Leopard Frog Help

[Wogsmom]

Hi, I am a little frustrated by all the conflicting info you find on the Internet about Leopard Frogs. We got our Leopard Frog as a tiny little speck in a tube of water through the mail. The second I saw that little guy I fell in love. Our Leopard Frog was born on Oct 31. He or she, is now 11 weeks old. I have had him or her in a ten-gallon tank with a large floating piece of land in the tank. I have put fresh Frill plants in him or hers tank once a week since day one. I have also only purchased dechlorinated water from the pet store. (I have killed a few fish before dechlorinating my own water -not taking any chances) Our frog, affectionately called "Wog" has huge back legs now and tiny little just developed front legs. The tail is still about 1 inch long. My first question is when will he start eating again? Should I offer live food this early? He stopped eating bloodworms about 1.5 weeks ago and I am a having a hard time with my Wog/frog not eating. I have the water about 2 inches deep and change 50% once per week. My next q’s is some websites say use a 10-gallon, some say 20 for one frog. Which is right? The other q’s is when he is a full frog and is breathing (he peeks out once in a while now) how deep and wide should his water side be? Should it be foot to head with no straining? I have seen drowning pics on the Internet and now don’t know what to do. Some websites say just enough to submerge and some say six inches deep. I don’t get why they offer info so conflicting. There is so much conflicting info and the pet store where we leave doesn’t know anything about my frog. How big should the water side be? I love this silly little frog so much and want to know that I did all that it needed. I can’t find any books specifically about Leopard Frogs. Don’t understand that. Any help and or contact with an owner that has experience would be great. Signing off, Wogsmom

[John]

- Tadpoles from the genus Rana generally don't eat a lot of animal matter. I would add a rabbit pellet or two to his tank and he should eat those.
- Tadpoles stop eating when they start to absorb their tail. A few days after metamorphosis (complete or near complete absorption of the tail) they will start eating tiny foods.
- Metamorphosing tadpoles are incredibly prone to drowning. I would remove him to a small tupperware container with a little island in water that is just barely deep enough to cover him - that way he can touch the bottom and breathe at the same time, or come out onto the island.
- Leopard frogs are more aquatic than many of the members of the Rana genus but frankly they are not an aquatic frog, and certainly not for the first 6 months or so post-metamorphosis.
- Leopards are known as big jumpers and they don't really make great pets because of their space requirements. The reason that mail order companies sell them is that they are incredibly common and used somewhat in science.
- Regarding an enclosure for the frog, when it is relatively small it won't be very aquatic (or not at all), so a completely terrestrial aquarium with no water is in order. It doesn't have to be very big (a 40 liter / 10 gallon would do for a metamorph) but as the frog gets bigger its space needs will grow dramatically.
- I wouldn't consider keeping a jumping frog like an adult Leopard in an enclosure any smaller than 45 cm wide by 120 cm long (18x~48 inches), and personally, I wouldn't keep one at all since they require so much space.
- The size of the water area for a large sub-adult or adult isn't important as long as there is one, so the size is up to you.

I hope I've been helpful.

[Kurt]

[quote=John;393- Regarding an enclosure for the frog, when it is relatively small it won't be very aquatic (or not at all), so a completely terrestrial aquarium with no water is in order. quote]

I just want to clarify one thing. I don't think John meant no water at all. A small water bowl should be provided as amphibians are prone to dessication. To pprevent accidental drowning the bowl shouldn't be too deep.

[Wogsmom]

That does help. As far as what these companies do with selling these little guys, I am where I am now. He or she might be a lot of work, but darned if I am not in love with that little guy.

I will drop a rabbit pellet in there to see if is interested. So to clarify. Now that he has his front legs and back legs, I should have the water much lower than I have now. I should lower the water to just barely cover him.

[John]

Wogsmom - you are exactly right in your last sentence.

Kurt - yes, you are correct. I overlooked that.

[Wogsmom]

Well, we moved him into a 20 gallon on Monday. He has a nice rock soaking tub about 3 inches deep (only have it filled with water about 1.5 inches) with rock stairs leading out. I used the block dirt bedding that you soak for 30 minutes as it soaks up the water. It made a nice dirt bed. I did the bed about 2 inches deep across the bottom and then place round larger pebbles (as big as his head) all around the tub. I placed him in the tub with room temp dechlorinated/ oxygenated water with a scooper (didn't touch him). He seemed so happy. He sat there for about 10 minutes and then OUT on the land. He loves the dirt. He spends most of his time around the edge of the water or back in the moist dirt. I am having a blast with the little guy. We bought baby crickets and gave him his first one today. You are right, even at 12 weeks that little guy can already jump. Gonna have to get a special hood. Thank you for your help. I am sure he will be just fine. I have to say he is very funny. He seems to sleep so deeply and then all of a sudden he does a lap with no rhime or reason. Too much fun.

[Kurt]

Kurt - yes, you are correct. I overlooked that.

I kind of thought that was the case. I figured we were dealing with a newbie, so things have to be really clear for her. Nothing can be left to be misinterpreted.