Tadpoles not growing into frogs

[Pete Thomas]

Hi all, I'm new to this group.

I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
frogspawn, the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are
growing legs. My previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same
locality (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and
newts breeding successfully.

This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
feet across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater
from a butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
condition before adding the spawn in Feb.

My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
before I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly
every day and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting
legs gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.

I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?

--
Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
***********
On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
Saxophone Instruction DVD.
Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
***********
Contact via the Breakfast Room

[Lar]

In article >, invalid@reply-via-
site.com says...
:) Hi all, I'm new to this group.
:)
:) I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
:) frogspawn, the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are
:) growing legs. My previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same
:) locality (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and
:) newts breeding successfully.
:)
:) This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
:) feet across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater
:) from a butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
:) condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
:)
:) My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
:) before I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly
:) every day and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting
:) legs gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
:)
:) I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
:) that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?
:)
:)

In your older pond did you notice frogs the first year it was in or
could the frogs you saw be actually from tadpoles from the previous
year. In mine I have been watching the development of tadpoles into
toads and have been seeing numerous ones with back legs but no front
legs, then one evening looked down and saw a dozen or so tiny toads. So
maybe some are developing and sneaking away. Hmm timely, my daughter
placed a tadpole in a goldfish bowl a few weeks ago and came in here
excitedly she has a tiny toad now.
--
Lar

[Dribbler]

"Pete Thomas" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all, I'm new to this group.
>
> I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some frogspawn,
> the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are growing legs. My
> previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same locality
> (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and newts
> breeding successfully.
>
> This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6 feet
> across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater from a
> butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
> condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
>
> My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off before
> I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly every day
> and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting legs
> gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
>
> I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
> that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?
> --
> Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
> ***********

Hello Pete,
Myself and three other pond owners in Buckinghamshire (UK) have the same
thing you describe. We have plenty of tadpoles and yet only a minority have
grown very small front legs (or are they gills?). They are a healthy size
but they all seem to have stopped growing and have stayed at the same
size/developmental stage for eight weeks or more.
My extent of my knowledge of tadpoles is from thirty plus years ago in the
classroom tank, but I'm sure they grew quicker than that! Maybe with age
comes impatience....

Dribbler

[Jeanne]

I added a string of eggs, which hatched to tadpoles, which grew legs, the
frogs hopped out and sat on the bank, and every one was soon picked off by
jays... Watch out for jays....

"Dribbler" > wrote in message
...
> "Pete Thomas" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi all, I'm new to this group.
> >
> > I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
frogspawn,
> > the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are growing legs. My
> > previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same locality
> > (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and newts
> > breeding successfully.
> >
> > This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
feet
> > across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater from a
> > butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
> > condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
> >
> > My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
before
> > I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly every
day
> > and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting legs
> > gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
> >
> > I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
> > that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?
> > --
> > Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
> > ***********
>
> Hello Pete,
> Myself and three other pond owners in Buckinghamshire (UK) have the same
> thing you describe. We have plenty of tadpoles and yet only a minority
have
> grown very small front legs (or are they gills?). They are a healthy size
> but they all seem to have stopped growing and have stayed at the same
> size/developmental stage for eight weeks or more.
> My extent of my knowledge of tadpoles is from thirty plus years ago in the
> classroom tank, but I'm sure they grew quicker than that! Maybe with age
> comes impatience....
>
> Dribbler
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Dribbler]

"Jeanne" > wrote in message
...
>
> I added a string of eggs, which hatched to tadpoles, which grew legs, the
> frogs hopped out and sat on the bank, and every one was soon picked off by
> jays... Watch out for jays....

That is horrible for you Jeanne. How awful to watch them get to that stage
only to be picked off.
In the UK we don't have Blue Jays but during my time spent living in the
USA, along with humming birds they were my favourite to watch with all their
antics.
I don't think we have any birds here who would threaten the frogs, unless
anyone knows different?

Dribbler

[Pete Thomas]

Dribbler wrote:
> "Jeanne" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I added a string of eggs, which hatched to tadpoles, which grew legs, the
>> frogs hopped out and sat on the bank, and every one was soon picked off by
>> jays... Watch out for jays....
>
> That is horrible for you Jeanne. How awful to watch them get to that stage
> only to be picked off.
> In the UK we don't have Blue Jays but during my time spent living in the
> USA, along with humming birds they were my favourite to watch with all their
> antics.
> I don't think we have any birds here who would threaten the frogs, unless
> anyone knows different?

Crows would possible get small frogs.

Owls?



