Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Any one here have experience with hormone induced breeding of frogs and toads?

Ive been researching the literature and am looking for a recommended dosage of Lutenizing and Release hormone. I've seen 125 micrograms per 100 grams body weight published but I'd like to comfirm that.

Thanks

I'm just curious what you plan on injecting the hormones into. You do know that it is very dangerous to the animal don't you? I refuse to use hormones, cause you need to cycle the animals anyway, just do that right and they should breed.

Hi,
I 've used pituatary extract and it works just fine. Refined Hormones are too expensive. You can extract the pituataries from donor frogs or mice,I think you can use mice because mammals use the same hormones in reproduction, but I have experience with donor frogs. The pituatary is a very small white egg shaped mass on the back of the frogs brain, very easy to find and extract. You will need 6-9 per frog. mash them up and inject directly into the abdomen. Place the frogs in about 6 inches of water in complete darkness, Amplexus and breeding will occur in 48 hours. I never had any health problems with my frogs after doing this I don't believe that it is unhealthy, except for the donors! if your frogs are not in breeding condition and not prepared(over wintered) you can expect developmental abnormalities in the tadpoles. Also a higher number of mutations, I typically see a larger percentage of albino's.

Thanks Rick:
Although you dont use te refined hormones, do you know of a source for them? I can probably get my vet to order some from Sigma Chemical but wonder if there is another supplier to breeders.

The refined stuff appeals to me in that a much smaller dose is needed and can be injected under the skin on the dorsal side lessening the chance of hitting a blood vessel in the abdomen.

Thanks for the info
John

A vet is the only way I can think of of getting the hormones.

Try Carolina Biological supply, if you have a business tax number they will sell it to you.

This is the address that most of the old school guys purchased their hormones from. I have tried them and they work, not on ranids though. For some reason the ranids die after injection.
I am also including the catalogue #. The company prefers sending to an insttution rather than individuals.
BA Chem Inc
3132 Kashina St.
Torrence, CA 90505
The dosing regime I have is dilute 1gr. to 10 mls sterile water
inject females with .1ml. 8 hrs later inject the males with the same dosage. Then put the frogs together. The dosage works out to approximately 10 mg/kg. This dose was based on a 0.5 kg frog (Ceratophrys). It worked for me.
I never had any deaths or problems, at worst it didn't cause ovulation. You have to condition the frogs.
Chuck