Theloderma corticale (Vietnamese mossy frog) tadpole developing legs

Frogs have four legs, but tadpoles have only two – the back ones. The front legs of tadpoles develop along with the back ones, but they do so internally, erupting only at the very end of development, just before the tadpole officially becomes a frog and leaves the water. These tadpoles can take anything from three months to a year to morph

completely, which is an extremely long

time for a frog! I strongly believe this is one

of the reasons as to why Theloderma frogs

(and especially T. corticale) are not bred on

a large scale. Most breeders of Theloderma

species tend to breed these frogs as a

passion rather than as a good money-

spinner!