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Post by Missredhead on Mar 26, 2008 15:20:10 GMT
I'm sure it take a frog about 3 yrs to mature and start to reproduce....remember reading this somewhere....will see if I can find it.
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 26, 2008 15:24:59 GMT
HERE IT IS:
Frog Lifecycle
In early Spring adult frogs wake up from their long Winter sleep and start making their way to breeding pools. Some frogs can travel as far as one mile to the pond which is a long distance if all you can do is hop or crawl. When the frogs reach the pond, breeding begins with the male croaking loudly to attract the female.
When he finds a female he grabs her from behind with the help of special pads on his fore limbs and holds on as tight as he can. As soon as the female releases her eggs into the water they are fertilised by the male.
The eggs or frogspawn are surrounded by jelly, which absorbs water, swells up, and floats to the surface of the pond where the sun warms it. One clump of frogspawn can contain up to 4,000 eggs.
After about 10 days a tadpole wriggles out of each egg. At first the tadpole breathes and moves like a fish, using its gills and long tail, but after about five weeks the gills disappear and the tadpole develops lungs. It then has to swim to the surface of the water to gulp air. The tadpole has fleshy lips with rows of teeth for rasping away at water plants and by seven weeks it also eats insects and even other tadpoles.
By eight weeks the back legs have formed and by ten to eleven weeks the front legs have also appeared. At twelve to fourteen weeks the tail disappears and the tiny froglet is ready to leave the water.
It will take three years before the froglet reaches maturity and the cycle starts all over again.
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Post by dirtyboots on Mar 27, 2008 8:15:49 GMT
Thanks for that missredhead, very interesting. I cann't wait to see it happen in the pond for the first time ;D
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Post by flowersfriend on Mar 29, 2008 16:06:31 GMT
Thats great......a big thank you  Missredhead.... I am sorry I'm a bit late seeing your reply....puter trouble, really user trouble  ... Anyway, I feel a great relief that it takes 3 years for frogs to spawn as I had thought maybe something was eating them or there was something wrong with our pond. Now I can look forward to our own home grown frogs in two years..... it seems a long time, but I guess it will soon go. Thanks again FF x |
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Post by Missredhead on Mar 29, 2008 16:42:33 GMT
You're welcome ;D
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Post by retropwr on Mar 29, 2008 17:51:38 GMT
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Post by Ruthie on Mar 29, 2008 17:53:42 GMT
You may remember I posted a photo of my frogspawn when it was brand new. (It was on the "have you got...." thread). Well here they are today, still in their protective covering but apparantly unharmed by last week's snow and frozen pond!!  |
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Post by Shrubrose on Mar 29, 2008 18:03:53 GMT
Wow, wow, wow SR. That is just brilliant. You must have a fantastic camera. Aren't they little cuties!!! ;D
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Post by Ruthie on Mar 29, 2008 20:50:10 GMT
They're my babies Shrub. |
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Post by Shrubrose on Mar 31, 2008 16:12:34 GMT
I cant get close enough to mine SR to take a clear pic!  But I love watching them develop, dont you?  Just lately we've had a pair of ducks on the pond - they come every year at this time and I reckon they have a go at the spawn. Cheeky monkeys! Wouldn't mind if they produced some ducklings but they obviously just come in for a change of scene or something! ;D |
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Post by Dutchy on Mar 31, 2008 17:44:28 GMT
We are waiting for the bigger splash Shrub ;D No!.... better leave the pics up to SR what brilliant little frogsywogsy toddlers in there. Ducks this time of year are looking for some calm. You know what those single males can be up to. Sometimes we too have a pair sitting and waiting for quieter times in our garden. Thing is when the brooklet is switched on again they show up with their ducklings and shplutter through it foraging. Sooo cute. But I would not mind having Supa's froglings either. Still gobsmacked at how nice they look while still in the egg. Yes fab photography. PTM oh bg I'll use modify  there |
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Post by Ruthie on Mar 31, 2008 21:15:31 GMT
Well Shrub, if I have to wade into my pond to get a photo I don't see why you shouldn't!!! Only joking! Mine's only a small pond and they are conveniently near the edge so all I have to do is point the camera an inch or two above the water (making sure neither it nor I go in the water) and snap. I can then crop the pic on the 'pooter to make them even bigger. Hey presto!
