American Bullfrog - matings but no eggs laid

[bullythefrog]

Dear all,

I am seeking advice from American bullfrog (or similar species) breeders out there!

I have 3 female and 1 male American bullfrogs in a 6 foot by 3 foot outdoor pond which is fenced up. there is a submersible pump and tons of water plants in and out of the water – the pond is stable and water quality is good. There are also plenty of hiding places including a cave large enough for all 4 frogs to hide in.

Here’s the problem – the male frog has been calling non-stop all day and night, and has been clasping each of the females at various intervals. Both the males and the females have been extremely well fed for 2 months or so now (diet: other frogs, crickets, superworms, mice, quail chicks, and pinky hamsters even) and I believe they are swollen with eggs. Yet, no eggs have been laid.

I live in Malaysia where the temperature is 28-32 deg C all year around and there are very frequent and heavy tropical rains – essentially allowing the frogs to breed all year around.

Why aren’t my females laying eggs?

[Bombina Bob]

Hi there
If you do get some eggs out of these guys, make sure you have a plan on what to do if you intend to raise trhe eggs into tadpoles because american bullfrogs are highly invasive species. a single female can lay up to 20 000 eggs. I f you have no egg production, i think that your females are stressed out. if thats not the case, introduce another sexually active male to induce competition, ive seen as many as four bullfrogs in a large mating ball try to mate one female! In my opinion i think that the pond is quite small, if its possible, see if you can get the male and one female in the pond with another male to induce competition

Good luck with those frogs

[bullythefrog]

Thanks for the reply!

This species is commercially bred in my location and my place is pretty close to the farm where I got the frogs. My plan is thus to raise the tadpoles and return them to the farm when they outgrow my pond.

Yes I agree my pond is small compared to the ones in the frog farm and the natural ones elsewhere and perhaps that is the problem. I heard from the farm that the optimal gender ratio is 1M to 3F. The problem I had previously when I had 4M and 3F was that the males spend all day fighting over terriroty whereas the females just hid away from the water fights. I have since returned 3Ms to the farm.

[Herpguy]

Don't worry, they will breed, just give them time. That one female looks completely full of eggs. American bullfrog eggs and tadpoles are very large and they definitely do not lay 20,000 eggs at a time...

[bullythefrog]

Thanks, the weather has been warm lately and they are mating a lot more, but still no eggs. I weighed the females, they range from 950g to 1.1kg each!! Lets hope they will lay soon.

At the farm they seem to lay between 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per mating. Definately not 20k! :P That would cover a huge portion of a pond already.

[Bombina Bob]

i get my facts mixed up sometimes, i think its the cane toad lays that many eggs, Sorry for the typo!