baby frogs dying

LFC · #1 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 10:05 AM

Hi,
Need your help, i bought a habitat for my son for tadpoles. Everthing was ok until they they started to come out of the water, then the next day they are lying on the bottom of the habitat on there backs dead. not sure what has gone wrong?

LFC

Deb London · #2 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 10:08 AM

Can you post a picture of the habitat?

LFC · #3 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 10:17 AM

sorry i cant, if you go to john lewis website and put ib habitat you will see it

Kayleigh · #4 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 10:44 AM

Is there any food in there with them..
what is the habitat made of (plastic) could they be sticking to it as they leave the water can you put the living ones out in the garden.
Is there a light in with them or are they in full sun is the habitat floor getting too hot and dehydrating (cooking )them this sounds like what is happening..

Kayleigh · #5 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 11:05 AM

Are the tadpoles from the UK..as it said there is a coupon for sending off for tadpoles did you send off for them or did you get them from a UK pond..
Don't let them go free if they are not native to the UK and you are in the UK.
There are big problems in the wild with bull frogs that are not supposed to be here.

LFC · #6 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 11:14 AM

i put in fresh water from locol pond every week, the habitat is made of plastic but it is not in direct sunlight. i put it on the window ledge at night then move it away in the morning. with regards to food i wash putting in garden and blood worms. as they just stared to come out of water i was going to put slugs, spiders etc.... but it was to late . dont know if it could be no food / heat because i have had them for about a month and everthing was ok.
the tadpoles are from the uk.

dampflippers · #7 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 12:00 PM

Buy Bug & Frog Habitat online at JohnLewis.com
Is this it?

If they are exotic frogs, do not put them into the wild- it is illegal.

If they are common frogs, they would be better released into your garden now rather than kept captive.
I would put the habitat in the garden in the shade in some long grass. Take the lid off, and make sure there is a ramp- possibly damp moss or similar. Then the baby frogs will be able to fin their own food.
They will then live on land for 2 or 3 years before returning to the pond to breed. The males may return to the pond sooner than this, but they will primarily hunt on land at nigh- so blood worms an other aquatic food are unsuitable.
Hope this helps.

Kayleigh · #8 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 03:48 PM

You could do as DF said but lie the habitat on its side and let them get out this way they wouldn't have to clime out of the top then.
I have no idea why they all died but the same thing happens when they leave the pond if there is concrete round the edge and they dry out..

GCN lova · #9 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 05:24 PM

i used this habitat to look after common toad tads on my windowsill but the dawn sun was too much for them

dampflippers · #10 (**permalink**) 24-05-2011, 05:41 PM

GCNlova- I discovered that the hard way when my son first had some tadpoles.
They really can't take ANY sun or central heating at all. If indoors they should be in a cool room in the shade, or outside in the shade. A small volume of water can get too hot really easily and then it will lose its oxygen, and the tads will die.

I forgot to say common frog's latin name is Rana temporaria. If it is any other frog it must not be let free in a pond- even a garden pond where it could escape into the wild.