Frogs are one of the most diverse types of animals, with thousands of species living from deserts to underwater.Kids can enjoy catching tadpoles from a nearby creek and raising them until they turn into Frogs.Some frog owners like to watch their exotic pet live for 20 years or more.Because of national or regional laws limiting frog ownership, research frog species to find out which one is right for you before buying or capturing a pet.
Step 1: There are laws about raising tadpoles in your area.
Many countries and regions require people to apply for an amphibian license before they can raise tadpoles.Some species are not allowed to be raised under any circumstances.You can find information about national and regional laws in your area by searching online or by contacting a department of natural resources.Australia has strict laws about raising frogs.You can find a summary of each state's laws here.If you are buying tadpoles from a pet store, you could ask the employees about the laws in your area.
Step 2: Look for a plastic or glass container.
The larger the water surface, the more oxygen there is in the air.You can purchase a plastic "critter tank" at a pet store, or use any clean plastic or styrofoam container.Do not use containers made of metal or tap water that comes from copper pipes.To avoid overcrowding your tadpoles, try to find a large container.If you are raising a lot of them, use a kiddie pool.Frog eggs can die if they are kept in a small container.
Step 3: The container should be filled with pond water, rain or dechlorinated tap water.
Tadpoles can die if placed in tap water that has not been treated to remove chlorine and other chemicals.If you can, use water from a pond where tadpoles are swimming.If this isn't possible, leave the container of tap water in the sun for a few days to break down the chlorine, or purchase dechlorination tablets at a pet store.If the area suffers from acid rain, don't use the water.If your tap water contains fluoride, you may need additional filters to remove it before it's safe for tadpoles.
Step 4: Sand can be added.
Some tadpoles will thrive in a container with a small amount of clean sand at the bottom.You can gather sand from a river bank or use small, non-sharp aquarium gravel.There are harmful levels of salts or other substances in sand collected from beaches or quarries.To remove these substances, fill small containers halfway with the sand and then with water.If you want to get rid of the water, sit for 24 hours, drain it, and repeat with fresh water at least six times.
Step 5: There is a way to climb out of the water if you add rocks and plants.
tadpoles need a way to leave the water once they become a frog, as they may no longer be able to stay underwater indefinitely.Rocks above the water surface are a good choice.More oxygen and a place for tadpoles to hide, but not more than 25% of the water surface, is provided by aquatic plants gathered from a pond or pet store.Some species of frog will only look for land at the edge of the water, so place the rocks near the tank.Plants that have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals should not be used.
Step 6: The temperature should be kept constant.
Tadpoles can die if moved to a container with a higher water temperature than the water they came from.If you're buying tadpoles or eggs from a pet store, ask what temperature you should keep the water at.If you're collecting them from a body of water, you should use a Thermometer to measure the water's temperature.Try to get your water temperature as close to this as possible.If you can't get an expert to identify your species and offer more precise advice, try to keep your water at a cooler temperature.You should be prepared to move the container indoors if there is a frost.If the weather gets too hot, keep the water in partial shade.
Step 7: Consider an aquarium aerator.
If your container is wide and there are aquatic plants in the sand, but not covering the surface, it likely gains enough oxygen from the air, and an additional aerator could cause the tadpoles to bloat.If you only raise a few tadpoles, they will get enough oxygen even if the conditions are not ideal.If you have a lot of tadpoles in your tank and the conditions don't match, you may want to add an aquarium aerator.
Step 8: Acquire tadpoles or frog eggs.
You can collect tadpoles or frog eggs from a local pond or stream.If you want to release the tadpoles into the wild, purchase them from a pet store.It is recommended that you only raise local species for your first attempt because Frogs can survive many years and require a lot of care.Place the tadpoles in a container filled with water and use a soft net or bucket to scoop them up.Tadpoles cannot breathe in air if they are bumped or scratched.Each inch of tadpole requires 1 gallon of water.Most tadpoles will grow larger before they become Frogs.If the tank is too crowded it can lead to disease or insufficient oxygen.
