Pregnant Frog/toad or bloat?

izzie · #1 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 09:32 PM

We have a few frogs and toads in the pond in the garden. We had a huge influx of tadpoles earlier in the year and moved most of them down the road to a conservation area.
To be honest we struggle to tell the difference between the toads and frogs as some of the frogs are large.. but tonight we spotted one with a very very large belly, swollen widthways but more towards the hind legs than the front.
I've done some internet research into Bloat which says the throat and possibly limbs also swell but we don't think there was any of that at all.

In this warm weather is it possible it could be pregnant again? I read of instances in 2005 where there was frog spawn appearing in November.

Anyone have any ideas.. or similar please?

Cazzie · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007, 10:28 PM

Was it fatter than this one? or a different shape?

Took this in my garden a couple of nights ago and tbh just thought it's well-fed!

Got no idea if they could still be pregnant at this time of year, but I've heard froggies calling recently in my next door neighbours pond

perhaps the weird weather has confused them?!?

Have you a pic of your froggie in question?

izzie · #3 (**permalink**) 09-09-2007, 08:45 PM

Hia-
no I think it was much fatter than this one. We tried to see him /her again tonight but he/she has a habit of sitting in the pump pipes (which some days means we can't turn the waterfall on) and that's where he/she seemed to be tonight.
So unfortunately we don't have a photo just yet. We'll keep trying. I read somewhere that the Bloating can be caused by untreated water.(we don't keep fish incidentally). We've never treated ours. Do you know if we should, and with what?

thanks for your help so far

izz

Dogghound · #4 (**permalink**) 09-09-2007, 08:53 PM

Several possible causes bloat like you say can affect the abdomen/stomach area, also frogs can get awful parasitic worms that would puff it up, unlikely its pregnant, possibly a tumor. However the most likely cause is a problem with its water balance, causing it to look bloated and swell up due to the exces fluid, which sounds similar to your frog, this problem usually settles on its own if the frog is left to its own devices.

Lez · #5 (**permalink**) 14-09-2007, 11:28 AM

My frogs are all looking very fat. If offered worms they will eat enthusiastically (wonderful to see that enormous pink tongue in action!) Can anyone tell me why i still have tadpoles in the pond - some legless and some with just back legs? Spawn was laid in March. I have also accidentally caught a newt when skimming off duckweed. The pond is very much a wildlife pond as the Heron kept taking my fish and i decided not to replace them

Dogghound · #6 (**permalink**) 14-09-2007, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lez

My frogs are all looking very fat. If offered worms they will eat enthusiastically (wonderful to see that enormous pink tongue in action!) Can anyone tell me why i still have tadpoles in the pond - some legless and some with just back legs? Spawn was laid in March. I have also accidentally caught a newt when skimming off duckweed. The pond is very much a wildlife pond as the Heron kept taking my fish and i decided not to replace them

Possibly gaining fat reserves for winter, regarding the tadpoles its been a common theme this year on here, there are plenty of potential reasons, like food availability & quality, oxygen availability, water quality, parental sexual fitness, weather/temp etc etc. Your tadpoles will probrably stay in the water over winter and may emerge early next year depending on these factors.

Lez · #7 (**permalink**) 14-09-2007, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Possibly gaining fat reserves for winter, regarding the tadpoles its been a common theme this year on here, there are plenty of potential reasons, like food availability & quality, oxygen availability, water quality, parental sexual fitness, weather/temp etc etc. Your tadpoles will probrably stay in the water over winter and may emerge early next year depending on these factors.

Thanks for that. It happened last year as well and the tadpoles did overwinter in the pond. I have fed them with crushed dry dog food. I do have quite a number of this year's froglets which have spread out into the garden.
For izzie- a good way of telling frogs from toads is to watch them moving. Frogs hop and Toads walk

Miniliz · #8 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 10:40 PM

Hi there, I found this thread after searching on google after seeing a frog in our pond that looked swollen / bloated.... did it look anything like this?

This one was in the pond yesterday, hardly moved all day. Not seen it today. Is it ill?

Za · #9 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 11:00 PM

Hi Miniliz, welcome to the forum, sorry I can`t be of any help, but it certainly looks unusual to me, hopefully one of the others can assist.
Za

Dogghound · #10 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miniliz

Hi there, I found this thread after searching on google after seeing a frog in our pond that looked swollen / bloated.... did it look anything like this?

This one was in the pond yesterday, hardly moved all day. Not seen it today. Is it ill?

The frog in the photo has dropsy this is caused by bacteria or poor water conditions that result in the frog having a metabolism disorder. Salty water is a good way of reducing it, other than that it can kill the frog im afraid, or make the frog easy prey.