Wondering frog

[jdstmom]

Hi everyone! We have recieved a visiting frog, found in my daughters kiddy pool who seems to want to stay. He first appeared last week, after alot of rain. I've checked my local frog images local to connecticut, and can't seem to place it. I am new to this frog thing, but think it must be a water frog, because it stays in the water continuously and has webbed feet...but do they all and I've never noticed? My son had brought some tadpoles from my moms pool in NY, but I think they died, or perhaps it did grow and jump out? (Doubtful) but I would really love someone to tell me if I can just let it out, or I can let my son keep. If I keep how?
I placed a few toys to enable it to get out over the sides, but it seems to be content to stayor it keeps coming back.
But I should clean out my daughters pool and let her reclaim her swimming area
Thanks any help or advice would be appreciated!

[John]

Looks like a young American Bullfrog to me - the species name is Rana catesbeiana (though some people want to change it to Lithobates catesbeiana I believe).

[Kurt]

Its either a bullfrog or a green frog, I can't really tell for these pics. Bullfrogs lack dorsal-lateral ridges that are found in the other Ranid frogs of our area. These two ridges run down the side of the back in Ranid (true) frogs. I am leaning toward the bullfrog.

Whether you keep it or send it on its way is up to you. If you keep it, it will need a large enclosure as these frogs can be skittish and powerful jumpers. In a small enclosure they would bash themselves in to the sides every time they felt scared, possibly resulting in injury. So there you have something to think about.

[jdstmom]

it really doesnt look like a bullfrog yet anyway, it really looks like an african clawed frog...but we are very far from africa!
it looks just like this image in the bottom right...any chance in these things being around here?

[John]

Are all of those photos the same frog? If so then it's definitely a Ranid, not a Pipid. That first photo is definitely a Bullfrog or perhaps a Green Frog like Kurt said, but those are both Ranids, not Pipids - completely different branches of the Frog Order (Anura).

[Kurt]

Totally different suborders of Anura. And there is no introduced population of Xenopus laevis in the Northeast. In California, but not here.

[jdstmom]

well thanks, so much to learn and know. My other son took it out and it hopped away, to the dismise of the son I was talking about who wanted to keep it. But, low and behold the next morning, it was back in the pool. So much to learn and so amazing. So today, we will try to set up a small tank to keep him in. I feel bad taking him from the wild, but I can't leave him in the pool So, thanks, and if it does become a bullfrog and grow huge, he is being set free! lol! But, for now, I am going to explore the site more and find some great ideas for setting up tank. Thanks again for your help and for the site! But yeah, all pics from the same frog

[Wambli]

I have a few bullfrogs... I realy enjoy them. They are fun to watch when aquatic... on land they just sit there. Mine eat earthworms from a bait shop so not to get the poison from the yard chems and feeder fish from petsmart and crawdads.