Frogs Only Please.....

[texmaster]

I believe I interrupted a ménage à trois tonight when I went out to check on the pond. Pretty sure its not legal in this state.

 

[Nepen]

My frog is a green frog (skin folds along the back). Got a good look at it yesterday. Still couldnt take the picture as it always jump in the pond when I get too close.

 

[ZmanArt007]

I've found two of these little guys hanging out around my back yard today.



They sure are little, but I don't think they came from my pond. I'm pretty sure there wasn't time for them to grow since I replaced the liner in June. These toads must just be very brave and adventurous for their size.

I relocated them to an empty lot near my house, because as much as I like having them around, I'm sure our 11 cats would love having them around even more...

 

[CountryEscape]

Pretty sure the toads COULD have been born since liner put in place in June. I think from time of egg laying, then just a few days and tadpoles, it doesn't take very long for the baby toads to appear. Glad you located them to avoid "confrontation" with your cats! Usually dogs don't harm toads, as they taste awful! What adorable little baby you have!

 

[ZmanArt007]

Well the pond wasn't even filled until somewhere around June 27th. I'm pretty sure I would have noticed tadpoles too.

 

[CountryEscape]

Oh ... well you have lots of babies, so that's all that matters! Seems one year there are hundreds of babies, other years none. You are very lucky, but I sure understand the lawn mower issue. I stop all the time and wait for toads to hop out of the way.

 

[texmaster]

Oh ... well you have lots of babies, so that's all that matters! Seems one year there are hundreds of babies, other years none. You are very lucky, but I sure understand the lawn mower issue. I stop all the time and wait for toads to hop out of the way.

We've got a lot of babies too. Someone's playing some Marvin in the neighborhood.

 

[CountryEscape]

Haha, you may be right, texmaster! I think toads are like the locusts ... some years there are hundreds, other years none. I have lots of large toads, but not noticing any tiny ones. Two or three years ago I had a bunch of eggs, then tiny taddies, but never noticed even one baby toad. There were places for them to get out of the pond, too, but something must have eaten them, or maybe they just died, I have no idea. I'm glad others have the babies, so I can see them.

 

[addy1]

I see the little ones jumping everywhere, see them for a month or more than they sort of wander away. I never am overrun with big toads, except in the spring when they are in the pond breeding.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

So, do any of you do anything special (beyond adding a pond) to encourage frogs to live at your pond? This question came to me because everything I have done has been done to attract frogs, so most of what I add is intended to make it a better habitat for frogs such as certain logs they can hide under, logs in the pond, plants near the edge, etc. I even decided to do a bog knowing frogs would like it. Can't wait for some to finally show up, but toads sure get a lot of use out of my logs. I'm sure I put more thought into it than most of you, but thats why I'm asking the question if any of you have done anything purposely to make your environment more appealing to frogs?

 

[JohnHuff]

I haven't seen my 3 frogs for a week. Hope they're OK.

 

[CountryEscape]

I think I cheated, JB. I have a farm pond, about 1/2 acre or so, in my pasture. I live on 6 acres, so that pond is pretty close when it comes to frogs migrating. If you live in an urban area, it will take longer, but sooner or later something is going to drop some eggs into your pond, and the frogs will appear, I would think. If you live in the country, then it's a shorter period of time, IMO. I didn't do anything to attract the frogs, they just showed up within a month of finishing the first pond.
Here's a tree frog I found in a nested set of flower pots at Joe's house. I was trying to take the pots apart to replant a Snake Plant (like MIL's tongue, only thinner and longer), and spotted the little feller!

I know I have heard tree frogs where I live, but I don't believe I have ever seen one. They always sound like they are in the few trees on my property ... which are pretty much the only trees within a mile in every direction!

 

[j.w]

@CountryEscape So CE the farm pond is just a pond that was there when you moved in? Did someone dig it out a long time ago before you moved in or is it just natural? Is it fed from a stream or spring or just whatever rain falls in? Any fish in there?

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, it has been on this property for years, not sure how many, but it's been dug out again (dirt silted in). It was dug, as my property is totally flat, so only water that enters the pond is from the sky, sadly. It overflows when we get a lot of rain, and that overflow goes into the ditch past my house, and runs out there. Pretty much no water drains INTO the farm pond. And, I know there are carp in there, because about 3 or 4 years ago, after a VERY large rain, and during spawning season which I know about now, there were 2 about 14-16" long, dead almost side by side, on the shallow end. I figure one followed the other in a spawning issue, and they both met their demise!

 

[j.w]

Thanks for explaining CE. Sounds like a good place for wildlife but somebody had to put that carp in there unless it came in as eggs on bird legs I guess. Maybe they died resulting from the airplane spraying?