Buckets of Fun (and Tadpoles, too!)



May 27

A little over a week ago, I decided to try to raise tadpoles for fun. I know--who does that?! I was walking by a creek a few days before, and noticed a gazillion of them swimming around. I thought, "Hmm...it could be a super fun project to do with Mav. Just to see if we could do it. What the heck?"

Plus, my life-long love of science is always lingering. :)

So I turned to the source of all knowledge, Google, and researched raising tadpoles. After reading multiple sources about how it easy it can be, I gathered some materials on loan from work (aquarium, rocks, and cool crocodile skull thingy) and set out with some help to catch some.



May 27
I wish I would've taken better pictures of them to better document their development. (Nerd, I know!)

We caught about 40 originally, knowing that naturally most tadpoles don't make it...and a few extra as a "buffer" for adjusting to a new environment.  I hoped to end up with about 3 to 5 tadpoles viable enough to make it to froggyhood.  One week later--we have 9 very spry ones!  Hoo-rah!



June 5

 If you're looking for a fun and easy project, I think this is a super one!  Maverick LOVES watching them.  I ask him, "Where are the tadpoles?" and he runs over to the aquarium and squeals.  He thinks it is hilarious when they swim around super fast.

And the maintenance has been really easy.  It takes me all of 30 minutes, once a week, to put them in a small bowl of their tank water so that I can drain the aquarium and fill it with clean, distilled water.  From what I've read they need: chlorine-free, shallow water (once they get legs, opportunity to get on dry land), a pinch of boiled lettuce every-other-day, and plenty of shade.  Easy!

 

This is how the tank looks most of the time, so that their habitat is 3/4ths shade.  It's funny to wonder how they get this shade out in the creek.  I guess that's why most of them don't make it, ha!  If only they all had the chance to stay at the luxurious Hotel de Maverick.

Here are my 9 little babies!  Okay, that's a bit much.  But I'm attached now! :)

Notice the one small guy (or gal!).  That one is different from all the rest in color and size, so I think I was lucky enough to capture 2 types of tadpole.  The small one is light green and yellow with spots.  All the others are dark brownish green, and I think they might be toads.

If you look reeeeeeeeeeally close, you can see legs!!!!!  They grow up so fast!  In real life, you can see how the ends of their legs actually have 3 webby toes.  It's hard to take detailed, up-close pictures of underwater squirmy things.

Again, if you look super close you can see beady little yellow eyes staring up at you.  You might be able to notice that their bodies aren't perfectly round anymore--they are forming front legs.

Check back later to see them grow! :) 

Meanwhile, it's been SO stinkin' hot already.  This happens every year.  There is like 2 perfect weeks of spring...and then BAM!  Humid, hell-fire summer until October.

Which is unfortunate for us since Mav LOVES going outside.  It's a battle every time I let Belle out to go potty.  He quivers his lip and slides his face down the window in pure agony.  Can't blame him, though!  Who doesn't like spending time outside?!

So to beat the heat, we take up residence in the back yard where we have a half-covered porch.  It is so nice to have covering from the blazing sun.  I keep meaning to buy some sort of kiddie pool, but for now the giant blue bucket will do.  Belle likes to think it is a super-size water bowl for her enjoyment. :)

Poor Belle.  This time of year is awful for her.  You know--being a bred to survive frozen tundra and all.  Her thick, thick, undercoat that allows her to enjoy hours outside during the bitter winter is coming out in clumps.  My Dyson vacuum has been getting 2 to 3 workouts daily.

Splish-splash!!

Aw, man!  Do I have to come inside?!