Tadpole eats snails. How do the shells come out?

[knifegill]

I can see them in his belly, but what now? Will he barf them up later?

 

[Noto]

Interesting...

He may be a bit uncomfortable when he's passing them, but I bet he'll manage. How big are the snails, and how big is the tadpole?

 

[knifegill]

That's the scary thing. The shells are physically distending his abdomen. His body without the tail is only maybe half an inch, and the snails are just a little less, but he has two or three in there. I figure they eat them in the wild, so I'm not too worried. I am just wondering what has to happen in the long run for the arrangement to work out.

 

[Noto]

What species is the tadpole? Snail-eating is not a common habit among tads; most feed on softer items.

 

[knifegill]

How am I supposed to ID a stinking tadpole!

He came from the location described. I live in or around Everett Wa, so it could be a few different species, I'm sure. I hope it doesn't turn out to be an endangered one! Not sure what I'd do with it then!

 

[Jeox]

I know this sounds like a dumb question, but are you sure its a tadpole?
I cannot think of one tadpole, from anywhere, that can swallow any snail to make it's abdomen distend.

 

[kearth]

Are you sure you are not seeing the tads intestines?

I can go look at every one of my tads that I have and upon looking at their belly it looks like they swallowed a snail. Their skin is so thin and transparent it is very easy to see their "insides"

 

[Lupin]

I find it intriguing a tadpole could swallow snails. I have never observed this phenomenon. Do you have pictures?

 

[knifegill]

You know what? I'm really going to try this time. My brother-in-law is a computer whiz and a photographer, and I'll ask him to help me this evening.

The tadpole has some serious legs already. His arms haven't poked through yet, but he is using his legs for movement pretty regularly. I can't wait for him to be terrestrial enough that I can convert his habitat. His current 'land' is a floating platform with a ramp to climb. Once I see him climb out of the water, it's remodel time! I'm thinking shallow, sloping gravel, lucky bamboo and some guppies.

 

[kearth]

Tadpoles do not have the proper mouths to eat snails.


Is the skin on it's belly semi translucent?

You might want to figure out what kind of frog it is so you can set up the right kind of habitat.