# Disposing of unwanted eggs?



## froggybrie (Oct 25, 2017)

I've tried searching for this topic but all I seem to find is breeding advice...

We have a breeding pair and due to an upcoming move, at this point in time aren't really able to raise any tadpoles. What's the best way to humanely get rid of eggs? Is there a better way to prevent breeding entirely? I've looked on joshsfrogs but the advice didn't cover what to do with eggs which have already been lain. Would removing them and freezing them be a terrible thing?

Needless to say I feel remarkably guilty about this. Does anyone have advice?


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## willijas (Feb 20, 2018)

I can't speak for stopping breeding but as far as disposing of embryos, I work in a science lab where we use Zebrafish and Xenopus laevis (African clawed frogs) and when we have too many embryos of either we have it in our approved animal use protocol that we dispose of them by putting them in the freezer. We have them in a petri dish so the water slowly cools and then freezes.

Hope that helps.


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## cmk (Aug 29, 2014)

Give them to a frog friend, ship them, just leave them in the tank. With no water to deposit tads the parents will hold them on their backs for a bit, then eventually they'll fall off. If that seems too harsh, put a water container in the tank and let the parents do the work. With tads in tank, they'll stop laying. (Hopefully)


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## Malaki33 (Dec 21, 2007)

Why not just separate mom and dad for a while until you are ready for them to breed again? As far as what you already have in the tank. I agree tat you should just leave them in there and let the parent handle them.


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## froggybrie (Oct 25, 2017)

Malaki33 said:


> Why not just separate mom and dad for a while until you are ready for them to breed again?


I'm afraid we don't have a separate enclosure to be able to do this - They were both presumed to be male until it became obvious that wasn't the case! Happy to breed them at some point, just not right now.

Thanks for the responses


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## Andrew Lee (Jan 21, 2014)

To further prevent breeding, you can lower humidity, and get rid of deposition sites. These often discourage further breeding behavior. As for getting rid of unwanted eggs, most people often just leave them alone just as the others have stated.


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## froggybrie (Oct 25, 2017)

My concern with leaving eggs in the tank is that Wellington and Puddle are attentive parents, and we would probably still end up with tadpoles/froglets. Perhaps it is silly but I'd like to avoid disposing of tadpoles after they are hatched...

I'll try to see if we can get rid of egg deposit and water pooling spots, and lower the humidity to prevent fertilisation; if we still get some eggs we may scrape them off and freeze them.

Thanks very much for the suggestions!


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## AzJohn (Aug 31, 2016)

What species do you keep? My imitators only raise one tad at a time. When I want then to stop laying eggs, I just let them keep one.


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## froggybrie (Oct 25, 2017)

They're d. tinctorius (BYH)


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