As a child I remember our pets were often not the norm. We would go to the town park where their was a big pond and collect gallon canning jars full of tadpoles, bringing them home to keep as pets, watching them turn from tadpoles into frogs.
There were kept in the cellar and fed fish food until after their legs developed, then were put in a large glass container that allow a place with land and water. It was always quite interesting watching as the back legs developed before the front legs and then as they grew into adult bullfrogs. I must say that our parent's were not really happy with our collection of tadpoles, and usually most of them were returned to the pond, allowing us to keep only a few. And even a few can become quite nerve-racking when the crocking starts.
It always seemed that we were happy to give most of them up because it is hard to keep up with supplying enough food for a few bullfrogs. In the wild bullfrogs eat anything they can catch. This includes birds and mice, snakes and small fish, and crayfish. We fed them earthworms and crickets, and grasshoppers. As they grew larger we were instructed to return them to the wild so they could mate and lay masses of eggs, and live happily ever after. Besides being kept awake all night was not something our parents enjoyed. If you have never heard the crocking of a bullfrog your in for a real treat by following this link.
I have also kept tadpoles when I was a kid. They are cute little creatures. I got them from a pond where wild frogs laid eggs. No idea what species they were since I am not an expert on frogs.
I caught them with a fish net and raised them in a large glass jar. Most of them did not survive but one made it to 4 legs and I raised it.
We always fed ours goldfish food. They seemed to thrive on it as ours lived and grew legs, and got to the hopping and leaping stage.
I had a friend in Florida, whose family enjoyed eating frog legs. They would go out at night with nets to catch them. He kept a few as full grown bullfrogs pets and they ate anything he put in front of them including cooked spahetti. In Florida, the supply of food items is endless and always available. In Pennsylvania, not so much, so we fed them nightcrawlers and crickets, and other bugs like house flies, until the weather warmed up and grasshoppers were out and about.
That is one ofthe main reasons our parents only allowed us to keep them for a limited amount of time, the other was because lots of tadpoles in glass jars stink after a few days.
Ah, feed fish food to tadpoles. Why didn't I think of that? It is a good idea. Thanks for enlighten me.
I did not have any fish at the time I had those tadpoles many years ago. Now I do. I have plenty of fish food at home. At the time I fed them cooked millet. I didn't think it was a good idea but I didn't know what else to feed them. No wonder most of them died.
I know it should be easier to feed the adult frogs. Everyone and their moms know frogs eat insects. Get those live feeder insects from any pet store should be good enough for the frogs.
That is a good idea Ram, getting the food from a pet shop or bait shop for fishermen. As I mentioned earlier they will eat anything, but to keep them healthy it would be better to feed them natural foods like various insects and worms. I guess from what I have read they would eat baby mice too, but being a girl, I don't think personally I could stand watching it gulp down a baby mouse. But with the insects you could give them a mixed diet that would keep any bullfrog happy. Speaking of such in Florida, there are so many different types of frogs. The tiny green tree frogs make good pets as they are friendly. In the reptile pet shops they have tiny exotic poisenous frogs in many different colors, why someone would want those as a pet, I don't know as they are dangerous to have around.
I thought I would mention the different types of frogs in Florida, native and a few exotic. Maybe those of you that read this could add on the types of frogs found in your State or country.
Florida has 27 species of native frogs and some toads. Just naming a few of them.
NATIVE:
1. Barking tree frog
2. Squirral tree frog
3. Pine woods tree frog
4. Little grass frog
5. Eastern narrow mouth frog
6. Spring peeper (redish colored) frog
7. Southern cricket frog
8. Bronze frog
9. Pig frog
10. Bull frog
11. Southern leopard frog
12. Gopher frog
13. Green frog
14. Southern toad
15. Oak toad
EXOTIC:
1. Cuban tree frog
2. Bufo marinus giant toad
If you are aware of the native and non-native frogs and toads, in your area. Please add to this list. Frogs and toads can make interesting pets for children.
