# Keeping common frogs



## Joe1507

I have this plan in my head to keep two common frogs (will be caught from the wild by me) and trying to breed them, upon studying my life in cold blood poster Ive discovered that they are protected only against commercial trade, but I have no intention of selling them...
Anyway, has anyone eles done this, isit even legal?

Ive got a great setup in mind


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## spend_day

collecting and keeping Rana Temporaria (the common frog) is legal but selling anything but 2nd generation captive bred in not 

what kinda set-up you thinking about


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## Joe1507

What do you mean second generation?

Well I was thinking of getting a big storage bucket http://www.petsnails.co.uk/images/tank_storage_box.jpg - Much like that,

Putting some air holes obviously and having a terrestrial setup until next spring, just to get to know them, let them settle in etc.

I was thinking of using some real plants, and also thinking of getting some grass growing in there with some plants and some fern like plants I have growing around my garden the seem to like taking cover in. I would also like to gety some live moss growing.

(my garden is completely overgrown and theres ofter frogs plopping around the grass and these fern things)

I was also thinking of having like a cave type of thing setup in there like lots of people have with tarantulas.

But I was thinking about lighting would they need any additional lighting [Incase their box thing is too dark] (just like normal light to give their habitat some shine) or do you think this is un-necasary?


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## spend_day

Joe1507 said:


> What do you mean second generation?


i mean both parents have to be from captive breedings. 



Joe1507 said:


> Well I was thinking of getting a big storage bucket http://www.petsnails.co.uk/images/tank_storage_box.jpg - Much like that,
> 
> Putting some air holes obviously and having a terrestrial setup until next spring, just to get to know them, let them settle in etc.
> 
> I was thinking of using some real plants, and also thinking of getting some grass growing in there with some plants and some fern like plants I have growing around my garden the seem to like taking cover in. I would also like to gety some live moss growing.
> 
> (my garden is completely overgrown and theres ofter frogs plopping around the grass and these fern things)
> 
> I was also thinking of having like a cave type of thing setup in there like lots of people have with tarantulas.
> 
> But I was thinking about lighting would they need any additional lighting [Incase their box thing is too dark] (just like normal light to give their habitat some shine) or do you think this is un-necasary?


 sounds good. lighting wise is a bit of a hard one. i would supply some kind of light if only for the plants and i would consider UVB lighting as well (maybe a 5%) only because there was some issues involving people keeping common toads earlier this year they kept getting calcium deficiencies. i know there a completely different species but it might be something worth thinking about


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## Joe1507

I have calcium powder? Lol
My next question is size, because common frogs are pretty big when compared with Fire bellied toads...
If we say the storage box im considering has the same amount (if not a bit more) floorspace as a 50L rub, will this be too small for a pair?


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## spend_day

Joe1507 said:


> I have calcium powder?


so did the toads it was a suspected D3 problem (which is made when exposed to uvb radiation and it help absorb calcium) most phibs can get by without it if you want more info speak to lotte (Saedcantas) she knows alot more about this stuff than me 


Joe1507 said:


> My next question is size, because common frogs are pretty big when compared with Fire bellied toads...
> If we say the storage box im considering has the same amount (if not a bit more) floorspace as a 50L rub, will this be too small for a pair?


sounds ok to me but i would wait to see what others say as i know the basics about common frogs but im not expert


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## Joe1507

Ok, im sure itll be fine, also does anyone eles on here keep them?


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## morg

common frogs make poor captives as they are very skitish and will jump against the side of the container you are keeping them in,and injure themselves.
Also to get them to breed they would need the correct photopriod, and hibernation.
you would be much better constructing yourself a garden pond, and if there are frogs in your area, they should move in quickly and breed every year.


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## Joe1507

We should have a pond made within next year, until then Id like to keep some just as a project


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## Frasereptile

Joe1507 said:


> I have this plan in my head to keep two common frogs (will be caught from the wild by me) and trying to breed them, upon studying my life in cold blood poster Ive discovered that they are protected only against commercial trade, but I have no intention of selling them...
> Anyway, has anyone eles done this, isit even legal?
> 
> Ive got a great setup in mind


What you should do is find some frogspawn and hatch that so that you not takeing them out the wild, thats what im doing


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## arthur cooke

Thats the best Idea, get some frog spawn, then keep some of the frogs and let the rest back into the wild, that way your putting back more than you take out.
cheers arthur.


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## andy07966

I agree, i'm doing the frogspawn thing. I've got a thread about mine with loads of pics. I'm uploading some more in a bit so that should bring it to the top of the thread list again.


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## TheToad888

I'm going to raise me common frog spawn untill they are frogs. If there is a disabled one i will probably keep it. Coinsidense or what but that is the exact plastic tub i'm going to use...


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## Joe1507

Lol cool.


