Tadpole question

I have a small plastic pond in which a frog laid a zillion eggs. Up
until a day or so ago, I had a zillion tadpoles, all of whom happily
snacked on the algae. I noticed a week or so ago their back legs had
sprouted (or whatever you call it when back legs suddenly appear). Two
days ago there was nary a tadpole in the pond. They were the size of
large peppercorns. Could they have left the pond or did something kill
them all off? I really miss them. I'd go look at them every day. :^(

Peg in Charlottesville, Va

Peg wrote Could they have left the pond or did something kill
them all off?

Usually they have their back legs a while before they get their front legs.
After their front legs appear it takes about two days to absorb their tail and
they take off.

Predators for tadpoles are birds, snakes, bullfrogs, some insect larvae. (No
fish in the pond I'm assuming.) A predator may have visited their little pond
if you didn't see any front leg development.

They sound like toad tadpoles and they do change rapidly.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html

They may have had front legs. The back legs were not much bigger than eyelashes,
so they could have been hard to see. I imagined them being larger before they
left.
I kind of thought they'd hang out around the pond a bit, too, but its been raining
for a week and I know the frogs move about more when it is raining.
I hope they're ok. They sure were cute.
-Peg

K30a wrote:

Peg wrote Could they have left the pond or did something kill
them all off?

Usually they have their back legs a while before they get their front legs.
After their front legs appear it takes about two days to absorb their tail and
they take off.

Predators for tadpoles are birds, snakes, bullfrogs, some insect larvae. (No
fish in the pond I'm assuming.) A predator may have visited their little pond
if you didn't see any front leg development.

They sound like toad tadpoles and they do change rapidly.

k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html

Hi Peg,

Were they pitch black in colour? If so then they were toads and they leave to
be landlubbers for the year. Treefrogs head for the trees, others like to be
close to water but don't live in it all that much.
Bullfrogs and greenfrogs are the most aquatic of the frogs but much bigger as
tadpoles so we know they weren't those.

I have a big jar full of treefrog tadpoles and anacharis on my kitchen table.
All the teenagers that cycle through my house always have to check the jar to
see who has legs or arms.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html

Peggy wrote Yes they were black! They looked like peppercorns with tails.

Adorable little toadlets then :-)
Your garden will probably be cleaned of
bugs, slugs and other creepy crawlies.
You can buy one of those overpriced, but
adorable, toad houses. (I got one from my
SIL for Christmas.) Or knock a chip out
of a terra cotta pond and set up those as
toad houses.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html

K30a wrote:
Peggy wrote Yes they were black! They looked like peppercorns with tails.

Adorable little toadlets then :-)
Your garden will probably be cleaned of
bugs, slugs and other creepy crawlies.
You can buy one of those overpriced, but
adorable, toad houses. (I got one from my
SIL for Christmas.) Or knock a chip out
of a terra cotta pond and set up those as
toad houses.


k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html


-I would but I cnt find a terra cotta pond -





John Rutz
Z5 New Mexico

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

see my pond at:

http://www.fuerjefe.com

Toads are cool. I have some in my vegetable garden I think are babies. When I
first saw him, he was about as big as a raisin. Now (if its the same toad) he is as
big as a mini-marshmalllow. (Hm.. all these food references - must be lunchtime!! )

-Peg
PS all of the tadpoles were named Roger. It was just easier that way.

K30a wrote:

Peggy wrote Yes they were black! They looked like peppercorns with tails.

Adorable little toadlets then :-)
Your garden will probably be cleaned of
bugs, slugs and other creepy crawlies.
You can buy one of those overpriced, but
adorable, toad houses. (I got one from my
SIL for Christmas.) Or knock a chip out
of a terra cotta pond and set up those as
toad houses.

k30a
and the watergardening labradors
http://www.geocities.com/watergarden...dors/home.html

"K30a" wrote in message
Adorable little toadlets then :-)
Your garden will probably be cleaned of
bugs, slugs and other creepy crawlies.
You can buy one of those overpriced, but
adorable, toad houses. (I got one from my
SIL for Christmas.) Or knock a chip out
of a terra cotta pond and set up those as
toad houses.

POT, not POND!!! Yikes! And a toad house is not necessary if you have an
A/C unit on a concrete pad -- here in NC, toads of all sizes seem quite
happy there! It's shady, it's cool, there's a bit of water nearby (from the
A/C water run-off), not to mention a day trip to the pool (water garden) or
the beach (sandy soil shaded by large deck)!

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC