Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is anyone familiar with the Pacific Treefrog and if so could you please describe the eggs? I found a strange mass of what I think are eggs in my yard today and I am unsure of what to do with them.

Thanks!

I have seen these eggs around. They are usually in small clumps, with 5-2- eggs per clump. A skin of jelly surrounds them completely, and the eggs float around in this water stuff in the middle. The gel rips very easily, so you have to be careful. I don't think they are breeding right now, but that is just here. Obviously they are laid in water. They are usually black little balls in the sack when first laid. As they get older, the tail comes out and they move around a little. Finally they eat out and swim off the tiny little things. Dead or dying tadpoles in the eggs are usually yellow and black or gray colored. Hope this helps! Also, one of multiple deciding factors for me would be hearing their mating call, a two part, crek-ek or ribbit sound. It is kind of high pitched. i'm finally done rambling! a picture would help me confirm if they are pacific treefrog eggs or not
-----
Paullywog

If it has scales or smooth wet skin... snatch it!!!

Well here is my problem:

I believe I have multiple treefrogs living in my yard. I just moved to this house in August and have not been able to catch a glimpse of the frogs in question, but the calling sure sounds like one. Maybe I am wrong.

Also these eggs were NOT in water, but in my yard. It has been VERY wet here and the grass has been growing like crazy and we just got around to mowing it yesterday. My husband found a large mass hidden in the grass in a divet. It is about 5 inches long by 3 inches wide and looks like what I would think are frog eggs. The question is ARE they and if so why are they in the grass and not the water? Maybe someone has heard of some other reptile or amphibian that lays eggs in a large gelitonous mass like this??? I looked at salamander eggs and they are definatly not those.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I will get some pics up tomorrow of it.

Hi there.

If you're eggs weren't in the water, and definately aren't salamander eggs, I'd be willing to bet that they're snail or slug eggs. The egg masses Are found under logs and things, in high humidity areas. At first galnce they look remarkably like amphibian eggs. Treefrogs always lay in the water. If you have adult snails/slugs in your yard, look around. I would suggest however, that you'd have to have a very large snail or slug to lay a mass 5 inches wide. Whereabouts do you live? They could be Banana Slug if you live near Santa Barbara. If not, In Northern CA, southern CA? County would be good. Hope this helps.
One last thought, many salamanders protect their eggs until they hatch, so it is likely that there would be an adult nearby your egg mass if it was indeed amphibian. My thoughts; any other insights?

best,
-Phil

Wow Slugs or snails??? I am learing all sorts of stuff. I am located in Vancouver, WA and I don't know what kind of slug we have here, but snails are not often seen. The slugs here are big and brown but to lay that many eggs???!!!! The mass is almost bothersome but it is definatly some sort of egg mass! If anyone from the Pacific Northwest has seen something like this in their yard or heard of anyone who has I would be interested in hearing about it because this one has me stumped!

Wow that's too big to be treefrog eggs. Maybe it COUld be (probably not) salamander eggs or some kind of amphibian eggs laid in water and then the water dried up? Slug eggs or something have got me excited at first glance and then i just realize they are slug eggs not something exciting. It sounds interesting, we'd like to see a pic!
-----
Paullywog

If it has scales or smooth wet skin... snatch it!!!