Brhino and Daughter's Frog Adventure

**WaMiss** · 11-15-2011, 04:31 PM

Holy Crap! They are poopin machines!
What is their timeline for developing legs?

**Brhino** · 11-15-2011, 04:36 PM

it's supposed to be 12-16 weeks to transform completely from tadpoles into frogs. Back legs, then front legs, then tail goes away. I have no idea how long it's supposed to be before I can first start seeing back leg growth.

**Brhino** · 11-23-2011, 02:21 AM

Tadpoles have been with us for three weeks now.

Their bodies seem to be a bit less round and a bit more elongated. No sign of legs.

**ldoerr** · 11-23-2011, 02:26 AM

And of course more poop

Yuck!!

**Brhino** · 11-30-2011, 12:26 AM

four weeks. They continue to get longer and skinnier.

They're really calm. I was trying to move some of the fake and real plants around so I could get better shots and they didn't care, they just stayed where they were even as I turned them around and shot them with the camera flash.

**Trillianne** · 11-30-2011, 12:55 AM

I saw your post update and was hoping for legs! I'm getting kinda antsy for some progress! (and they don't even live at my house!)

**genocidex** · 11-30-2011, 02:32 AM

they are looking more and more like frogs i cant wait either XD

**Brhino** · 12-06-2011, 09:51 PM

I'll post another weekly picture update in a day or two (spoiler: still no legs). In the mean time, I've been planning out their permanent home in a 29 gallon aquarium, and I wanted to share my ideas for the design with you folks.

The first thing I plan to do is build an "box" into the front of the tank with 3 pieces of acrylic. This box will be open at the top, and be 18" long, 6" deep, and 6" high. This will be the water portion of the environment, and it should hold slightly under 2 gallons of water. That's not much for aquatic creatures but from what I'm reading it should be more than enough for air-breathing amphibians. It will not be filtered... I'll do weekly 100% water changes.

Above the water line I'll install cork bark panels on the sides and back of the glass. This is a recommended background for amphibian enclosures that allows for climbing (not that leopard frogs are climbers), plant growth, and it's just really natural looking. Unfortunately it seems to be pretty expensive.

The bottom of the tank will be covered with large gravel. In the water area this is simply to give a more natural look than a bare bottom does. It has to be large to prevent the frogs from swallowing it. In the land area this is to allow the soil to drain. Speaking of soil, this will be be coconut husk. It's another material that's recommended for amphibians, and I'm fairly familiar with it because my wife uses it with her spider. Apparently leopard frogs like to dig burrows, so a thick layer of soil is desired.

Lastly, I can add live plants, but aquatic and terrestrial. The aquatic plants can come straight from my planted tank. I'll have to do more research on appropriate terrestrial plants. I've got a spare fixture with plant-friendly bulbs in it, so I should be all set there.

So... that's the essence of the design. I'll probably get started on it soon so it'll be ready when the frogs finish their metamorphosis. I need to figure out when exactly they start breathing with lungs instead of gills, and when they should transition from their tadpole pellets to live food.

**skullduggery1** · 12-06-2011, 10:13 PM

Looking good,for terrestrial plants try pothos(devils ivy)or nephlium.(african arrow plant)Both can have themselves submerged partially and are super low light.A bunch of public zoo's and aquariums that I have been to,use them.There is a webpage called lizard landscapes,that will give you some more inspiration,for backgrounds and such.