Leopard Frogs- Need all the help you can give me!!

O

Opicana

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May 13, 2006
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Toledo, Ohio
For those of you with short attention spans: I need advice on housing leopard frogs!

For those of you who don't mind (or even enjoy) more information....here's the story:

My parents opened a nature-oriented gift store this past year. The started selling nature kits for kids, and I agreed to test them out for my mom, and then (after I completed them) post a blog about them on their website- basically following along with the kit explaining life cycles, giving tips, etc.... I started with a ladybug one, then moved on to ants. Well, soon I will be starting my third kit- Leopard Frogs.

After getting the kit and learning more about the frogs, I have decided I am DEFINITELY going to need a better enclosure than what this kit provides.

****************MINI RANT, feel free to skip this part*************
I am going to strongly urge my parents not to sell this kit in the future. I went on the website just a few minutes ago to get more info about the frog kit, and I noticed their "space fish kit". They sell a space-themed tank for your pet fish....they recommend putting a betta or a GOLDFISH in this "tank"....no filtration.... 3/4 gallon size. "perfect desktop size"....I almost lost my dinner all over my office floor. :swear: The frog kit is also pretty ridiculous now that I have read the size of the adult frogs. :( Which is why if my mother decides to continue selling these kits, I want to post in my blog that purchasers should consider upgrading the enclosure once the frogs reach adult size. And I will post advice on how to do that. Anyway, so I am going to be getting these frogs soon, and testing out the kit for as long as I feel it is safe before moving them to my much better enclosure, which I am hoping you guys will help me design in this post!
********************END RANT******************************

Anywho, my two Leopard Frog tadpoles will be arriving in the mail within the next month. I know next to nothing about frogs, and have never cared for them before.

Here's my list of questions:

1) Can you give me some general advice on frog care?
2) Does anyone know anything specifically about Leopard Frogs?
3) What size tank would be the best for two leopard frogs? I don't have a tank yet, so I can purchase whatever is needed (within reason).
4) How do I go about making the enclosure? I read that they need both land and water. What is the easiest method of providing that?
5) What kind of equipment do I need?
6) Tankmates? Are there any possible tankmates for them?
7) Are there any "upgrades" I could do to the enclosure (and suggest in the blog) to make it better for the tadpoles? The enclosure is all plastic (including plastic plants and rock cave). The dimensions are: 16" x 9" x 8" high.

I need all the help I can get!!!! I am a total beginner with frogs....I have also never had a lizard, turtle, etc.... My tanks are either filled with water or rodents!

Thanks!!!!!
 
1) Ranids are easy. Room temp, water and land, hide spots, plenty of live invertebrate prey, don't let the humidity drop too low, and they're happy. Tropical frogs are more demanding.

2) Leopards are powerful jumpers and are prone to breaking their noses on the glass if startled. Therefore it is crucial to give them plenty of hide spots. Some coconut shells or hollow half-logs are great; I also recommend live or silk plants. I tend to use a chopped-coir substrate covered with leaves for ranids.

3) A 40 breeder, half water and half land, would be ideal. You can get away with smaller. Concentrate on floor area; extra height past the standard 12" or so is useless.

4) The easiest way is to just set a plastic tray in the tank and fill it with water, then fill the rest with chopped-coir. This can actually look nice with a black or neutral-colored tray. If you want something a little fancier you can get a piece of glass cut to slightly greater than the width of the tank and about 3-4" wide; silicone it in and you've got a handy divider. Be sure to sand the exposed edges so there are no sharp surfaces.

5) Tank, secure top (I like a versa-top), spray bottle. You can put a small submersible filter in the water area if you like; one that makes a little waterfall helps with humidity as well as filtration. You only need special lighting if you have live plants.

6) I've kept them successfully with tiger salamanders. You could possibly keep some coolwater livebearers, killis, or shrimp in the water section if it's big enough.

7) Tadpoles don't need anything fancy. I believe they feel more secure with live plants (which are also less abrasive than plastic). Hornwort, anacharis, and other mass-forming stem plants are nice.
 
Thank you! Very helpful!

I have plenty of hornwort I can toss in, and some moss- if you think that will be good for the tadpole area.

How long can I expect them to be tadpoles for? (ie...how long to I have to get the tank set up!)
 
Yeah, just spray into the tank. Use a fine mist so it hangs in the air a while. Daily is not necessary, especially with a glass top.

How big are the tads now? They will generally metamorphose at about 2" in length (at least for southern leopards; do you happen to know which species yours are or where they were collected?). The time this takes is dependent on water quality, diet, crowding, and especially temperature.

Metamorphosis is a rather gradual process. You will see the hind legs, then the forelegs emerge well before metamorphosis is complete. Once the mouth changes shape and the tail starts getting shorter it's time to offer them a landing area.
 
Thanks! I haven't actually received them yet, they should be arriving within the month. The current enclosure does have land for them to rest on, as well. So, it seems like I have at least a little while.
 
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