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Update on new wildlife pond

EsspeeEsspee Posts: 274

Three weeks ago my little wildlife pond was started and now houses lots of happy active little tadpoles which I am feeding on boiled lettuce and spinach (just because the pond is new).  I kept five tadpoles in a bowl inside so that I could observe them up close even when the weather was awful.  My problem now is that the indoor tadpoles have developed much faster than their brothers and sisters outside and I suspect that if I put them in the pond they will, when they stop being vegetarian, eat all their siblings.  image   Any advice?

 

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  • EsspeeEsspee Posts: 274

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  • chris 172chris 172 Posts: 403

    Hi ESspee

    Life is hard for tadpoles however in a normal pond there will always be different sizes and will develop quicker than other.

    its the same with birds in a nest however release them into,the pond and let nature decide what happens. The most important thing is that if only one small frog survives it will still come back to the pond next year And after if it survives Mother Nature.

    It will take a few years to get frogs actually breeding in your pond as they need to be at least three years old to be active for spawning however in the meantime your pond if kept clean and clear will bring many visitors to which many will stay.

    A great bonus to a garden but if you have children the area needs to be safe

     

    Happy gardening

  • EsspeeEsspee Posts: 274
    Thanks Chris, I may have to put the big ones into the pond shortly as I will be away for a while. I am hoping that they will live on pondweed during my absence. I could ask a neighbour to feed them I suppose. There is not much info on what they feed on in the wild online. Boiled lettuce and spinach doesn't seem right to me.
  • goddygoddy Posts: 35

    Hi Esspee, Don,t think you need to worry. I have watched tadpoles and see most of them chomping around the side of my pond. I think they also thrive on algae unseen to our eyes. The same way my water snails do(which miraculously seem to come from nowhere! Just make sure you have enough oxygenating plants and the pond will look after itself. A word of warning though. In a spell of very dry weather, NEVER top up with tap water. Use water from a water butt. Good luck and enjoy all the tiny critters that will inhabit very soon.

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