Things You'll Need
- Large shaded container
- Sponge filter (optional)
- Dechlorinating drops
- Water
- Lettuce
- Live or frozen bloodworms
- Baby crickets
- Other tadpole-friendly food, at your discretion
Instructions
Setting up the habitat
Choose your habitat based on size, location and available resources. This can be anything from a large fish tank to an outdoor wading pool or pond.
Plan on where you want your breeding container. Plan on it being there permanently, or on moving all your tadpoles, froglets and frogs if the weather or other conditions become inhospitable. Ensure that at least half the pool is shaded.
Fill the container with water. If possible, let it sit for at least five days uncovered or loosely covered. If not, use a dechlorinating solution.
Any additional habitat modifications should be added only after the water has aged or been dechlorinated. This includes adding any filters, substrates, plants, fish and other animals.
Raising tadpoles
Once you have obtained your tadpoles, either commercially or through collection, introduce them gradually to the pool. As with aquarium fish, float a container with the same water the tadpoles were transported in in the pool and mix in water from the breeding pool at regular intervals.
Release the tadpoles after several hours and once the water in their container is at least half pool water. This allows the water temperature to equalize and the tadpole to become acclimated to the pool water conditions, preventing shock.
Feed the tadpoles regularly. Blanched, finely chopped lettuce is an ideal starter food for tadpoles, and can be frozen packed in ice cube trays for easy portioning. One cube is generally ideal for two to three days of feeding, or you can feed every day in smaller portions. You can supplement their diet with various other foods, such as algae wafers.
Clean the tank occasionally, and change the water regularly. This is especially important if you do not have a filter in the tank. Water changes should be at most 15 to 20 percent of the total volume of water, and should be treated the same way the original tank water was -- aged and dechlorinated -- and should be the same temperature as the pool water.
Protect your tadpoles, frogs and froglets. Many insects lay their eggs in water and the larvae will compete with the tadpoles or even prey on them. This can be mitigated by laying a fine mesh screen on top of the pool.
Tadpole growth is dependent on temperature and nutrition. If your tadpoles need more than one growing season, they will stop growing as the temperature falls.
Froglets to frogs
Tadpoles will first grow hind legs and then forelegs. At this stage, they are known as froglets, and they can start eating meaty foods. Begin feeding live or frozen bloodworms in addition to lettuce. These can be bought at most pet stores.
If feeding live bloodworms, follow proper storage and decontamination procedures.
Once the froglets have both fore and hind legs, add several ledges for them to crawl out of the water on. Once they have left the water, you can begin introducing baby crickets to the habitat. Stop feeding them lettuce.
Froglets will gradually lose their tails. Once they have fully lost their tails, they are sexually mature and will breed on their own if given proper conditions and nutrition. You can help this along by providing additional ledges and other surface perches and ensuring they are well fed. At this stage, all frogs and toads are fully carnivorous and highly opportunistic. They will eat smaller siblings and tadpoles, given the chance.
Frogs and toads spawn in shallow, partially-shaded water. Spawning is seasonal, and it is best to have originally sited your pond outdoors for this reason. Adding live or artificial aquatic plants may be useful.
If you are breeding exotic frogs, you will have to simulate their natural conditions to stimulate spawning. Amazonian frogs, for example, will require a simulated flood and regular rain to mimic the Amazonian rainy season in which they normally spawn.