Origins:  You can find these big eaters around the edges of most lakes, ponds, and pools.  You can hear their booming croaks during any part of the day.  Most other frogs sing at night.   They get their “bull” name from their call and their large size.  The larger tadpoles we sell turn into bullfrogs.  

LA
Bullfrogs provide great pleasure to frog hunters.

LA
Leopard frogs grow just big enough to make a tasty bullfrog snack.

LA
Nice pattern on this bullfrog.  He'd still eat that leopard frog.  Frogs love frogs.

Container:  Bullfrogs grow to eight inches – not counting their hefty legs (which, of course, taste like chicken.  Just ask the Colonel.).  Any container that holds water will work.  A covered 20-gallon tank gives about the right amount of room.  Shallow water will suffice.  You’ll find it easier to filter deeper water.  New filters on the market make it easier to filter shallow water.

LA Pic
Bullfrogs stay in the water.  It's hard to get close.

Water:  Bullfrogs need constant access to water or they will croak (for good).  Frogs also absorb oxygen thru their moist skin. Frogs cannot tolerate dirty water – water with a lot of dissolved organics or dead food items floating in it.  Change their water often and use a water conditioner that neutralizes chlorine.  Filters make your job easier.

LA
Over green or brown, he'll blend into the background.

Décor:  Bullfrogs ignore vegetation but real or fake plants make their habitat look better.  Limit your frogscaping to avoid hiding your critter.

Temperature:  Bullfrogs adjust to a wide variety of temps.  Neither cool weather nor hot weather bothers them much.  However, cool weather will slow them down.  Too cool for too long will weaken them and possibly kill them.  So will too hot.

LA
Note how his mouth goes way, way back.  It's huge -- even on this two incher.

Temperament:  Bullfrogs jump (and emit a croak) when trying to escape but spend most of their time loafing at the water’s edge waiting for food to wander past.  You cannot mix them in a terrarium with other critters.  They will eat anything smaller than them that moves.  Their huge mouth goes way back past their ears.  Remember Jabba the Hutt?

Winters:  Bullfrogs in the wild spend the coldest months buried in the mud.  They do not hibernate in captivity.  They just get fatter and lazier.  That’s why we call them American bullfrogs.

LA
His huge "ear" cover and bulgy eyes let you know he's a bullfrog.

Maximum Bullfrog Size:  About eight inches for the females – a little smaller for the males.  Unless they're the same age, how ya gonna know?

LA Pic
Two-inch bullfrog downing a 1.5" feeder goldfish.

LA Pic
His more in focus brother finishing a goldfish.

LA
Adult bullfrogs eagerly gobble full-grown mice.

Foods:  Bullfrogs eat moving foods – a wide variety of foods fill the bill.  However, they cannot see unmoving food.    Remember Jurassic park?  "Just stay still and they can't see you."  That was because they used frog DNA to activate the dinosaur eggs.  But enough of this science stuff.  Bullfrogs soon need larger food items than crickets.  They quickly graduate to feeder goldfish, nightcrawlers, and even mice.  If you dangle a worm in front of them they gulp it right from your fingers.  

Supplements:  An occasional dusting of their prey with powdered calcium and vitamins suffices.  Don’t over-vitaminize your bullfrogs.

LA Bullfrog eyes reflect light at night.  Night time is the right time to catch a batch of bullfrogs.

Lighting:  Bullfrogs prefer full-spectrum light and appreciate a regular day and night schedule.  You can catch wild ones easily at night.  Their eyes show up very well in your flashlight beam.  Wading unknown waters at night can present some interesting surprises.  Real sucky mud is no fun in the dark.  Scope out your hunting area in the daylight.

LA Pic
Bullfrog tadpole ready to become a frog.

LA
Bullfrog tadpoles grow larger than other tadpoles and take longer to metamorphosize.

LA
Compare the size of a bullfrog tadpole to a quarter.

Baby Bullfrogs:  Like all frogs, bullfrogs start their careers as tadpoles.  Zip on over to tadpoles for a look at their life at this stage.

Limit Handling:  Few amphibians enjoy handling.  Your hands often remove part of their skin.  Leave bullfrogs alone as much as possible.  Wash your hands after handling them.

LA
Leetle 1.5"-guy just changed over from a tadpole.  Frog bait for the adults.

LA
Three-year-old 3-inch bull frog.

LA
Beeg guy at six inches plus his legs.  He'd love the tasty leetle guy above.

LA
Same star as preceding.  Expect your bull frog to eat constantly.

LA
Young Bull frog still light enough to sit atop a fake water lily

LA
Adult bullfrog heavy enough to sink most lily pads.

Last Word:  Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling any bullfrog, reptile, or amphibian.  Keep your fingers out of your nose and mouth.  And do not rub your eyes.  LA.

© 1998, © 2004, © 2005, © 2006  LA Productions 

Other Stuff