Life Cycle:Tadpole

Tadpoles

After being hatched, the tadpole continues to feed on the remaining yolk that is in its gut. A poorly developed mouth, gills, and a tail is what the tadpole pretty much is at this point. Therefore, the tadpole is very fragile at this stage. Using small sticky organs between its mouth and stomach area, the tadpoles will usually stick themselves to floating weeds or grasses in the water. About 7-10 days after it has been hatched, the tadpole will start to swim around and feed on algae. Skin starts growing over the gills after about 4 weeks, until the gills eventually disappear. Very tiny teeth are grown which help the tadpoles grate food into soupy oxygenated particles. Their long coiled guts help them digest as much nutrients from their small diets that is possible. By four weeks, tadpoles usually become fairly more social creatures. Then after 6-9 weeks, the tadpoles grow legs. Along with the legs, their heads become more distinct and their bodies are elongated. Their diets sometimes even grow so they eat larger items like dead insects. Their arms begin to bulge and then pop out, elbows first. Then after 9 weeks, the tadpole begins to look like a teeny frog with a long tail. After about 12 weeks, the tadpole starts to look like a miniature frog and eventually the tail goes away.

Life Cycle

Spawn

Egg

Tadpole

Full-Grown Frog