Q&A for How to Raise Tadpoles

If water is too warm, it can be dangerous for tadpoles. Remember that tadpoles are cold-blooded, so the temperature of the tadpoles will adjust to whatever the temperature of the water is.

Yes, tadpoles will probably push and bump each other playfully to show affection.

It will probably happen unless you keep their hunger under control. Make sure that you feed them regularly!

Sand is much better, and yes, you need some substrate. The tadpoles will be less stressed and much more interesting to watch.

If your tadpoles have just hatched, then this is perfectly normal; their gills are developing and they will start moving soon. On the other hand, if your tadpoles are already developed, they might be dead. You can check if they are alive by taking a clean paintbrush and gently stroking their backs. If they move, they are alive, and if they don't, they are dead.

Frogs may be fed romaine lettuce or small insects.

The tadpole will usually turn into a frog after about seven weeks. That's pretty quick when you think about it.

The tadpole will most likely stop feeding when its legs fully develop and it absorbs its tail. You can feed it the same food as before, but don't be alarmed when it stops eating; it's natural.

Rain water would be the best, but you can also use the pond water you found the tadpoles in. This will provide the nutrients that they need. Do not use plain, unfiltered tap water, as this can kill the tadpoles.

It's possible that if the tadpoles are hungry enough, they will start eating each other. Otherwise, it's hard to tell when they are getting hungry. It's even unlikely you will notice if they are getting thinner, and it's difficult to assume that if their body shape changes they are hungry, as they are constantly growing and changing shapes due to metamorphosis. The best advice is to put in enough lettuce so that the lettuce isn't creating a mess. If you aren't careful, the tadpoles will die, in which case you could assume a possible cause was hunger.

Once every 2 weeks, or 3 weeks if you have live plants.

They will eventually get too big for the jar and will display aggressive, territorial behavior. They will become vicious and possibly cannibalistic. Transfer your tadpoles to a larger container as soon as you can.

If you plan on keeping them, then yes. They will get a lot bigger and require a lot more space. If you're only planning on holding them there for a short period of time, they should be fine, though there are no guarantees.

If you think the puddle is too shallow and will dry out, you can take them and put them in a 5 gallon tank or larger, depending on how many you rescue. Make sure there is plenty of algae for them to eat. They can also eat mosquito larvae.

They do not grow much in the winter, but if it is summer than you just have to be patient. They will eventually start growing. If they are not moving, then they might be dead. Gently stroke their backs with a paintbrush or a soft leaf. If they move they are alive. Just be patient.

Yes, tadpoles need declorinated water because the chlorine can kill the tadpoles.

Always keep him by the water with an easy way to get there, but you might want to put some rocks in his aquarium that stick out of the water, so he can also be on dry land.

Yes. As long as they are at least in the froglet stage of their life cycle, then you should be all good.

They can eat goldfish flakes. Also, some pet stores carry specialized tadpole food.

Yes, you can turn the pump on for a few seconds a day. This will imitate a pond current and also put more oxygen in the water. Don't leave it on all day, though; it might be too strong for your tadpoles to fight.

Yes, until metamorphosis. Then feed them 3 times a day, only a pinch of lettuce every feeding.

They must be Bullfrog tadpoles. Yes, they're fine, but if you want a tank to care for the swarm and toads for inside go for it.

If the frogspawn is in a chain, it's a toad but if the frogspawn is in clumps, it's a frog. For the type of toad or frog, you'll need to wait but maybe you can see the parent amphibians hanging around the area you took the spawn from?

If they come to the surface to breathe, it means they are short of oxygen in their water. You can remedy this by changing half their water every few days, especially when it's hot weather. Don't use tap water, which may have chlorine and fluoride. The cheapest alternative is bottled water from the supermarket.

Sometimes from deep puddles that aren't normally in full sun and have been there for a while in spring, or in any pooling body of water that has existed for a while and doesn't really have a current but has algae.

While it's not a guarantee, geese have been known to eat tadpoles, so it's a possibility.

You want to make a "ramp" with the mud so they can climb out of the water when they are lunged.

I would suggest logs, rocks, moss, and pieces of wood.

Release the frogs in a natural or manmade pond, stream, or lake. Do not put them in salt water or your pool.

They will only eat each other if you don't feed them, so you should be safe to keep them in one area for a night as long as they've been fed.