My new Xenopus Tads

[tgampper]

I also have 2 xenopus muelleri that were wild caught from s.africa and the physical characteristics are actually very different from laevis so you will definately be able to tell the difference - colouration, sensory 'wiskers', and adult sizes.

Really enjoying this thread ... keep up the good work :-)

Thanks for your input. I find it amazing that these frogs are so adaptable.

FYI: here are two drawings showing the subocular tentacles, muelleri on left, laevis on right.

[BugBoy99]

Wow! Where to begin. Thank you so much for all the information and input, this thread wouldn't be nearly as interesting without everyone else's contributions.

Interesting that you used a "red tea" as a treatment. Did you check the pH of the water to see if it was in proper range. I would think the tea would make the water more acidic. If this is the case, the water was out of tolerance.

Honestly, I barely ever check PH levels. Ph testing kits are very, very expensive around these parts. One small kit costs R150 which is not exactly within my price range. So, I go on feeling. If I think that I'm having Ph problems, I make sure to boil the water before I use it. As far as I know, Rooibos tea does not affect the water's PH too much, but it does increase the amount of tannins in the water, and has been proven to have fungicidal properties. I tried it on a small amount of tadpoles that I raised once before, and it doesn't seem to have any negative effects.

Oh, and the hybridization is becoming a very serious problem in the Western Cape. If residents there find a species of Xenopus in their garden ponds, pools, etc. they have to have them identified before they can move them. Otherwise, accidental introductions of X. laevis into the habitat of X. gilli would be more common.

Don't forget to keep good notes.

I'm afraid that I'm going to have to work on that before I can study at university. keeping the forum updated is my version of notes. That, and what I can remember.

they can actually travel quite some distance on land

Well, I can believe that now. Last week, when I was moving the frogs to clean water, one of the froglets jumped onto the ground. One wouldn't think that they'd be any good on land if one looks at them, but those frogs can really move!

Thank you for the pictures, I've never seen pictures that distinguish between the species this well.

Please feel free to ask if there are any questions. I find that it helps me to fully understand my methods, and the frogs' behavior sometimes.

Sincerely,
Joh

[BugBoy99]

I took the time today to count all the frogs and tadpoles. Out of an original 136 tadpoles, 112 remain. 17 of them are frogs, and 10 are close to morphing.

One more question, what does everyone else feed their Xenopus? What can one feed them? Please bear in mind that the frogs are wild-caught, and I will be releasing them back into the wild.

I have been feeding bloodworms, mosquito larvae, liver shavings, and today I tried a small earthworm. Which they seemed to enjoy.

Thanks,
Joh

[rodsboys]

I took the time today to count all the frogs and tadpoles. Out of an original 136 tadpoles, 112 remain. 17 of them are frogs, and 10 are close to morphing.

One more question, what does everyone else feed their Xenopus? What can one feed them? Please bear in mind that the frogs are wild-caught, and I will be releasing them back into the wild.

I have been feeding bloodworms, mosquito larvae, liver shavings, and today I tried a small earthworm. Which they seemed to enjoy.

Thanks,
Joh

It sounds like you are already feeding them well. I would not hesitate to get them on a commercially prepared food though. If they can learn to eat that they will eat anything in the wild.

[BugBoy99]

Thanks for the advice. Commercially prepared food is not available here, though. I'd have to order it from the city, which would cost a fortune. I could add feeder fish to their diet. Is that recommended?

[rodsboys]

Thanks for the advice. Commercially prepared food is not available here, though. I'd have to order it from the city, which would cost a fortune. I could add feeder fish to their diet. Is that recommended?

I'd say no. Feeders come with their own set of problems. If you want to use fish try some "human grade" cut fish from the grocery store. I occassionally give my frogs some cut up raw salmon, trout, and tilipia from the grocery store when we happen to be having it for dinner.

[BugBoy99]

Thank you. I had read that feeders can cause problems. But, I always like to run it past someone who has experiential knowledge rather than someone who is just writing an article on something that they researched. I'm guessing that saltwater fish pieces are out of the question. Would they be okay if they've been thoroughly rinsed?

[BugBoy99]

Oh, and just another update. We have been having stormy weather for the last week, and the pool is now much larger than it was when I took the picture. I took the picture after a few days of evaporation. I will try and take photos when the storm lets up.