--
Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
***********
On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
Saxophone Instruction DVD.
Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
***********
Contact via the Breakfast Room

[Pete Thomas]

Lar wrote:
> In article >, invalid@reply-via-
> site.com says...
> :) Hi all, I'm new to this group.
> :)
> :) I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
> :) frogspawn, the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are
> :) growing legs. My previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same
> :) locality (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and
> :) newts breeding successfully.
> :)
> :) This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
> :) feet across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater
> :) from a butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
> :) condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
> :)
> :) My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
> :) before I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly
> :) every day and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting
> :) legs gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
> :)
> :) I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
> :) that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?
> :)
> :)
>
> In your older pond did you notice frogs the first year it was in or
> could the frogs you saw be actually from tadpoles from the previous
> year. In mine I have been watching the development of tadpoles into
> toads and have been seeing numerous ones with back legs but no front
> legs, then one evening looked down and saw a dozen or so tiny toads. So
> maybe some are developing and sneaking away. Hmm timely, my daughter
> placed a tadpole in a goldfish bowl a few weeks ago and came in here
> excitedly she has a tiny toad now.

Today I found a teeny frog under a stone, so they've been sneaking out
really quickly.

Time for newts now.

--
Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
***********
On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
Saxophone Instruction DVD.
Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
***********
Contact via the Breakfast Room

[John]

I would have thought little frogs would have made a nice snack for many
predators in including magpies, robins, herons, gulls, blackbirds, crows,
rooks, foxes, badgers, stoats.... its a wonder any survive.


"Pete Thomas" > wrote in message
...
> Dribbler wrote:
> > "Jeanne" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> I added a string of eggs, which hatched to tadpoles, which grew legs,
the
> >> frogs hopped out and sat on the bank, and every one was soon picked off
by
> >> jays... Watch out for jays....
> >
> > That is horrible for you Jeanne. How awful to watch them get to that
stage
> > only to be picked off.
> > In the UK we don't have Blue Jays but during my time spent living in the
> > USA, along with humming birds they were my favourite to watch with all
their
> > antics.
> > I don't think we have any birds here who would threaten the frogs,
unless
> > anyone knows different?
>
> Crows would possible get small frogs.
>
> Owls?
>
>
>
> --
> Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
> ***********
> On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
> Saxophone Instruction DVD.
> Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
> ***********
> Contact via the Breakfast Room

[amanda]

Pete Thomas wrote:
> Hi all, I'm new to this group.
>
> I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
> frogspawn, the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are
> growing legs. My previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same
> locality (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and
> newts breeding successfully.
>
> This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
> feet across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater
> from a butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
> condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
>
> My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
> before I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly
> every day and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting
> legs gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
>
> I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
> that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?
>
> --
> Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
> ***********
> On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
> Saxophone Instruction DVD.
> Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
> ***********
> Contact via the Breakfast Room

[amanda]

i'm new at all of this gardening stuff. but we have a small pond in our
front yard and it seems like everytime we get some rain the frogs
comeout and long story short we all are unable to sleep at nite cause
of all the noise. Do you know of anything that could hlep keep them
away so that we can sleep. I know of several things to do for
mosquetoes but i dont have a clue when it comes to frogs.

amanda

Pete Thomas wrote:
> Hi all, I'm new to this group.
>
> I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
> frogspawn, the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are
> growing legs. My previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same
> locality (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and
> newts breeding successfully.
>
> This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
> feet across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater
> from a butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
> condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
>
> My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
> before I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly
> every day and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting
> legs gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
>
> I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
> that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?
>
> --
> Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
> ***********
> On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
> Saxophone Instruction DVD.
> Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
> ***********
> Contact via the Breakfast Room

[Pete Thomas]

amanda wrote:
> i'm new at all of this gardening stuff. but we have a small pond in our
> front yard and it seems like everytime we get some rain the frogs
> comeout and long story short we all are unable to sleep at nite cause
> of all the noise. Do you know of anything that could hlep keep them
> away so that we can sleep. I know of several things to do for
> mosquetoes but i dont have a clue when it comes to frogs.
>
> amanda
>
> Pete Thomas wrote:
>> Hi all, I'm new to this group.
>>
>> I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
>> frogspawn, the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are
>> growing legs. My previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same
>> locality (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and
>> newts breeding successfully.
>>
>> This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
>> feet across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater
>> from a butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
>> condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
>>
>> My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
>> before I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly
>> every day and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting
>> legs gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
>>
>> I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
>> that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?

I can understand the confusion, but actually this thread is about trying
to get frogs, not get rid of them.

--
Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
***********
On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
Saxophone Instruction DVD.
Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
***********
Contact via the Breakfast Room

[si]

On Fri, 9 Jun 2006 10:13:26 +0100, "Dribbler"
> wrote:

>
>"Jeanne" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> I added a string of eggs, which hatched to tadpoles, which grew legs, the
>> frogs hopped out and sat on the bank, and every one was soon picked off by
>> jays... Watch out for jays....
>
>That is horrible for you Jeanne. How awful to watch them get to that stage
>only to be picked off.
>In the UK we don't have Blue Jays but during my time spent living in the
>USA, along with humming birds they were my favourite to watch with all their
>antics.
>I don't think we have any birds here who would threaten the frogs, unless
>anyone knows different?
>
>Dribbler
>
We get Jays here in the south of England, but our pond is surrounded
by plenty of cover and they don't seem make much impact.

