Urgent: Advice Needed!

[grenouille133]

Hello everyone, I am in desperate need of advice!

About six months ago I purchased two large tadpoles at a plant festival. Later research told me that these were American Bullfrog tadpoles, and would grow extremely large and eat primarily a carnivorous diet!

One of the tadpoles has already become a bullfrog. I do not know what to feed him; I tried catching ants and other bugs and placing them in a jar with him, but he didn't seem to want to eat them.

I don't think there is a way for me to sustain a bullfrog, let alone two. Although American Bullfrogs are native species to where I live, I am afraid about letting them go (which is what my mom suggests) because I don't want to unbalance local ecosystems.

If anyone has any idea what I should do, it would be greatly appreciated!!!

[daybr4ke]

This really depends. If they haven't been exposed to anything they may spread to frogs in the wild given they are native to your region, releasing them may be an option. However, they could have had contact with other frogs or fish before you got them. Just to be fair, I doubt the frogs would imbalance the ecosystem, passing disease to wild frogs being the exception.
You could always try to offer them on craigslist for free to a good home, maybe. I would definitely not recommend releasing them, however.

[elly]

Hi,
You might want to check the "True Frogs" section of the forum for more advice on bullfrogs. I don't think froglets eat immediately after absorbing their tails, but it should start soon. Your frog might feel more comfortable eating if it had some privacy, maybe put paper around the jar temporarily. If you do end up keeping them, you'd need to get a large tank somehow. Some people do keep large frogs. It takes a lot of insects and nightcrawlers though, so I understand if you don't want to.
Your local government might have some information on whether American Bullfrogs are endangering any species in your area (or whether there is any small endangered species that bullfrogs might eat.) It's possible I guess.

I want to say it might not be too bad to release them, though, I agree with Bryce that the possibility of disease is somewhat worrying.

[Herpin Man]

Bullfrogs are very easy to care for, aside from the fact that they will need very large enclosures as they grow. For now, set the transformed froglets in a half land/half water setup. They will need something larger than ants to get their attention, though. Lots of care info online.

If you don't want them, sell them to a more experienced keeper. Do not, under any circumstances, release them- native or not. Disease and genetic pollution are the two greatest risks, assuming that this is a native species. If you research how damaging introduced bullfrogs are, you will also learn that these invasive populations got their start because somebody got tadpoles that transformed into something they weren't prepared to keep.
It would be better to euthanize them, if that's what it comes to.

[grenouille133]

Thank you everyone for responding and giving me many different perspectives. For now, I managed to find that my frog is willing to eat worms, and in fact readily enjoys them. For now I have a plan, but in the future will look to you all for more advice!