Raising Tadpoles



While my dad was here, we took Elijah fishing a couple of times, and while we were down by the lake, we noticed lots of little tadpoles in the water.  I asked Elijah if he would like to raise some of these little baby tadpoles until they turned into frogs and of course, he was thrilled.  We got a little net and scooped up some of the little guys (probably some girls too) and plopped them into our glass jar.  Then my dad had the great idea to scoop up some of the pond water and algae as that is what the tadpoles would need to eat.  I also made sure to pick up various shells and rocks along the banks for their habitat.  I had never really raised anything, but I thought it would be helpful to have as much of their natural environment as possible.

We brought them home made their little habitat and let them loose in their new aluminum "pond".  Elijah even thought it would be nice to add some "friends" to their home so they wouldn't get lonely.  The next morning I thought they were all dead, but they were just resting, and later that day they were super active, swishing the water, swimming all over the place and hiding under shells and rocks.  Elijah and I have tried naming the tadpoles a few times, but it is really too hard to keep them separate since they all look almost identical.  Every day all throughout the day Elijah gets his little stool and climbs up to the kitchen counter to check on the babies.  They already have back legs, and they are so cute.  We feed them, talk to them, and sometimes shake their habitat just for fun. 

I am still a bit shocked at myself for allowing these little creatures into our home, but what can I say except that is what a mother's love will do.  I will say however, that as soon as their little front legs begin to sprout back to the pond they will go.  Raising tadpoles is one thing, but raising little hopping frogs is entirely another.