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An Essex Wildlife Garden Update!

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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Apr 2018 at 9:15pm
I scooped out some dragonfly larvae, well maybe damselfly as they weren't huge, water louse and quite a few leeches. 
Suz
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Liz Heard View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Liz Heard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 12:09am
Blimey....your farming techniques work well Gemma. That was quick!

I don't know why but this year, although they started well, my kitchen tadpoles have stalled and don't seem to be gaining weight (though they're otherwise ok). Too many? I'm not sure, but after a little acclimatising, they're joining the rest in the pond tomorrow.


Quite a few adult frogs lazing around shady pond-side recesses today, sometimes in groups. The more i searched the more i saw.
Note the individual secreted down among the moss on the rock (centre right of first pic).







With the vegetation low (not for long), a good time of year to spot slow worms (without lifting anything).
In situ..



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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 8:56am
I think I can see five frogs in the first picture Ben, any advances on 5 lol. Be a great picture for kids to play 'spot the frog' took me a while to get 5 Smile 

The growth thing might be the affects of the tadpoles themselves Ben. I use to see this when I first started out rearing then read a paper that suggested the tadpole poo itself contains I think a bacteria that retards growth. It must be some tactic in the wild for some tadpoles to get ahead in life. Solution  I found was to change the water every other day which seems to do the trick by removing all the poo and I now get nice even development.
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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 12:00pm
I'm pretty sure mine are overcrowded. I think I read you ought to aim for a volume equivalent to large cola bottle full of pond water per two tadpoles. I've never managed that! Come to think of it I think in the wild they can be like soup in their water body, so not sure where that standard came from. Some years mine have raced along to leg stage in an overcrowded state, other years they haven't. It was heartening to see some pond ones about the same size as my mollycoddled ones when I did the scoops yesterday. 
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 1:04pm
I raise in pretty crowded trays Suz, so much info out there that comes from just one experience and have seen now recommendation that you should only have two or three common frog tadpoles in a tank. Probably good if raising them for children to see but not really what we are doing. 

Thinks it's just best to persevere and find what works in each situation, plenty of food and water changes is the system I stick with now and loses are rare and I get plenty of froglets. I've read people who raise exotics have a different cup for every tadpole, couldn't be doing with that!


Edited by GemmaJF - 22 Apr 2018 at 1:04pm
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will View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote will Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 4:31pm
Just back out of hospital having my stone zapped and not allowed to go out for walkiesUnhappy, so what better pursuit than 'spot the frog', which is a game you can play from home!  thanks Ben, nice oneBig smile

I've got 7 Gemma (competitive, me?LOL) - clockwise from bottom left...one in the water, top left - a big dark one, below that a little red/brown, then a group of 3 on the wood and the one on the moss rock on the right hand side.

How about some more in a dedicated thread - maybe 'how many adders communal basking'..?
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GemmaJF View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GemmaJF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 7:24pm
Heal quickly Will! Damn, you are right can see seven now LOL 
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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 8:01pm
Maybe nine?
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Suzy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 8:10pm
Possibly two top left (one behind the other) and possibly one at the bottom of the photo in the middle, hidden mainly by foliage.
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will View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote will Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Apr 2018 at 9:10pm
@Gemma - thank you!  I'll do my best

@ Suz - it's like frog poker - you raised my 7 but I'm not raising your 9 - I think you're certainly in with a chance of there being one at the front amongst the plants, I can see what you mean.
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