# Oh no!



## Pumilio78 (Apr 6, 2010)

Hi all. I've been lurking on these forums for a while and until now I had been hesitant to post anything. 
I am currently keeping a pair of azureus and so far they have produced 3 healthy clutches. This evening, I was assisting tads out of the egg as they had already began breaking free. While doing so, I accidentally cut the tail of one of them with my knife.  : ( The cut is right at the base of the tail, close to the body and there is a little blood where the laceration is. The tadpole is still alive but seems to only be able to move the tail one direction. Hopefully none else has experienced this, but if so, what was the outcome? I know there is virtually nothing I can do for it but sit back and hope for the best. I feel so terrible and heartbroken over my mistake.


----------



## yumpster (May 22, 2009)

The only advice I can really give is to let all tads break free of the egg sac on their own from now on. It may take a couple weeks from first to last, but they will all come out when the time is right.

I'm sorry to hear about that. Nobody knows for sure what the outcome will be. If the wound closes and it can still maneuver enough to scavenge for food, it just might make it. The tail gets absorbed in the end anyway so who knows!


----------



## Pumilio78 (Apr 6, 2010)

Thanks for the advice. I actually do wait for them to break free, and this clutch had. I was just trying to remove the egg gel and membrane from them so I could transfer them to water cups. They had deflated the eggs on their own. 
I guess this will be a learning experience at the expense of this poor tadpole.


----------



## yumpster (May 22, 2009)

Oh I see. Well in that case, I will give you some different advice! 

Instead of using a knife to scrape away the gel, use a plastic spoon. That's what I use. You can kind of scoop away the gel, and then use the spoon to gently transport the tad to water. Much less chance of injury.


----------



## Pumilio78 (Apr 6, 2010)

Yeah, nothing sharper than a crayon for me from here on out! I was also using a small measuring spoon, but this one was just being stubborn. I guess I should have just had more patience. Lesson learned.


----------



## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

I use a single-edge razor blade to clean my eggs out. Very clean and precise (take's some time to feel comfortable with, though).

Good luck with the tad, Richard.


----------



## Arrynia (Dec 27, 2009)

I use a hobby knife as well as plastic spoons to do this as well. It does take some getting used to and steady hands. I hope that tadpole overcomes this and makes it through alright. Keep us updated.


----------



## salix (Mar 28, 2008)

When I have tads that are starting to hatch and I want to hurry things along (basically to get everyone moved at the same time), I just give the clutch a good spray of water. I think of it as a rainstorm  Usually anyone ready to hatch will break free and swim away. Generally I let them hatch on their own, but sometimes I just want to finish that clutch and get the petri dish washed and put away!

I hope the little guy makes it.

Deb


----------



## DCreptiles (Jan 26, 2009)

if the tads are just about ready to break or a few broke through and the rest havnt.. i dont normally suggest helping them out of the eggs or jelly at all. but if thats your thing you may use a turckey baster to suck the tad up and then drop it into its cup. when doing this the jelly breaks and the tad is able to get loose so when you drop it into its container it just swims off.


----------



## Pumilio78 (Apr 6, 2010)

The little tadpole is doing ok, it seems. It can swim well enough to surface for air exchange and swims around to eat and so forth. I won't say the swimming is normal, as it is obvious the tail isn't functioning as it normally would. I have a good feeling he will make it. I'll keep more updates coming as it comes along.


----------



## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

good to hear. those plastic straws that Dairy Queen use to have with the scoop at one wnd work great for clooecting tads and a few other things.

to bad they dont have them anymore


----------



## slipperheads (Oct 17, 2007)

SLURPEEE!!! Problem solved


----------



## Arrynia (Dec 27, 2009)

Glad to see the tad is doing well. I have raised tads with deformed (crooked) tails in the past and they made it to healthy froglets. This isn't the same as a tail that has been cut or bitten off (by other tads or fish), but I'm sure the similarity is there. I also know that some species can regenerate lost tissues in the tails. I wonder if the same is true with dendrobatidae? Perhaps Ed will chime in on this?


----------

