:


> So are some morphing out then? I am just curious thats all. Glad they are doing great because it is very interesting.


Nothing yet.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

A long time spent in the tadpole stage is reported several times in the literature for tadpoles fed on chicken yolk. 

Ed


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## jfehr232 (Apr 13, 2009)

Ed said:


> A long time spent in the tadpole stage is reported several times in the literature for tadpoles fed on chicken yolk.
> 
> Ed



Interesting...any details as of why?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

jfehr232 said:


> Interesting...any details as of why?


The conjecture in the literature is that the chicken yolk is either nutritionally deficient or is not as digestiable to the tadpole. The reduction in nutrient availability results in the slower growth and longer time frame spent as a tadpole as well as the issues upon metamorphosis (and post metamorphosis). The reason this is conjecture is because there currently isn't a nutritional analysis of the feeder eggs to allow for a comparision with chicken yolk. 

Ed


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## jfehr232 (Apr 13, 2009)

Thanks ed, it makes a lot of sense.


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## snmreptiles (Feb 26, 2004)

Jason, how are these doing?? It's been almost a month since your last update. I lost one of our man creeks yesterday and there are plenty of tads in the tank!

Mike
Welcome to the home of


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## thedude (Nov 28, 2007)

pretty cool thread. jason you could also look at robbster.com there are some helpful things on there.


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

Still tads, but still alive.


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## bgmike64 (Mar 16, 2008)

Jason said:


> Still tads, but still alive.


How much further do you think before they pop their legs? I'm trying this with an el dorado tad for a bout 3 weeks now, using your recipe. How often do you feed?


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## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

bgmike64 said:


> How much further do you think before they pop their legs? I'm trying this with an el dorado tad for a bout 3 weeks now, using your recipe. How often do you feed?


I feed about every other day.


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## frogmanroth (May 23, 2006)

Jason is that those caucheros tads still? Thats been awhile! I had fed those alimirante tads for 8 months before I lost the mom. Have gotten any other frogs that are laying? 

Lets see some more pics of your frog room also.


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