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## REDDEV1L

I've been picking lotte's brains about this recently for my one-eyed Common Frog. I was intending on moving him from his 18"12"x12" into a 24"x12X15 (LxDxH) but was advised to go bigger,(36" or 48" tank) because instead of walking like toads, frogs hop everywhere...and if there isn't enough room to hop they'll start bumping into the sides and damaging themselves etc.

She also advised a 10% UVB bulb as tests were done with a spectrometer (or whatever they use) and the results were that a


> 2% bulb only produces 10mW/cm2. You need at least 40mW/cm2 at a normal use distance for there to be any benefit.
> Even on a dull day in the UK you will get 80-100mW/cm2 on the ground (measured a number of times around the Dept. here in Jersey  )


 
Mine is really placid, although still doesn't particularly like being picked up for weighing etc. I've had him since he was a tiny bean-sized froglet which is probably why...he hasn't known any different, and eventhough im sure after a while in captivity a wild caught would calm down a bit, they'll still probably be more jumpy than a cb or captive raised.

(Thats him in my sig, other pics in my album show his current set-up and more of him. Click my sig pic for youtube vids of him and the toads etc)


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## Joe1507

Ok thanks you pics are a help and your videos I subed


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## Tehanu

spend_day said:


> so did the toads it was a suspected D3 problem (which is made when exposed to uvb radiation and it help absorb calcium) most phibs can get by without it if you want more info speak to lotte (Saedcantas) she knows alot more about this stuff than me


 
Oh you!




spend_day said:


> sounds ok to me but i would wait to see what others say as i know the basics about common frogs but im not expert


 
What are the actual dimensions of a 50L tub??? We keep Agile Frogs (_Rana dalmatina_) in 4' long enclosures and this species is a little smaller than your common frog (_Rana temporaria_).
These frogs will certainly damage themselves if kept in too small enclosures, nose rub through meeting a wall simply everytime they try to move can result in infections and even death. Frogs with poorly calcified bones especially end up with horrific breaks (resulting in euthenasia probably) in too small enclosures.




REDDEV1L said:


> I've been picking lotte's brains about this recently for my one-eyed Common Frog. I was intending on moving him from his 18"12"x12" into a 24"x12X15 (LxDxH) but was advised to go bigger,(36" or 48" tank) because instead of walking like toads, frogs hop everywhere...and if there isn't enough room to hop they'll start bumping into the sides and damaging themselves etc.
> 
> She also advised a 10% UVB bulb as tests were done with a spectrometer (or whatever they use) and the results were that;
> 
> 
> 
> A 2.0% for your Rana is next to useless I'm afraid, it produces only 10mW/cm2 at less than 2" away. You need at least 40mW/cm2 at a normal use distance for there to be any benefit.
> Even on a dull day in the UK you will get 80-100mW/cm2 on the ground (measured a number of times around the Dept. here in Jersey  )
Click to expand...

 
If you read particularly the last part of what Red quoted here, you'll see that even a common uk frog is going to be getting a significant amount of UV exposure in general. I wouldn't even attempt to keep these frogs without at least a 5% UVB tube and a suitable sized enclosure with appropriate hides.

Lotte***


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## andy07966

When I was younger I had a 6 foot x 3 foot x 4 foot high setup in my garden (no roof/lid). I used 2 - 6x4 sheets and 2 - 3x4 sheets of perspex with four wooden batons at each corner, hammered those into the ground, screwed the perspex to those, at the end of my garden. They had a pond in there, lots of thick shrubs and grasses and I kept them for about 1 year. They lived on natural food in the garden. I was quite proud of that and I think something like this would be the best way to keep common UK frogs

I let them go eventually when I found a toad to keep in there. I wish I had some photos of it


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## animalheights

*Common frog care*

Hi, first of all, no it is not illegal to keep common frogs. That tub should be large enough for a pair. But you are going to need to do some research on sexing them. Of course if you are breeding them then you are going to need to have a male and a female. However for a more successful breeding it would be better if you had two males and a female. Make sure you are certain they are found in the same place. As newly introduced males will fight especially over a female! 
As for lighting a 5% UVB bulb. Will do. No basking lamps are required for any sort of amphibian, as they may harm your pet.
For the enclosure that tub you suggested would be fine and would make them feel more secure. Any type of reptile or amphibian soil or bedding from a pet store. Make sure you DO NOT buy it from a garden center as it may contain fertilizers or chemicals that could harm your frog. Give them places to hide such as half plant pots, rocks, plants, or premade hides from a store. Give them fresh water in a large water bowl; deep enough for them to swim in with a shallow area to bathe. Don't worry if you think your frogs are not drinking. because frogs drink through there cloaca or there bottom.
For food the will eat mealworms or crickets. Some large adults may eat small cockroaches but not as a stable diet. If you are feeding them in there enclosure then make sure you take any left over crickets out since they may bite your frogs. Make sure if you are feeding crickets or mealworms then ensure they are dusted in calcium supplement. Cockroaches do not need this since they are high in nutrients. 
No extra heating is required for these frogs since they are native to the UK. 
Now I think that, that is enough to keep your frogs happy and healthy!


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