What a life for a small frog! You finally lose your tail, crawl out of
your pond, full of hope with a whole world to explore...

Then Splat!

[Cally]

wrote:

> > >
> > > Pete Thomas wrote:
> > >> Hi all, I'm new to this group.
> > >>
> > >> I recently moved and started a wildlife pond. I "borrowed" some
> > >> frogspawn, the tadpoles hatched but it looks like none of them are
> > >> growing legs. My previous wildlife pond just down the road in the same
> > >> locality (Southampton UK) had plenty of tadpoles turning into frogs and
> > >> newts breeding successfully.
> > >>
> > >> This pond is new. I dug it in October last year, about 3ft deep and 6
> > >> feet across (100 gallons or so). I filled it with about half rainwater
> > >> from a butt and half tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to
> > >> condition before adding the spawn in Feb.
> > >>
> > >> My wife thinks they may be just turning into frogs and sneaking off
> > >> before I see them, but I find this unlikely as I check the pond nearly
> > >> every day and in the past I've always seen the little fellows getting
> > >> legs gradually - it takes a few weeks so I'd see them.
> > >>
> > >> I heard somewhere that there is something (or maybe lack of something)
> > >> that can cause tadpoles to not mature, can anyone help?
> >
> > I can understand the confusion, but actually this thread is about trying
> > to get frogs, not get rid of them.
>
> WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO GET RID OF THEM!!! - FOOLS
> >
> I am having the same problem my pond, which is now 3 years old, had
> more frogs spawning than ever before this spring, and they were at it
> for weeks, yet my tadpoles are not developing any legs - none - not
> even thinking about it - I have had a chat with them (the tadpoles)
> about it but it hasn't made any difference!!
> Now my mum who lives 5 miles away her tadpoles are already growing into
> little frogletts and some of them are already leaving home.
>
> My pond has been build solely for - frogs, toads and newts - it
> does not have any fish in it. It has sun and shade, plants and looking
> at last years calendar the tads had legs this time last year - what
> could have happened?
>
> Why are my tadpoles legless??
>
> Does anyone have any advice?? Please - Thanks

[sandra2]

Hi
I've been looking at the replies here, but no one seems to know the
answer(including me).
I have the same problem. I've had my pond for four years plenty of frog
spawn but no frogs. I still have tadpoles in there from months ago. My
son says they are retarded and fit in well with the rest of the family.
I talk to them regularly and give encouragement but they seem happy as
they are, just chilling as they say. Is there any real reason for this
apart from just being lazy.
Sandra

[Lar]

In article . com>,
says...
:) My pond has been build solely for - frogs, toads and newts - it
:) does not have any fish in it. It has sun and shade, plants and looking
:) at last years calendar the tads had legs this time last year - what
:) could have happened?
:)
:)
I've seen a couple of articles mentioning the lack of predation and no
stress, such as when the water source is drying up, will keep them in
the tadpole stage longer....sounds like a happy tadpole is a legless
tadpole.
--
Lar

It is said that the early bird gets the worm,
but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

[sean mckinney]

Going by what I have seen in my wildlife pond some UK frog tadpoles over
winter as tadpoles and "morph" the following spring. I assume this gives
them a head start on some of next years crop.




--
sean mckinney

[Pete Thomas]

sandra2 wrote:
> Ok Sean, but why don't I see little frogs in the spring then? I never
> get to see little frogs, watch them grow into adulthood, go to school,
> get married, have tadpoles of their own. Am I going mad ha ha he he.
> Sandra
>
Well a possibly foolprtoof way is to bring some spawn indoors into a tank.

Feed them (small bits of lettuce, raw meat or raw fish, but not too much
or the tank gets rancid). They must have some land in the tank and be
transferred to the garden pond the minute they are technically frogs (as
soon as the front legs are there and the tail begins to disappear). This
last stage can be very quick and if they escape into the house they will
die a horrible death drying up or being played with by the cat.

Due to the warmth of the house as opposed to the garden, they will turn
into frogs much more quickly this way so stand a good chance of building
up in size before the winter.

--
Pete Thomas - www.petethomas.co.uk
***********
On-line saxophone exercises, composition and jazz theory courses,
Saxophone Instruction DVD.
Discussion forum, free stuff and discounts - www.breakfastroom.co.uk
***********
Contact via the Breakfast Room

[Jeanne]

I collected a long string of eggs once and put them in my pond. But I
didn't realize they were toad tadpoles eggs. All hatched out fine, grew
legs, sat for a day on the lily pads and disappeared. I blamed the jays but
could be that toads don't stay in water areas but head for the woods.....


"amanda" > wrote in message

[mathewwjohn]

This pond is new. I dug it in October endure year, about 3ft abysmal and 6 feet beyond (100 gallons or so). I abounding it with about bisected rainwater from a base and bisected tapwater with conditioner which had a few months to condition afore abacus the spawn in Feb.

[yanfeng]

This is good .