Toadlets.

[Deku]

Hey guys. I was wondering if I can put my toadlets in a large rubbermaid outside so they can eat wild insects. I was thinking I could attract small wild insects to the container. Like maybe aphids or wild fruitflies or even springtails. I got some d.hydei but I read they're hard to breed. Plus I only have 3flies left. D: Any ideas?

I'm hoping to release a great deal of them soon but just wanting to keep a large number like maybe 20 to get them to grow a bit bigger. Just in case if I ended up keeping 5 and said like almost all of them died cause of whatever reason I'd still have some left over. Since toadlets are quite unpredictable

[Kurt]

You can put a slice of banana in the enclosure to atract fruit flies. Make sure the enclosure is not in direct sunlight. Also the cage should not be glass and the mess on it should ve small enough to prevent escape, while at the same time allowing fruit flies in.

[Deku]

You can put a slice of banana in the enclosure to atract fruit flies. Make sure the enclosure is not in direct sunlight. Also the cage should not be glass and the mess on it should ve small enough to prevent escape, while at the same time allowing fruit flies in.

Okay that sounds good. I got a question. I went to another forum but that forum is not about frogs and amphibians so I'm not so sure t heir answer maybe too "keen" on what they said.

I was told by them that I can't release the toadlets into the wild because its going to introduce bad bacteria into the wild and it maybe illegal where I live. But im pretty sure I was told it wasn't by a few people at a different forum.

Can they be released into the wild? if not--- my friend has a pond that he can take the toadlets in(the pond is man made and its in his yard) can I release the toadlets in his man made pond?

I believe that I could release them because they did this as a science project in highschool where we took in a few tadpoles of say toads or bullfrogs then we watched them grow. Then we released them back where we found them.

Whats your opinion on this? They tell me I should either euthanize them or sell them, or give them away or something like that. But I don't want them to be killed. I rather sell them/give them away or release them where I found them.

I don't recall being told I can't release them by people on here so I assumed I could. Usually when I can't do something or its not "okay" or its illegal someone in the forum will tell you right off the bat its not a good idea.

[Rat The Unloved]

It's a bit tricky, actually. AND you should ALWAYS check laws in your country, state and county. PLEASE, CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS. The below is NOT legal advice, but rather based on responsibility and morality.

1: If you've taken something from the wild, and keep it by itself, you can release it back into the wild.

2: If you've taken something from the wild, and keep it with OTHER wild stuff, you can release it back into the wild.

3: If you've taken something from the wild, and keep it with non-native and/or pet trade stuff, be cautious. If it has parasites or disease, DO NOT release it.

3: If it's from the pet trade (even if it's native), or not native to where you live, DO NOT release it.

The obvious alternative to euthanasia is to give them (or sell them) or sell them to other local keepers looking for already-raised animals. OR, to build a proper (escape-proof) outdoor enclosure for them.

[Deku]

It's a bit tricky, actually. AND you should ALWAYS check laws in your country, state and county. PLEASE, CHECK YOUR LOCAL LAWS. The below is NOT legal advice, but rather based on responsibility and morality.

1: If you've taken something from the wild, and keep it by itself, you can release it back into the wild.

2: If you've taken something from the wild, and keep it with OTHER wild stuff, you can release it back into the wild.

3: If you've taken something from the wild, and keep it with non-native and/or pet trade stuff, be cautious. If it has parasites or disease, DO NOT release it.

3: If it's from the pet trade (even if it's native), or not native to where you live, DO NOT release it.

The obvious alternative to euthanasia is to give them (or sell them) or sell them to other local keepers looking for already-raised animals. OR, to build a proper (escape-proof) outdoor enclosure for them.

I may treat them with panacure and some other stuff even if I don't it may have something. JUST to be safe. Ill treat for general parasites. General fungus, and general bacteria. Then slowly introduce it to wild bacteria from the ponds I gathered the parents.

[Rat The Unloved]

I don't think you got what I was saying. I didn't say "Treat it and release it", I said "don't release it." - Panacur won't kill everything. The commercial treatments most pet owners can get won't kill off some of the more exotic stuff.

There was an incident with a native bird being rehabilitated with non-natives, and catching malaria here in Oklahoma. The bird was released, and because of that there's a high chance that malaria was introduced to the state. This is a disease which can, and does, effect humans as well. There is "Fish tuberculosis" which can jump to humans, and is not easily treated. Any aquatic animals can carry "Fish TB", from what I understand.

It's a moral and ethical issue, that's what I was getting at. And depending upon your local laws, it can be a legal issue as well.

[Deku]

I don't think you got what I was saying. I didn't say "Treat it and release it", I said "don't release it." - Panacur won't kill everything. The commercial treatments most pet owners can get won't kill off some of the more exotic stuff.

