This frog lives on the banks of ponds, ditches and pools and makes a fun pet.
In the spring they produce an enormous amount of frogspawn. There is nothing more
fun than putting frogs spawn in a jar and watching the development stages of the tadpole.
This is how my tadpoles grew up. There are two sorts of Edible frog a big one and
a smaller one and they can cross-bread easily.
behaviour
Edible frogs sit motionless on the bank looking out over the water.
The can react as fast as lightning (with their tong) when something edible passes by.
Frogs swallow their prey whole. Their prey can be flying insects, small creatures such
as worms, salamanders and spiders etc. and also other small frogs. The frogs keep a
constant eye on there surroundings and as soon as I come near they dive under the water.
They also hunt under water. Other frogs, young salamanders and small fish aren't safe from them.
A big edible frog catches a small bird. Sometimes these frogs eat
mouses, birds or fish. A rare photo from
pia aalbers.
A edible frog dont like goldfish, they can smell goldfish and try to
avoid a gopldfish pond. Probably as goldfish eat frogspawn and
tadpoles. Here a edible frog is eating a goldfish. A rare photo from Marlieke van Rens.
croak
The sound that male frogs make changes during the year. In the summer they make a
very loud croak. In the spring they make a soft croak. The brown frog's croak is
very different. If Edible frogs are kept as pets they start croaking if it is quiet
in the room. After some time they will croak even if people are near by.
pet
The Edible frog is an easy pet to keep, it doesn't ask for much and breads easily.
The croaking, splashing and jumping make them a fun pet. The edible frog can jump up
to 1/2 m with such amazing speed that they have escaped from my open terrarium.
This happens sometimes especially if they are frightened. It is possible for an adult
Edible frog to jump up to 1m. If you make you terrarium into an island they will
stay unless frightened. They always come back after a while. They smell the water.
A frog reaches adulthood when they are 3 to 4 years old and they can reach up to 10 years.
An edible frog can be kept together with brown frogs, toads and large salamanders
but not with freshwater lobster and yellow edged water beetles.
food
After some experimenting the frogs now get wingless fruit flies daphniato eat.
This works well because these flies can't escape from an indoor pond.
These flies are too small for bigger frogs which get blind houseflies
You can use these in an indoor pond as well. It is possible to use wingless cricket
and other insects but they can escape from an indoor pond. In the summer I give them
insects that I´ve collected with sweep netting.And afther removing the wasps and bees and spiders.
Sometimes the frogs make big jumps across the terrarium, especially when the weather is warm.
Usually they wait motionless till something edible walks,swimms or flies by. A frog can go
a quite a while without food up to a few weeks. They loose weight slowly, because they
are cold blooded and use very little energy.
The edible frog in the pond
My kitchen garden has a frog pond that is full of edible frogs in the summer.
They hunt insects around the pond which is great in the fight against insects.
Sultry nights see the frogs leaving for other ponds especially where there are no fish.
Green frogs don't go well with goldfish or koi because these fish eat frogs spawn
and tadpoles. A pond needs to be at least 30cm deep otherwise the frogs freeze also
frogs prefer to sit on floating plants such as the yellow plump and other sorts of water
lilies like the ranonkel or hidden under leaves of plants
The indoor pond
An indoor pond needs to have smooth edges. Only very young frogs can walk up glass.
This pond can of course be shallower. Mine is 5cm diep. The [blind fruit flies and
krulvliegen] will stay by the pond. Under the glass bottom you can make illumination.
Water lilies are very beautiful but need to be anchored otherwise the frogs will use
them to jump into the room. If frogs do escape they will always return to the water.
breathing
Frogs have a unique ability to absorb oxygen directly through their skin.
They get about 10% of their necessary oxygen this way. This enough for hibernation
and when the frog is on the run and dives under the water. It is not enough for hunting.
The frog will then breathe normally through his lungs.
Frogs and toads
While you can find frogs by pools and ditches and toads in drier areas it is still
possible to confuse them with each other.
The following can help: -
-Frogs have bigger back legs.
-Frogs lay their eggs in balls and toads in long thin lines.
-Frogs eyes bulge and toads eyes are sunken.
-Toads walk and frogs jump.
-Frogs have smooth, shiny skin and toads have ugly, dry skin.
Both frogs and toads can get quite tame,mines even coming
for food when called.
The edible frog is nice fun pet ,and is very tolerant for childern.
They can be feed by hand.
haiku : frog
Lonely lily pad.
Once pride of the pond, now home
to a farting frog.
haiku : frog
Warm lips kiss odd frog
Hoping to find prince charming
All I get is warts
