RAUK - Archived Forum - Relocating frog spawn

IÆve seen some frog spawn up near the moors at the side of a country road in a ditch which IÆm pretty sure is gonna dry up. ThereÆs quite a lot this year, most is in part of the ditch that has a high water level at the mo but some spawn is in water that isnÆt so deep, after years of walking that route I know that in summer the ditch starts drying up and lots of tadpoles end up wringling around in mud and then theyÆre no more. I have high hopes for the spawn in the deepest part of the ditch but am pretty sure a large clump further along isnÆt gonna make it. I was thinking, thereÆs this bloke at work who put a pond in his garden last year and has one frog there, donÆt think hardly any pond plants yet and no spawn. Well should I suggest he takes the spawn to give it a chance? He lives in a place we call Beruit cos itÆs a rough council estate, doubt thereÆs other ponds nearby although the one frog must have come from somewhere. Or shall I just let the taddies die? Alternatively if I was being really caring I could carry a bucket on my 1 hour 30 minute walk and transfer the spawn a few metres along the ditch to the deepest part.

Oh and also does relocated frog spawn usually survive cos I had a mate who moved some from danger last year and she watched the tadpoles but she said they never grew legs and then they disappeared, she thought theyÆd died and Bad Dad for fun decided to move some frog spawn a few metres on the moor nearer to his house to watch them grow but he too said they never grew legs, then there was a drought and he had to keep topping it up with tap water. Do you think theyÆd be enough nutrients in my workmateÆs new pond to let them grow up and make it? Are tadpoles hardy or do most die?

Took someone long enough to reply here, I forgot IÆd even started this topic. Yeah, I decided by myself to just let nature be and not interfere. My friend at work realised later that he didnÆt just have the one frog, he had 5. Apparently his pond has fish in it and he was cleaning it out and found bonking frogs and then a week or so later, tada, they produced spawn. He says heÆs feeding the fish more so that they donÆt feel as inclined to eat the spawn.

I actually saw someone on freecycle wanting frogspawn and it passed my thoughts to suggest he or she went and got some from the verge IÆve seen but I didnÆt contact the person. Thought it was best not to incase of disease spreading and thought maybe thereÆs something wrong with their pond for them not to have their own spawn in. Must be, right?

ItÆs so sad that only 1 in 1000 tadpoles make it, itÆs so not fair. ItÆs amazing that thereÆs so many around and so sad when they get squished.

IÆve been keeping an eye on the spawn in the verge and it donÆt half look manky now. Hope itÆs actually ok and not dead.

IÆll remember not to transport tadpoles Ben. In summer when the verges are drying out and I see tadpoles thrashing about in the mud I so want to help and have thought about going up with a bucket to catch a few but if they die in the car then they obviously wonÆt withstand a good walk in a bucket. Bet you felt bad when they died Ben.   Poor you.