Hobbies And Interests
Considerations
Frogs, tadpoles and frogspawn are protected by law in some areas, so check before you remove any from their natural habitat. When rearing frogs in captivity, must make sure they have the right conditions. Don't put frogs or tadpoles in tap water as it contains harmful chemicals. If you do use tap water, leave it in a bucket exposed to the air for five days before introducing eggs, tadpoles or frogs. Frogs and tadpoles may be attacked by fish such as goldfish; give them their own tank. Feed your tadpoles on small amounts of frozen and chopped lettuce. Frogs are carnivores and eat insects, worms and small pieces of raw meat.
Frogspawn
Frogspawn is the name given to the eggs laid by frogs. These eggs need shade and clean, shallow water. Frogspawn usually resembles masses of jelly-like substance, made up of lots of small round eggs. These eggs are transparent, and if you look closely you can often see the tadpoles developing inside. Over time, they go from being tiny black dots to fully formed tadpoles, then hatch.
Tadpoles
The tadpole is the larval stage of the frog. Usually black or brown, they have oval bodies with no legs and a flat tail. Tadpoles live their lives in the water; they aren't amphibious yet, and still have gill flaps. Tadpoles undergo a process called metamorphosis, meaning that their whole body changes from a small fish-like larva into a frog. They grow legs, and after a time they lose their tails and gills. Finally, they emerge from the water as baby frogs.
Frogs
The final form is the adult frog: a four-legged amphibious creature that can live in and out of the water. Frogs spend most of their time on land, although they do need to stay moist. Frogs eat worms and insects, catching the latter on their long tongues. Because of this, they can be a valuable addition to your garden, keeping the pests down. Frogs return each spring to the water where they were spawned, to mate and lay the eggs which will become the next batch of tadpoles.