Step 9: When the water temperatures are equal, add the eggs or tadpoles to the new container.
If your water temperature is different than the water you got from, place the container of tadpoles in their old water inside the new container and keep the two bodies of water separate.Release the tadpoles into the larger container when the temperatures of the two bodies of water equalize.
Step 10: Feed tadpoles small amounts of greens.
Tadpoles thrive best on a diet of soft plant matter, which should be given to them in small quantities whenever they run out of food.The leaves can be collected and fed to the tadpoles.If you want to freeze baby spinach, dark green lettuce, or papaya leaves, rinse them thoroughly and chop them into small pieces.You can feed them small pieces of peas that have been soaked inluke-warm water and placed on the surface of the water.Before feeding the tadpoles any other type of plant, check with a pet store employee or online.If the fish food is mostly spirulina or other vegetable matter, it can be used.If you want to feed a pinch a day, crush large flakes into tiny pieces.
Step 11: Feed the tadpoles.
tadpoles can't handle large amounts of animal nutrition, so they should be given a small amount occasionally.To make sure the tadpoles are able to eat the supplements, use frozen food intended for fish fry, such as frozen bloodworms or daphnia.You can give these to the tadpoles once a week.You can feed them more insects once they become a frog, but they may not eat for a while.Wherever live fish is sold, fish fry food is available.
Step 12: The water needs to be cleaned regularly.
When the water becomes cloudy or smelly, or when the tadpoles stay clustered near the top of the tank, it's time to change it.If the tadpoles need to be treated with dechlorination tablets, make sure to use the same type of water.The temperature change could kill the tadpoles, so leave the new water out until the temperature is the same as the existing water.The old water should be replaced with the new water at a time.If you don't feed the tadpoles large amounts of food at once, the water will stay cleaner.Within 12 hours, each serving of food should be replaced.If you're sure that the tadpoles are too weak to be dragged in or forced to swim against the current, don't use aquarium water filters.Sponge filters can be used.
Step 13: Provide calcium.
Tadpoles may not be able to get enough calcium from their diet.Pet stores sometimes sell cuttlebone for this purpose, which should be thoroughly washed before being placed in a container.If you want to use a liquid calcium supplement for aquariums, add one or drops for every quart of water whenever you change the water.For a small tank, the cuttlebone piece should be about 10 cm long.
Step 14: Prepare for change.
The tadpoles can become frog within a couple weeks or several months depending on the species.The froglets should try to exit the water once they develop legs.As soon as you start to see changes in your tadpoles, make sure you have a plan in place, as most frog cannot breathe underwater indefinitely, so you need a rock or other non-metal platform at the edge of the tank to climb onto and reach the air.You may need to lift them out with a soft net once their tails are gone, because a few species will fail to climb out on their own.Attach a secure lid to your tank.If it doesn'tlatch shut, weigh it down with heavy objects.
Step 15: You should know how to release the frog.
If you caught your tadpoles in a body of water, you can release them in an area of damp vegetation.If you can't release them immediately, keep them in a plastic tank with a cover of leaf litter and bark pieces large enough to hide under.Provide a shallow water dish for the frog to sit in, and spray the tank's sides with water once a day.If you need to care for the frog for more than a day before releasing them, continue on to the next section.
Step 16: You should find out the needs of your frog species.
Before you buy a new pet, make sure you know the needs of your frog species.If you are a beginner, you may want to start with a non-poisonous species.Many frog species don't like to be handled or remain still for long periods of time, which may make them less interesting for children.If you change your mind about raising it, you can legally release it back into the wild.Some national or regional governments may require a license for the raising of animals.There are laws that apply to your region.
Step 17: Do you know if your frog lives on land or water?
Many frog species need access to both land and water in order to thrive, which may require a special two-part aquarium tank that allows it to move between the two.Others only need a shallow water dish to sit in, while others can breathe underwater in an adult form.Before setting up a tank, make sure you know your frog's needs.If you collected your frog in the wild, you should get a Biologist from the nearest department of natural resources to identify the species.