Thanks for the nomination Dutchy. I'm glad I don't have ducks because I have no room but I know where there will be some ducklings on a pond near me soon so I can go and see them. Also a bonus is that the pond is at a local garden centre..............................
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Post by Shrubrose on Apr 1, 2008 6:57:06 GMT
That sounds like a very conveniently place pond to me SR! And for such a lovely pic [/quote]  |
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Post by cjhomebird on Apr 1, 2008 13:22:27 GMT
Lovely picture.
My frog spawn is all at the bottom of the pond and I cant see the development. But there is loads of it.
CJ
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Post by Ruthie on Apr 3, 2008 18:24:39 GMT
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Post by Ruthie on Apr 3, 2008 18:26:32 GMT
PS can you see the air bubbles emanating from my mystery and very invasive pondweed? Ain't nature Grand!!!
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Post by Shrubrose on Apr 4, 2008 7:07:58 GMT
Golly SR, your's are really well developed, racing ahead they are! Mine still aren't out of their jelly yet and look a bit like the last photo you posted. |
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Post by Plocket on Apr 10, 2008 16:02:59 GMT
We've got taddies too! ;D They are absolutely tiny but there are a lot of them |
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Post by snowowl on Apr 10, 2008 20:21:35 GMT
 Suparuthie great pics i have some just hatched out to they are very small just a head and tail.I love watching them though.
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Post by Chuckles on Apr 14, 2008 9:23:17 GMT
Well I've waited and waited and waited, checked and checked and checked. I've seen a couple of frogs in the pond over the last few weeks playing at it, even saw 3  playing at it. All I can say is they obviously like practising in my pond ;D An hour ago I checked and still nothing, then I just checked as I came down the garden to go get a cuppa and ;D now how fresh is that, newly born froggies.  |
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Post by Plocket on Apr 14, 2008 10:13:41 GMT
Oh that spawn looks lovely |
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Post by Chuckles on Apr 14, 2008 12:27:17 GMT
They are still at it  just had a peek as I walked by to come in for lunch, one is on the blob and anther one is watching. Bless them, proud parents to be ;D |
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Post by Shrubrose on Apr 14, 2008 17:25:36 GMT
Hay-hay! Well done those frogs! And here's to a decline in your slugs Chuckles ;D
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Post by Ruthie on Apr 14, 2008 18:46:22 GMT
Ooh Chuckles. Now you can be a proud mummy too!!
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Post by snowowl on Apr 17, 2008 13:24:38 GMT
Nice one Chuckles my little taddys are all swimming about now i didnt think they would survive as someone gave the spawn to me from their pond but theres quite a lot i will have to check my lawn before i mow it now ;D
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Post by Missredhead on Apr 18, 2008 12:29:04 GMT
I would never have thought about that SO...I guess it makes sense though...
I bet that you can't let your grass grow too long incase you miss some.
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Post by snowowl on Apr 21, 2008 14:59:15 GMT
We have had a nice dry warm day today and the taddys are all swimming about like mad now there are hundreds of them |
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Post by Shrubrose on Apr 21, 2008 18:18:45 GMT
;D
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Post by snowowl on May 2, 2008 13:13:46 GMT
Can anyone tell me if frogs eat other frogs tadpoles.I have a frog in my pond its on its own but there are the taddys in there will he eat them?
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Post by snowowl on May 2, 2008 15:01:03 GMT
 A photo of some of my taddy can you see them? ;D |
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But I love watching them develop, dont you? 
Just lately we've had a pair of ducks on the pond - they come every year at this time and I reckon they have a go at the spawn. Cheeky monkeys! Wouldn't mind if they produced some ducklings but they obviously just come in for a change of scene or something! ;D
playing at it. All I can say is they obviously like practising in my pond ;D
just had a peek as I walked by to come in for lunch, one is on the blob and anther one is watching. Bless them, proud parents to be ;D