Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm the grooming manager at a Petsmart and a couple of tadpoles cam in with a shipment of fish, so brought them home....the tiny little one didn't make it, but the one that was almost already morphed, did and is doing well. I posted a pic of this little toadlet and someone said it was a Bullfrog. I used to play with Bulls when I was kid. They get HUGE! I want to keep it! I'm already attached...I need as much info as possible on keeping a Bullfrog in captivity that will keep it the happiest and healthiest! How long does it take then to get to adult size? If he gets too big for my house....would he do well in an outside pond in my yard and IF so, what about winter time? I need lots of info. Here's a pic....I have another pic if this one doesn't indentify species...but it's a bit darker....

Bullfrogs are fasinating animals but they are not easy to keep unless you invest some time and money into them. You say that you work for a pet store , this is good because bullfrogs require a large tank.

It pains me to to here that a 50 - 75 gallon tank with a large water dish will keep a bullfrog happy, it will not. I have kept bullfrogs for 6 years, and one thing I have learned, they love water. In the wild you will rarely find a bullfrog away from water. Yes it is true they will sit bankside and in captivity on a land area but they prefer to hunt in the water. I started my bullfrog collection with two tadpoles in a split 50 gallon tank with one foot of land area and two feet of water.then moved them to a custom built encloser when they got bigger.

Bullfrogs like to float with their eyes just above the water with their legs straight down not touching the bottom. They have huge webbed feet and are amazing swimmers. So a large 100 gallon to 125 gallon tank will keep a pair of bullfrogs happy. be sure to divide the tank into one third land and two thirds water. Bullfrogs are timid and reqire lots of hiding areas. Bullfrogs can be kept on a diet of crickets dusted with a good mineral suppliment but can become obese if over fed.

Sorry about the spelling, Good luck Steve

I would not try keeping this frog outside, not knowing where it came from. Frogs carry viruses and you may create a problem with the other native frogs that are in the area. Also there is no garrentee he will stick around. Unforunately, it is best to keep him indoors.

Frogs can be kept awake all year but it is best to hibernate them. Here in Ontario it gets cold enough to close the door to our frog room in the house and slighty open the outside window to allow the room to cool to about 34 to 38 degrees. They burrel under some spagham moss and got to sleep. You have to keep the moss moist or they will keep waking up to find water.

I raised mine since they were extremely young and had mine for several years now--happy and healthy. You can get a plastic container sizes 50, even 100 gallons. 50 gallons per bullfrog please. You really don't need glass at all. So it's not expensive.

Although bullfrogs enjoy swimming, if you go that route you are going to have a major problem with cleanliness. Bullfrogs eat a LOT and poo and urinate A LOT in the water mostly. Though filters exist, nothing can substitute actual clean water. Ever see the size of bullfrog poo? QUITE HUGE, and virtually impossible to filter.

I use a shallow bowel. Though they can't swim in it, they do soak and are adaptive creatures. My male does sing a lot, and well mine are doing well. I change the water DAILY--and I do mean DAILY--using only declorinated/de-chloramined water (you can get a bottle of water conditioner at any aquarium store, only about 6-10 drops per gallon).

I highly recommend the plastic because I think it makes them feel a bit more secure. Mine do lots of digging too so lots of peat moss.

JadeFox