There was an incident with a native bird being rehabilitated with non-natives, and catching malaria here in Oklahoma. The bird was released, and because of that there's a high chance that malaria was introduced to the state. This is a disease which can, and does, effect humans as well. There is "Fish tuberculosis" which can jump to humans, and is not easily treated. Any aquatic animals can carry "Fish TB", from what I understand.

It's a moral and ethical issue, that's what I was getting at. And depending upon your local laws, it can be a legal issue as well.

mk so in your opinion what should I do? I don't want to kill them.

[pac]

I would release them i think it is ok but you should have not raised and picked up the parents if you plan on killing them but i would release them.

[Deku]

I would release them i think it is ok but you should have not raised and picked up the parents if you plan on killing them but i would release them.

I'm not going to kill them. lol. I picked up the parents on planning for raising them and releasing a great amount of them back in the wild as a mini-project but some "activist" are telling me that it has an adverse side effect because they may now carry some pathogens and whatnot. It's kinda confusing--- first they talk about saving the planet and helping the ecosystem, then they say its not good to help them breed? lol. Sorry its just mind puzzling.

Anywho I have a few ideas of what I can do--- but I rather know what people think I should do.

[Wormwood]

They are so young they should be fine if you release them, it's doubtful they'll have anything. They are very right though, any caught animal released back into the wild after any length of time in captivity risks spreading some bacteria or microb picked up while inside or from food provided to them. Fish food for example.

You've already said it yourself, they where exposed somehow to some parasidic worm already. Who knows where that came from, the parents, water brought in from inside, or some thing else introduced during the growth cycle.

And please get off this kick that you are "helping them breed", helping them breed would have been leaving them where they where and letting the natural cycle take it's place. Breeding two adult toads that are free of parasites and other nasties is another matter.

If you do keep them outdoors in a tank be sure it's sealed and not just with some filmsy mesh top either. Any racoon or opposum worth it's weight will break into that with ease to get at the fruit and the toadlets. They'd have a better chance in the wild then as sitting ducks in a little tank.

[Deku]

They are so young they should be fine if you release them, it's doubtful they'll have anything. They are very right though, any caught animal released back into the wild after any length of time in captivity risks spreading some bacteria or microb picked up while inside or from food provided to them. Fish food for example.

You've already said it yourself, they where exposed somehow to some parasidic worm already. Who knows where that came from, the parents, water brought in from inside, or some thing else introduced during the growth cycle.

And please get off this kick that you are "helping them breed", helping them breed would have been leaving them where they where and letting the natural cycle take it's place. Breeding two adult toads that are free of parasites and other nasties is another matter.

If you do keep them outdoors in a tank be sure it's sealed and not just with some filmsy mesh top either. Any racoon or opposum worth it's weight will break into that with ease to get at the fruit and the toadlets. They'd have a better chance in the wild then as sitting ducks in a little tank.

Well like I said I guess I was misinformed in general. We used to do this a lot for bio class when I was in school. Teacher told us and I quote "its helping them get a jump start because in nature they would easily become prey to other many animals". So my intention wasn't to hurt anything. Just to have some fun at a project I once did in high school. I didn't think it'd cause any problems for the toads themselves or for nature...
The parasitic nematodes were completely killed off. They were introduced through some pond water I believe.. From the very same pond I took the adults from. i had gone there and taken a large water sample

P.s. alot of people where I live basically do the same project where they take in wild tadpoles and watch em grow and then let em go.

[Rat The Unloved]

What would I do?
Never take on an animal that I don't plan to keep, or respectfully re-home. If I do rehab or catch/release, I follow strict guidelines, involving NEVER mixing wild and "captive" or "pet trade" creatures. If any animal becomes sick, deformed or disabled, it is treated by a professional (and given a clean bill of health) or it is not released at all.

In the case of the tadpoles I have (10-ish toads, 4 ranids)?
I've taken on a small enough number to either care for all of them myself, or offer them to other local keepers with a similar level of dedication. I would suggest that you contact local REPTILE-specific stores (if you have them) and tell them that you may have excess (XYZ breed) toadlets, which you are looking to ethically re-home. If they aren't willing to pay, ask if they're willing to trade for crickets/supplies. If they aren't willing to do store credit, offer them for free. Offer the same deal/s to local keepers.

Here's the other thing: Some people don't care, and irresponsibly contaminate the environment. It's horrible, it happens on a daily basis, and sometimes does enough damage to really get some guts in a twist (re: snakehead, piranha, introduction of malaria). It's up to each person to decide if they wanna be a "good guy" or a "bad guy" or a "chaotic neutral" guy. Ask for advice, follow it, don't follow it - it's ultimately on you.

