What Do Baby Toads and Frogs Eat?

Baby frogs and toads eat any small creatures they can catch.

Frogs and toads are amphibians in the order Anura and are characterized by their development through metamorphosis. Frogs and toads develop as tadpoles feeding on primarily on algae and other aquatic vegetation. As they develop limbs and move from water to land they become carnivores and feed on small animals.

Diet in the Wild

The diet of frogs and toads in the wild varies by species, but most baby anurans rely on insects and other invertebrates as their primary source of food. Spiders, ants, earthworms and any other animal that they can catch and swallow are what baby frogs and toads eat in nature.

Diet in Captivity

In captivity, baby frogs and toads will readily eat wingless fruit flies, pinhead crickets and small worms. As frogs and toads grow, the size of animals that they eat increases. Most anurans will live their entire life on insects, but some species of frogs and toads will even eat animals as large as mice when they mature.

What if a Baby Frog Does Not Eat?

Very young frogs and toads that have just come out of the water may not eat for several days. It is a natural behavior and eventually they will get hungry and feed. If your baby frog or toad does not seem able to catch its food you can help it out by using long, thin forceps to hold the food in place.

References

• Exploratorium: The Amazing Adaptable Frog
• Western Connecticut State University: Who is the Pickerel Frog
• Indiana University--Purdue University Fort Wayne: Blanchard's Cricket Frog
• Davidson College: Bullfrog
• All About Frogs: Life Cycle of a Frog