# When to give tadpoles some land?



## Basketbreaker

I got some of my first leuc tadpoles that just poped front legs. How long should u wait for them to be in a area where they have access to land?


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## sports_doc

Basketbreaker said:


> I got some of my first leuc tadpoles that just poped front legs. How long should u wait for them to be in a area where they have access to land?


Fantastic!

Here is what I do.

After the front legs pop, I transfer the tads into a small tubberware containter with a lid (few punched air holes). I get the most 'clear' containers I can find so I can see in easily.

I wet up a handful of NZ sphagnum, squeeze it into a sausage and push it into one side of the container (the land) and I fill the container with tad water to about an inch, tilt it on its side using a 3/4 inch mason lid underneath one side (the side with the spagnum)

Can you picture it?

The sphagnum is partially submerged only, the water is mostly on the down tilt side...

The froglet simply climbs out onto the sphagnum when ready (a week or so). I let them stay in there 3-4 more days after climbing out, the tails are all gone by then and they need a couple days before they will eat anyway.

Then into a larger container..FF's are usually taken immediately. 

Best to ya,

Shawn


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## elmoisfive

I do the same thing as Shawn for froglets that drown easily (example being tricolor) but all the others (auratus, tinc, leuc, thumbnails) I simply leave them in the original deli cup and lower the water volume to about 2-3 times their height and let them climb straight up the side. I find this is a good way to cull any weak froglets....if they can't climb, they don't survive. Pretty ruthless I suppose but effective.

I find that auruatus, tinc, leuc type frogs will wait until most of the tail is absorbed before climbing up while thumbnails oftentimes climb out of the water with their full tail and spend time hanging out while the tail shrinks.

Bill


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## black_envy

I find this is a good way to cull any weak froglets....if they can't climb, they don't survive. Pretty ruthless I suppose but effective. 

I don't understand this reasoning, why don't people sell frogs labeled as 'no breeding' if they are weak, instead of just letting them die? I would've bought one of the weak frogs at full price and not breed it just so that I can enjoy it as a pet...


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## elmoisfive

black_envy said:


> I find this is a good way to cull any weak froglets....if they can't climb, they don't survive. Pretty ruthless I suppose but effective.
> 
> I don't understand this reasoning, why don't people sell frogs labeled as 'no breeding' if they are weak, instead of just letting them die? I would've bought one of the weak frogs at full price and not breed it just so that I can enjoy it as a pet...


You might want to give this thread a read for some perspective...

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18088

But anyway, we don't want to take this thread off topic...

Bill


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## kyle1745

I use 16oz deli cups 1/2 filled with water. When they get front legs I add a little sphagnum so they can climb on top of it. When the tail is gone I remove the water and keep them in that container for about 2-3 weeks.


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## EDs Fly Meat

When I get front and back legs I put them in a rubbermaid shoe box and tilt it at a slight degree. I add plants, live and fake so they have something to grab onto and pull them self out of the water.

















Hope that helps.
Dave[/url]


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## joshsfrogs

Some day I'll post my whole egg-to-froglet technique...

I keep my tadpoles in fruit fly cups and when they get their front legs, I drain off all but about an 1-2 inches of water and remove the java moss. I then throw a fruit fly lid on it and use a dixie cup to prop the insect cup on it's side so the cup is slanted.

I like this method because like Bill said it culls the weak frogs that can't climb the sides and it is little work. I'd say that it kills about 1 froglet from every 2 clutches or so.


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