We will explain what tadpoles, baby frogs and adult frogs eat. But in addition, we will explain where frogs live and many other curiosities about these animals. Keep reading!
Where do frogs live?
Frogs are anurans that belong to the class of amphibians They are adapted to live in aquatic and terrestrial environments, although they return to the water for reproduction. There are many types of frogs, divided into 54 different families, including poisonous species and specimens of very different sizes, colors and habits.
They are also characterized by having a thin and in most cases smooth skin, two large eyes and strong and flexible legs, with which they move through jumps In addition, as a curiosity, they are one of the animals that breathe through their skin.
Now then, Where do frogs live? These vertebrates can be found almost everywhere in the world, except in the Arctic and Antarctic, in addition to some areas of the African continent. They prefer to live in moist habitats close to rivers, lakes, swamps and other water sources, in addition to abundant vegetation, with which they often manage to camouflage.
If you want to know everything about what frogs eat, don't miss what comes next.
What do tadpoles eat?
Before becoming adults, frogs go through a tadpole phase, during which they have no legs, have tails and must necessarily live in the water. What do baby frogs eat? During this stage, they are mainly herbivorous animals, so they feed on algae they find in the water. In addition, they ingest detritus or debris, as long as it is floating around them. Thanks to this, it is possible to offer the tadpoles of a pond shredded spinach or lettuce.
As the tadpoles grow, they switch to an omnivorous diet. What do small frogs eat? They still eat plant foods, so algae is still an important part of their diet. To this they add mosquitoes and larvae of other animals. If you are interested in helping feed tadpoles in a pond, or have pet frogs, you can offer them crushed flake fish food and ground red grubs.
On the other hand, to know everything about the different stages a frog goes through before becoming an adult, how frogs are born and much more, don't miss this other article: "Reproduction of frogs".
Are frogs omnivores?
The answer to this is yes, the diet of adult frogs is basically omnivorous What does this mean? They feed on animals and plants. However, the consumption of food of plant origin in adult frogs is accidental, as they are hunting animals. The diet of adult frogs depends on their species and the variety of prey they can find in their habitat. Although frogs are animals that require proximity to aquatic environments to survive, most of their prey are terrestrial species.
In this sense, they feed on beetles, insects of the order Hymeniotera (wasps, bees, ants, among others), spiders, Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths) and Diptera (flies, horseflies, midges, etc.). This with respect to insects. They can also consume worms, small fish and snails. Larger frogs sometimes resort to cannibalism and some species are capable of preying on birds.
Now frogs don't have teeth, so how do they catch and eat their prey? The method is simple: they wait camouflaged among the vegetation and, when they find prey close enough, they jump up to it and catch it in their mouths. Then, they must ingest it completely, without chewing, since they have no way to do it; to help themselves they force their heads with the aim of swallowing the prey, this is the reason why their eyes look more bulging while they eat.
This type of diet will depend on the species and the area in which it lives. For example, there are species of frogs that can only live in water. What do aquatic frogs eat? They mostly eat small fish, water worms, larvae of different insects that nest in the water and, occasionally, eggs of other frogs.
Among aquatic frogs, the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis), especially its albino version, is popular as a pet. These frogs are native to Africa and like to live in muddy areas under water. What do albino frogs eat? Their diet is the same as that of the rest of the aquatic frogs: larvae, worms, fish, insects, some algae and, sometimes aquatic molluscs.
What do aquarium frogs eat?
It is evident that most of the options that we have shown are for frogs that are in the wild, they answer the question of what pond frogs eat. Now, when it comes to aquarium frogs, what do they eat?
In general, It is not recommended to keep frogs as pets, as it is difficult to provide them with a diet as varied as the one they would have in the wild. In addition, many species are in danger of extinction, so it is not advisable to take a frog out of its habitat to take it home. Not only would this be illegal, but it would seriously affect the balance of the ecosystem where he lived.
Having said this, and if you already have one of these animals at home, what do aquarium frogs eat? The diet will depend on the species, but in general you should provide a lot of protein. In the pet supply stores you can buy flake food for fish, as well as larvae, worms and some small fish. The food you give him should disappear quickly so as not to dirty the water in the tank.
Regarding the frequency, it will depend on the size of your frog and its species. Try leaving some food out and see how quickly he eats it, this will help you determine the proportions.
What do green frogs eat?
The green or common frog (Pelophylax perezi) is a species endemic to the south of France and the Iberian Peninsula. It is characterized by measuring between 8 and 11 centimeters, and presenting a greenish color with various combinations of brown and black.
The diet of green frogs is not very different from that of most species of anurans. It relies primarily on algae and debris for tadpoles, while adult frogs eat various types of insects, some fish, worms, and sometimes small birds. Eating plant matter is often a mistake, either mistaking a plant for prey or taking it at the same time as the hunted animal.
And what do toads eat?
Since they are different animal species, it is logical to think that the diet of frogs is different from that of toads. However, these differences are minimal, since toads also feed on insects, worms, lizards, etc. Now while frogs are considered omnivorous animals, toads are strictly carnivorous. Do you want to know more details about the feeding of these amphibians? Then don't miss the article in which we explain "What do toads eat"!
