Frogs are fascinating amphibians which are increasingly being kept as pets by enthusiastic herpetoculturists. Caring for frogs in captivity naturally results in a desire to have a go at breeding them, providing other frog-keepers with captive born stock, making some money to recover the costs of buying the animals and equipment, and an amazing opportunity of observing the amphibian life cycle from egg to frog. Any successful frog breeding project must include research about, and a plan of how to raise the tadpoles.

Tadpoles are the larval form of frogs. The vast majority of amphibian species reproduce through externally developing eggs which result in aquatic tadpoles, and after a period of growth, undergo metamorphosis, which completely changes their morphology to froglets, which can live on both land and water. Because of the huge variety of types of frog that are bred in captivity, this article will not be able to provide detailed information about raising tadpoles of a specific species, but will discuss some universal considerations that are applicable to all tadpoles.

The vast majority of frog species start their life cycle as complete aquatic larvae, making the care of tadpoles is not dissimilar to that of aquarium fish and fish fry. Once the eggs are laid by the female they should be removed from the frog terrarium and placed in their own aquarium. The water in which the tadpoles will be reared must be dechlorinated, the easiest way to achieve that is by treating tap water with an aquarium fish water conditioner, which removes chlorines and chloramines. The water should be maintained at a temperature that is specific for the particular species of frog that you are breading, which might necessitate adding a heater to the aquarium.

It is best not to use gravel in the tadpole rearing tank, since it makes cleaning easier. Initially no filtration or aeration should be used, since the tiny tadpoles will find it hard to swim against the currents created and could be sucked up into the filter. It is easiest to start with a low water level, and gradually increase it by adding more dechlorinated water at the same temperature as the tank water, since water changes with tiny tadpoles are difficult. As the tadpoles grow in size and the rearing tank becomes filled with water, daily water changes of 50% of the water will become necessary to keep the water quality high. Gentle aeration with an airstone and an air pump should be added about 2 weeks after spawning. Biological filtration may be added using a simple sponge box filter driven by an air pump.

Feeding strategies for the tadpoles will depend on their species, and should be researched for each species that is raised. During the first few days after hatching, the embryos will not require food, since they will be absorbing their yolk sac. It is however preferable to start feeding too early, rather than too late, since starvation at this early stage in development can seriously delay growth and might lead to developmental abnormalities. Many frog species are herbivorous during their larval stages and can be fed on lettuce and other greens, which should be blanched under boiling water to soften them. Tadpoles of the African clawed frog are basically filter feeders and should be raised on infusoria, or powdered algae tablets. Providing some light over the tadpole tank will encourage the growth of algae and green water, providing a non-polluting and self-sustaining source of food. Carnivorous tadpoles such as those of the horned frogs, are perhaps the most difficult to feed, since they need live food and would probably do best on fish fry. They are often cannibalistic and will require isolating as they grow.

What is the best tortoise food and how can you provide this? An understanding of the different elements to good nutrition will help you to provide this and ensure the health and growth of your tortoise.

This depends quite significantly on which kind of tortoise you choose to care for and will determine the best tortoise food to provide. Most chelonians are herbivores which means they eat a mixture of vegetation and sometimes fruit but it is important to understand what good nutrition is and how essential it is to maintain a happy and healthy tortoise.

Good nutrition is the building block of good and long lasting health for your pet tortoise and there are 8 basic elements to consider. Each has its own purposes and function and each part is dependent on the other. These elements include, water, enzymes, protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Water is so important to all life forms and you will need to provide clean fresh water daily to ensure your tortoise remains hydrated. They do absorb certain amounts of water from the food they eat but they also need to have fresh water always available too.

Enzymes, have a number of functions for a tortoise but they break down specific parts of their food and without these they will very quickly become ill. Part of the reason they require a heat and light source in specific quantities is because this helps the enzymes to actually work.

Protein is essential for growth and development. The proteins help to repair damaged body tissue, sexual maturation and metabolism. They are also essential parts of the blood, digestive system, immune system, hormone production, plus numerous other functions.

Carbohydrates are found in plant matter and one of their most important functions is to provide energy for both the tortoise and the bodily functions such as digestion.

Fats or lipids are not soluble in water and have a number of functions in the body essential for health. They are necessary for growth, healthy blood chemistry, normal kidney functions as well as a fantastic source of energy.

Vitamins found in plants and animals are also essential for the ongoing good health of your tortoise as they work to metabolize food, ensure healthy growth, successful reproduction and cellular reproduction. These are essential and you may need to provide vitamin supplements even though many tortoise food manufacturers claim they add vitamins to their commercially produced food.

Minerals originate in the earth and pass through the plants and are then eaten by animals. They are essential and work with vitamins, enzymes and work best in conjunction with partners. Minerals are naturally present in tissue but again you may need to provide supplements in your tortoise food.