Step 18: There is a clear plastic pet tank.
Most frog species prefer glass aquarium tanks.Some frog species require an ultraviolet light which could damage the plastic over a long period of time, so be aware that clear plastic tanks will work as well.The tank needs to be waterproof and escape-proof, but also has plenty of air holes and mesh for air movement.The metal mesh could cause harm to the frog.Pick a large, tall tank with room for place branches and climbing structures.
Step 19: The temperature and humidity of the tank should be maintained.
Whether or not you need a humidifier for your tank depends on your frog species and local climate, so seek expert advice or look online for more information about your species' temperature requirements.Purchase a hygrometer to measure the humidity so you can spray the sides with water if it drops too low.The most effective way to keep the tank warm is to heat the water with an aquarium heater.
Step 20: Natural material should be used to cover the bottom of the tank.
The frog needs a base to walk on.The exact way you should do this depends on the species.A pet store employee or experienced frog owner can recommend sand, gravel, peat, moss, or a mixture of these.A thicker layer is needed to dig into a burrowing species.
Step 21: If necessary, provide an ultraviolet light.
The ultraviolet light is needed for 6 hours a day.Ask a pet shop employee about which UV light to use if you want to find out if this is necessary.Some of the types may give your tank the wrong wavelength of light.The heat produced by fluorescent lights dries out the frog's skin more quickly than incandescent bulbs.
Step 22: Change the water frequently.
Provide a large dish of water large enough for the frog to sit in it.If the frog species requires a two-part tank or a fully aquatic tank, treat it like an aquarium tank.Replacing 30– 50% of the water with clean water at the same temperature whenever it gets cloudy or bad-smelling is part of this.Depending on how crowded the tank is, change once every 1–3 weeks.If necessary, tap water can be treated with dechlorination tablets to make it safe for use by the frog.If your plumbing has copper pipes, you shouldn't use tap water.Warm the new cold water to the correct temperature in a saucepan if your tank is kept warm.Do not use hot tap water.
Step 23: If needed, add plants or branches.
Frogs enjoy hiding in the underwater aquarium plants which help clean and oxygenate the water.Most frog species enjoy hiding large, upside down bark segments, which is why they need natural or artificial climbing branches.
Step 24: There is a choice of live food.
Frogs eat live insects in the wild, and sticking to a diet of varied insects is usually a good choice.Frogs are not picky about what they eat if they are used to a particular diet already.It is always a good idea to check what your species requires, and to provide it with food that is appropriate to the size of its mouth.If the frog's organs are from a large species that has adapted to live on this type ofprotein, they can be strained.Frogs can be killed by large ants, so don't feed them.You could try to feed a frog individual dead insects by holding them near its mouth with a pair of tweezers.
Step 25: The food should be coated in calcium and vitamins.
Frogs need a source of calcium, vitamins, or both, since they can't get enough from insects alone.Amphibian vitamins and supplements are available in powdered form.The best supplement to use depends on the frog's diet and characteristics.If crickets are the frog's main food, use separate calcium supplement and vitamin supplement, not past the expiration date, and avoid high-phosphorus supplements.It is possible to place the insects and a small amount of the powder in a container and shake it around to coat them.
Step 26: Feeding times are determined by age and climate.
If you don't have specific instructions that match your species, you may follow these guidelines.Young Frogs don't eat immediately after emerging from the water, but will soon start to eat and have food available to them.Frogs are usually fed once every three or four days.Frogs don't require as much food during cooler weather.You can remove dead insects from the water.
Step 27: Know how to handle a frog.
Frogs don't like being touched, and can be damaged by contact with your skin.If your frog is a species that is safe to handle and does not urinate when you pick it up, you may handle it carefully.Do you know if your species is safe to handle?Even if gloves are not required, wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling, rinsing two or more times to remove any traces of soap or lotion.