Adult Hamster
Posted 03 July 2013 - 10:16 AM
Hi there! I recently got a toad. His name is... Sir Hoppy Pants! 
He is really cool! So, I wanted to show him to you! He is a North American toad.
There he is!
(Please no corrections/comments on the Kritter Keeper. It is temporary.)
Isn't he cute!!??
Edited by Chubbsthehammie, 04 July 2013 - 12:39 AM.
Olympic Ham
Posted 03 July 2013 - 04:08 PM
He is pretty cool. I kept toads when I was younger too. He'll need a bigger cage than that critter keeper in the picture though. Are you keeping him or going to release him back where you got him?
Ultimate Hamster Clone
Posted 03 July 2013 - 05:17 PM
I agree with Nebit, he'll definitely need a more proper habitat then a Critter Keeper- you can't keep any heat or humidity in it and it's wayyyy to small.
Anyway, he's super cute! I would always go down the to river as a kid with my friend and we would catch frogs to bring home and release next morning, it was always so much fun doing that. I'm currently raising some tadpoles that I'll release when they get older- a lot of them are still very young right now, so it'll be a couple weeks. :P
Popstar Ham
Posted 03 July 2013 - 08:30 PM
Sir Hoppy Pants! 
Jess, have you got pictures of your tadpoles? 
Ultimate Hamster Clone
Posted 03 July 2013 - 09:02 PM
Sir Hoppy Pants!
Jess, have you got pictures of your tadpoles?
Yes! I think I have a couple saved somewhere of when they were the size of a pinky nail, but I'll have to take more pictures tomorrow as we took in more today. I don't know how many exactly (could be lots, not sure what I'm going to do if that's the case), but there are a couple really big ones. The medium/large ones seem to be in the beginning stages of growing legs, I'm really looking forward to watching them grow!
I'm not quite sure how I'm going to take care of them though, and I'm actually very worried. 
We took them in from our pool cover as the water is shallow and murky- basically a prefect breeding ground for them. I have them in a 10g tank now, so when they start growing, I'm going to somehow need to make room for them all. No idea how many there are or what "solid" food/bugs I'll have to feed them- are there any frog savvy people that could help me out? I have to keep researching about them, but if anyone can help me out, it would be very appreciated!
Chubbsthehamster, I'm not sure you want this to turn into a general frog thread- if you don't want me derailing it with questions, please do say and I'll make my own thread. 
Maybe you could get some advice or tips from it, but please don't hesitate as it's your thread! Sir Hoppy Pants needs all the fame he can get! xD
Popstar Ham
Posted 03 July 2013 - 10:11 PM
That seems a bit of a difficult thing right now! What are they eating as tadpoles? Just the dirty water from the pool cover? I wonder if you could release them back on the pool cover once they turned in frogs? Maybe make the water a bit deeper and when they realise theres not enough food around, they will make their way to a nearby pond? I mean there must be a pond or swampy area nearby somewhere if you come to you in the first place!
Have you joined any frog forums for some advise? I am sure something like that must exist! How long has it taken them to start growing legs?
Ultimate Hamster Clone
Posted 03 July 2013 - 10:42 PM
I've been offering them just some cheap fish flakes so far- which I can imagine is not a very good thing to feed. I can't tell if they're eating it, but I'm not quite sure what they would be eating if not cheapy fish flakes. Is there anything I can feed them, preferably something we most likely already have? Or any store bought bugs/food (freeze dried or alive) that I can buy at Petco or something? I'm not sure when I would be able to get to a pet store as my mom shouldn't be driving much with a sling on her arm and everything is about a half an hour away, so it's not a very quick trip.
About releasing them back into the pool cover- we are actually trying to drain it now, so my mom decided to save a couple and watch them grow, otherwise it would be a sure death. However, I live right next to a river, so I could release them there when they get old enough- or just in the backyard where the rest of them seem to be at. Which do you think would be best?
About there legs- I'm actually not even sure if they have legs yet, looking at them today I couldn't tell if it was legs starting to form or.. frog poo. lol. They are still very small to compared to the new ones (which have very defined legs already, but still aren't of use to them yet, pictures later), so I'm not sure which it is exactly. They all seem to have it, so I'm leaning towards legs- in that case, we've had them for two weeks to a month, I believe!
And a slightly odd question, but how could I make a platform for them to go onto? I have them at all different growing stages- some are extremely small while others have legs and are the size of a thumbnail. I would want a platform they could go on top but doesn't take away space in the tank as the little ones need it.. I have a few ideas, but any suggestions would be helpful!
Joining a frog forum would be a very good idea! Thank you for suggesting that, I really didn't even think about it! A quick search looks to be promising, hopefully they can help with tadpoles!
