Raising Tadpoles
Scientists now strongly oppose the practice of transferring frogs and tadpoles between ponds. If you want frogs and their tadpoles in your garden, the best option is making your garden frog friendly.
How can I keep tadpoles alive?
Find a large container that can hold fresh water. Local frog groups, museums and wildlife agencies can provide information about suitable containers for frog breeding in your area. Fill this container with tap water or tank water. If you use tap water, it will need to be de-chlorinated by letting it stand in the sun for at least five days. Put some of this water aside in the shade, a temperature suitable to frogs, so you can top up the container later.
What do I feed them?
Normally, tadpoles eat algae, which grows naturally in self-sustaining pond ecosystems. However, partly-cooked lettuce or fish food can supplement this food supply, for example if your pond has just been established. To prepare the lettuce, first rip the leaves into small pieces and place in a jug or bowl. Cover these pieces with boiling water and let cool. Feed lettuce to your tadpoles every couple of days; there should be no food left an hour after feeding, so their water does not become foul.
Commercial fish food is a very rich food source for tadpoles. They can grow very quickly, so use it sparingly. Again, you will need to change their water more frequently because the pond can become foul.
When will the tadpoles start to look like frogs?
The length of time from egg laying to hatching depends on the species of frog. It can vary from a few weeks to several months. Factors such as water temperature, food availability, tadpole density and, possibly, day length also affect development. In cooler months metamorphosis slows or stops and tadpoles will remain dormant until the warmer spring months.
What do I do when the tadpoles turn into frogs?
Newly-metamorphosed frogs can easily emerge from your pond if you provide a shaded timber or a rock ledge. Allow these frogs to find their own way back into your garden, by providing cover such as mulch, ground cover, rocks and logs as part of your landscaping.
For further information see our Inquiry Centre Fact Sheets or contact the Inquiry Centre.