You need to consider all of these elements in order to provide the best tortoise food appropriate for your particular species of tortoise. It is not just lettuce and carrots that they need but a variety of food groups. This short article is just to highlight how good nutrition requires an understanding of how each part works with each other in order to process food successfully. Your captive tortoise is not able to find his own food, it is up to you to provide this and ensure they do not suffer from problems such as shell growth, respiratory diseases etc.

Increasingly tortoises are becoming popular pets to have thus their availability has grown. But how and where do you buy a healthy and reasonably priced tortoise? Below I provide a simple guide on how to buy a tortoise the healthy, humane, and correct way.

Do your Research

Before you buy your tortoise you need to know what you are looking for. You should choose the species based off your ability to fulfill the needs of that particular species.

For example if the species of tortoise you want has a very particular and expensive diet that you cannot afford, do not buy that species.

Also, when picking a species you should take your experience into account. If you are a beginner pick an easy to take care of tortoise. For example, Russian Tortoises are small and not very temperature sensitive. While an Indian Star Tortoise should be left for advanced and experienced keepers only.

Where to Buy a Tortoise From?

Now that you have a species in mind, lets take a look at the few possible avenues of where you could buy a tortoise.

-Breeders

Breeders are individual people who breed tortoises as a hobby or a business. There are many advantages to buying from a breeder. When you buy from a breeder you know that you are buying a 100% captive bred tortoise that wasn’t taken from the wild. Also, the breeders can offer one-on-one advice for care and in most cases sell the reptile for a lower price than pet shops.

To find breeders in your area search the web on sites like Craig’s List or reptile forums like Tortoise Forum.

-Online

With a quick online search you can find companies willing to send you your tortoise in the mail. Most often these are large-scale tortoise farming operations. Before buying from one of theses companies, do your research and make sure they are humane and most of the time deliver alive and healthy reptiles.

Also, a good amount of the time these companies can provide accurate information on how to care for the tortoise.

-Pet Shops

Buying from big chain or local pet shops is not advised. Most of the time these reptiles are coming from poor conditions and being sold to you by people who aren’t very knowledgeable about tortoises or any reptile. Plus most of the time the reptiles being sold are overpriced compared to breeders. And pet shops have been known to sell beginners unnecessary, expensive equipment.

Diet plays an important part in caring for day geckos

Day geckos of the genus Phelsuma are becoming very popular pets to keep. They are very colorful lizards that are active during the day, and since most of them are small- to medium-sized, they are easy to house in a standard terrarium. As with other reptile pets, providing them with an appropriate diet is of paramount importance in maintaining healthy pets. Geckos that are not fed the appropriate diet will not breed, and might go on to develop serious, life-threatening disease, such as metabolic bone disease.

What do day geckos eat?

Most day geckos are native to Madagascar and surrounding islands in the Indian oceans. In the wild they are omnivorous, they feed on the wide variety of insects which they can catch in the rainforest, and also lick nectar from a variety of flowers and eat overripe fruit.

Feeder insects in captivity

It is impossible to provide this great variety of insects in captivity, crickets usually are the staple feeder insect for most reptiles kept as pets. However there should still be an attempt to vary the diet by occasionally treating the gecko to fruit flies, which the love catching and maggots such as wax worms, the maggots of the wax moth, and phoenix worms, larvae of the black soldier fly. Wax worms are very fatty and should be fed sparingly as a treat, while phoenix worms are an excellent gecko food since they are very high in calcium. The size of the crickets and other feeder insects depends on the size of the gecko, generally the length should not exceed the distance between the gecko’s eyes.

Fruit component of the diet

Day geckos have a real sweet tooth and sweet ripe fruit constitutes an important component of their diet. This can be most conveniently provided as fruit flavored baby food. Ensure that the list of ingredients contains only fruit, carbohydrate filler such as ground rice is not natural for the gecko. Flavors that day geckos will eat readily include peach, mango and passion fruit. Alternately the geckos can be fed mashed ripe fruit such as bananas. Despite the convenience of feeding fruit, a diet restricted to fruit will result in severe malnutrition since it does not provide sufficient protein. Live insects are a mandatory component of the day gecko’s diet.

Gut loading feeder insects

In the wild the geckos derive their nutrients not only from the feeder insects but also from the vegetable content of their stomachs. In captivity it is important to supplement the nutritional value of crickets and other feeder insects by gut loading, feeding them a variety of high quality vegetables and fruit prior to feeding them to day geckos. One of the most common vegetables used to gut load crickets are carrots, but it is good to use a variety of foods such as sweet potatoes, apples and green leaves.

Mineral and vitamin supplementation

The nutritional value of feeder insects is increased by dusting them with a mineral powder immediately prior to placing them in the day gecko enclosure. The most important mineral that must be added is calcium since crickets and other insects are generally low in calcium. The exception to this rule are phoenix worms which are naturally high in calcium. Since it is hard to provide the intensity of UVB light that the geckos are used to in Madagascar, vitamin D3, essential for calcium absorption, should also be added to the gecko food. Apart from dusting the insects, mixing some powder into the fruit puree is a good way to add minerals and vitamins to the diet.