Also, Spangoid- please don't feel put on the spot with all my questions! I do need help with these little guys it seems, so any information you help me with would be wonderful- but please don't stress! In fact, thank you for asking so many questions so other members can help out, too- you're the best! Will upload pictures later in the day after I sleep! (wow, almost 11am already? ughhh)
Adult Hamster
Posted 03 July 2013 - 10:55 PM
Well, sorry. I didn't know. I was rushing to find him a habitat. And we are trying to save money and I don't want to spend it on a different cage.
I might later. I just got him.
Popstar Ham
Posted 03 July 2013 - 11:00 PM
Frogs legs or poop, I love that!
If I am honest, I know absolutely nothing about either frogs or tadpoles, everything I have been saying is assumptions - Sorry I didn't make that clear! I would imagine that the new tadpoles have grown faster as they have had access to the correct food in the water? I dunno. An idea I did quickly think of when you said about a platform for them to go onto is a sponge. I am almost certain that even when sponges are soaked in water, they will still float indefinitely just above the surface. That way they will be able to get out of the water and it wont take up any space. Not 100% if they would be able to climb on to it, but I imagine they could.
With regards to food, all I can think of for now is depending on the size of the river, would it be possible to scoop some of the water out? I am sure that would have algae and that kind of stuff in it which they would naturally eat. Other than that, what about some pond weeds if you can reach any without any danger?
The other questions, I wont even attempt to answer them! But I am sure other people here will know more and making a quick post on a forum I am sure that will give you some more solid answers. The only experience I have ever had with tadpoles or frogs was when I was 5, pond dipping at school!
Adult Hamster
Posted 04 July 2013 - 12:42 AM
Just a reminder. Please do not comment on my Kritter Keeper. It is only temporary. Thanks for understanding. 
Olympic Ham
Posted 04 July 2013 - 04:28 AM
For the tadpoles, try bloodworms. You can buy them frozen in a lot of petstores now, you just thaw a bit and put them in the tank once they are room temp. Frozen should be better than freeze dried. You can also try some tubifex worms. If releasing them is an option, I'd lean more towards live or frozen foods, as they will better prepare them for life in the wild.
For the toad- you say the cage is temporary, but if it's supposed to house him for anything more than a few days, you should let him go where you found him. There are always more toads later, when you can afford a bigger tank. And if you're planning on releasing them after a bit anyway, keeping them for just a few days is far kinder to them- toads have lives just like we do that they need to spend finding territory, fattening up for the winter, mating, etc.
Popstar Ham
Posted 04 July 2013 - 05:35 AM
I've been reading through this thread with some curiosity. I have a question to ask of Chubbsthehammie that hasn't really been made clear by the discussion. Was this toad taken from the wild?
If so, I do feel the need to say that taking an animal from the wild to keep as a pet is illegal in some places. For example, from the Washington state legislature page:
(1) It is unlawful to take live wildlife, wild birds, or game fish from the wild without a permit issued by the director. This subsection does not apply to starlings, house sparrows, and rock doves taken by falconers, or rock doves taken by bird dog trainers.
I would strongly encourage anyone considering taking a wild animal as a pet to look up the laws in their state / area. 
Junior Hamster
Posted 04 July 2013 - 07:33 AM
Aww, Sir Hops is just adorable!! Congrats on your new family member :3. I wish I had a toad, but my parents wouldn't appreciate it alongside the tortoise, hermit crabs, dog, tropical fish, and of course my hammies. LOL, well anyway, congrats again!!
Olympic Ham
Posted 04 July 2013 - 09:11 AM
I've been reading through this thread with some curiosity.
If so, I do feel the need to say that taking an animal from the wild to keep as a pet is illegal in some places. For example, from the Washington state legislature page:
(1) It is unlawful to take live wildlife, wild birds, or game fish from the wild without a permit issued by the director. This subsection does not apply to starlings, house sparrows, and rock doves taken by falconers, or rock doves taken by bird dog trainers.
I would strongly encourage anyone considering taking a wild animal as a pet to look up the laws in their state / area.
The other side to this is that it can also be illegal to RETURN an animal to the wild after it has spent a certain amount of time in captivity. For instance here are the regulations from my state (which is a bit unclear in it's regulations as to reptiles vs amphibians)
"To prevent the spread of disease and other problems, a captive reptile may not be released into the wild without a special permit except under the following conditions: the reptile has been held in captivity no longer than 30 days; it has not been housed (caged) with other animals; and the release is at the original site of capture. All three of these conditions must be met, otherwise a permit is required from the Division of Fish and Wildlife to release the reptile (312 IAC 9-5-6)."
Here's a website with links to info on wildlife in captivity in various states- http://zaa.org/legislation/legislation?id=41
The other possible issue is that there is at least one endangered toad in the US, and it can be very difficult for the average person to differentiate between toad species. There may be other species that are endangered or of concern specific to a particular state or region.