[Deku]

What would I do?
Never take on an animal that I don't plan to keep, or respectfully re-home. If I do rehab or catch/release, I follow strict guidelines, involving NEVER mixing wild and "captive" or "pet trade" creatures. If any animal becomes sick, deformed or disabled, it is treated by a professional (and given a clean bill of health) or it is not released at all.

In the case of the tadpoles I have (10-ish toads, 4 ranids)?
I've taken on a small enough number to either care for all of them myself, or offer them to other local keepers with a similar level of dedication. I would suggest that you contact local REPTILE-specific stores (if you have them) and tell them that you may have excess (XYZ breed) toadlets, which you are looking to ethically re-home. If they aren't willing to pay, ask if they're willing to trade for crickets/supplies. If they aren't willing to do store credit, offer them for free. Offer the same deal/s to local keepers.

Here's the other thing: Some people don't care, and irresponsibly contaminate the environment. It's horrible, it happens on a daily basis, and sometimes does enough damage to really get some guts in a twist (re: snakehead, piranha, introduction of malaria). It's up to each person to decide if they wanna be a "good guy" or a "bad guy" or a "chaotic neutral" guy. Ask for advice, follow it, don't follow it - it's ultimately on you.

Frankly the only thing they have gotten was those gill worms. It turned out to be gill worms. It apparently was through the pond water. I killed them off via a few medications intended for fish. But works just as good on amphibians. Because it's a pretty strong dose to begin with. Secondly they're in the aquatic or where... and they had opening gills as well as mouth parts and a permeable skin. meaning better absorption of the meds. I do recall seeing some of the dead worms too when I did that water change. I'ved treated them with medications intended for fish but mainly intended to kill parasites, bacteria and such. Even ones made for turtles that are supposed to kill stuff thats pretty nasty.

I'm thinking of just selling them off to a few petstores I know and the rest I can see if some friends want them(they're okay with caring for animals-- I visit). As well as I can sell some online. And ill keep a small amount for myself.

I guess it's not that bad of a thing though... Least I learnt something out of it as well as gained some more experience with delicate beings. I hear tadpoles can be delicate.. Not so sure on that-- since the whole worm thing got me thinking--- how the heck are these delicate?

They never came in contact with anything captive or from a petstore. The most they came in contact with was some pond snails that I gathered from the very same pond/creek in the very same day I gathered the adults. The adults never came in contact with the captive bred toad. So yeah. Pretty sure they don't got anything. I figured I could release just a small amount of them back if anything. Right where I found the parents. A great deal of them did survive though as well as a great deal did hatch. Only 50-60dead taddies died out of the ones that hatched. Atleast a 3/4ths hatched the other ones just turned white and I had to remove them.

Btw filtration does work for taddies if you have it set on low and you're taddies are big enough atleast the size of a dime. Not one got stuck in the filter. Because I put a sponge in there too to make sure nothing sucks it up.

[Deku]

How long do you guys think itll be before the newly metamorphosed(no tails anymore-- but the size of a penny or like 2/3'rds of a penny) grow big enough to eat small to medium sized crickets? I guess more or less... how long is it before they get 1.5inch long or 2inch long?
Can I speed up growth? When do they get their "colors" in. Like they're all the same colors right now. So you know how some are red, some brown, some mottled, some green and black and yellow, some black, some golden honey, some light yellow, etc. etc. etc.

When can I expect those colors/patterns to show up?

Also wonder.. Since one of the parents colors was dark red(crimson-ish but lighter and lesser of it-- just a regular red toad) and the other one was kinda like a bullfrog pattern. Where the top is olive green and the bottom is yellow(no it was a toad with the pattern of a bullfrog. seriously--- I couldn't believe it myself...) What are the chances of expecting some to have bright patterns like really bright reds or the same bullfrog pattern on the male? OR will the toadlets just be a random bunch of colors/patterns?
Btw. You know that saddle that some of the toads get?

I.e.
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ec...Toad/atoad.jpg <-------(not as much)

or like this one :
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1278/...aff337f422.jpg

Do all toads get it? or is it just females? Cause I have a toad I think is a female since it never chirps and its fat as heck and has tons of warts that looks like t his:
http://oksnakes.org/imgUL/american_toad1_5-29-08.jpg

In body shape. But its more of a mottled brown kinda looks hazelnut-ish will she/he keep that shape? While the male has the same shape as that and he tried to mate. And etc. I'm not a fan of the hump. I won't condemn them for having one. Lol. But just "preference" i guess. I guess since Iam just going to sell them off to a few stores(they wanted me to wait until they're bigger-- atleast like an inch or two in size since they don't carry fruit flies and don't wanna go through that trouble). I guess I could just pick my preference out of the "lot" of them. Ya' know?