Questions concerning attracting American bullfrogs to backyard ponds

[Wayfarin]

I name none of them or the fish. Usually a named one disappears.

They are all called pretty fish and cute frog.

"Teresa" the red-eared slider is the only animal I plan on getting attached to. The general rule is to never get attached to any animal that a red-eared slider will share its space with, because the turtle might decide to eat it without cause. They sometimes kill fish that they've lived with for years.

There's always a chance that a bullfrog or even a bird will never go near the water in our pond again after meeting her, but I'll still do what I can to make the pond hospitable for wildlife.

 

[Moni_Pond]

I name none of them or the fish. Usually a named one disappears.

They are all called pretty fish and cute frog.

Ha! The very first fish that I decided to name, Al, was never seen again after naming. He disappeared overnight, likely from a raccoon visit. I’ve only named one other fish since.

 

[Maggie]

I have many big bullfrogs in my koi pond. I have never had a problem with them going after my fish or birds that drink and bath in it. My koi range from 6 inches to 18 inches. I enjoy all the frogs.

 

[Wayfarin]

I have many big bullfrogs in my koi pond. I have never had a problem with them going after my fish or birds that drink and bath in it. My koi range from 6 inches to 18 inches. I enjoy all the frogs.

Is there anything in particular that the frogs find attractive about the pond?

 

[Maggie]

They all hang out where there are a lot of plants/ grasses and sun.

 

[West Van Ken]

Hello, folks!

As I've mentioned on an older post, I was planning on changing the design of the outdoor red-eared slider pond (which, a year later, hasn't been built yet).

The pond would be designed in a way to keep our turtle contained, while still allowing frogs, dragonflies, birds, butterflies, bees, backswimmers, and diving beetles easy access to the pond. There would also be some small fish in the pond to eat mosquito larvae and pupae.

I originally planned to obtain bullfrog tadpoles for release in the pond. But apparently, it's illegal in our state to release tadpoles or frogs into an outdoor pond if they originate out of the state.

There's really no need to release tadpoles into the pond, though. Bullfrogs are common in our area and can colonize any backyard pond on their own.

However, does anyone have any suggestions regarding attracting bullfrogs to outdoor ponds?

I've heard that they prefer shallow, still, warm, and vegetated water. Our pond would be most of those things.

I'm aware that bullfrogs can be big. Do they need more space than other frogs?
The pond would probably be no more than 6' x 4' in diameter and 2' deep. It would probably have a capacity of only 150-300 gallons.

I'm also aware that they (and their huge tadpoles) hibernate under the ice. Are they hardier than goldfish, or do they also require an open area of the surface to allow oxygen penetration?

Also, if the pond is too shallow, will they migrate to deeper water before winter and return in the spring? I believe I've heard of frogs breeding and overwintering in different ponds from some sources, but I'm curious about how often that occurs.

I've also heard that bullfrogs tend to be nomads, moving from one pond to the next and rarely settling down in one place.

Any input, especially from experience, would be appreciated.
Thanks! God bless!

No, no, no! American bullfrogs will eat every living thing it can get in it's mouth- fish, tadpoles, other frogs, snakes, ducklings, and more. They are invasive predators, so if you can kill one, eat its back legs. Delicious

 

[BKHpondcritters]

No, no, no! American bullfrogs will eat every living thing it can get in it's mouth- fish, tadpoles, other frogs, snakes, ducklings, and more. They are invasive predators, so if you can kill one, eat its back legs. Delicious

While it is certainly true that bullfrogs can be voracious predators, they are also native (NOT 'invasive') wildlife in many areas of the country and shouldn't be killed just because they exist. I have bullfrogs happily coexisting with each other, as well as numerous frogs of different species (green, tree, pickerel, wood, etc...) and other wildlife such as birds, lizards, toads & snakes.

 

[jdale]

I couldn't keep the bullfrogs out if I wanted to. They lived in the pond even when it was a chlorinated swimming pool. They did not care. Even when we were swimming in it. Now that it's a pond, they are even happier (and me too!). I'm not too worried, after purchasing a total of 9 fish, I currently have around 80.

We also have a lot of other kinds of frogs.

 

[West Van Ken]

While it is certainly true that bullfrogs can be voracious predators, they are also native (NOT 'invasive') wildlife in many areas of the country and shouldn't be killed just because they exist. I have bullfrogs happily coexisting with each other, as well as numerous frogs of different species (green, tree, pickerel, wood, etc...) and other wildlife such as birds, lizards, toads & snakes.

Interesting comments- thanks. They are considered a scourge up here in western Canada, but not everywhere apparently. My problem is raccoons and herons.

 

[Anton_25]

I'm In the no no no camp.
Frogs, toads, tree frogs, spotted stream frogs, bullfrogs which ever, all but a very few are a menace. I would gladly pay a fortune for a functional frog trap. Any I do manage to catch I relocate to wild swampy zones some distance from me. However I have a feeling they all eventually find their way back.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I'm In the no no no camp.
Frogs, toads, tree frogs, spotted stream frogs, bullfrogs which ever, all but a very few are a menace. I would gladly pay a fortune for a functional frog trap. Any I do manage to catch I relocate to wild swampy zones some distance from me. However I have a feeling they all eventually find their way back.

And I simply can't even begin to imagine having a pond without frogs! I can sort of understand people who don't want a large bullfrog to 'take over' the pond & scare away (or eat! lol) all the other wildlife, which I guess can happen in a smaller pond. Or if you are in an area which they are not native to. But what makes you say all the rest are 'a menace'? Are you dealing with a bunch of non-native, invasive species, such as the Cane Toad? Or.... are you just not an 'amphibian person'?

 

[j.w]

And I simply can't even begin to imagine having a pond without frogs! I can sort of understand people who don't want a large bullfrog to 'take over' the pond & scare away (or eat! lol) all the other wildlife, which I guess can happen in a smaller pond. Or if you are in an area which they are not native to. But what makes you say all the rest are 'a menace'? Are you dealing with a bunch of non-native, invasive species, such as the Cane Toad? Or.... are you just not an 'amphibian person'?

I love hearing my frogs even at night! They put me to sleep like a nice hard rainfall pounding on my roof does also. Silence to me is not always golden unless someone is snoring! Then I would like to throw that person out the window w/the frogs

 

[Anton_25]

And I simply can't even begin to imagine having a pond without frogs! I can sort of understand people who don't want a large bullfrog to 'take over' the pond & scare away (or eat! lol) all the other wildlife, which I guess can happen in a smaller pond. Or if you are in an area which they are not native to. But what makes you say all the rest are 'a menace'? Are you dealing with a bunch of non-native, invasive species, such as the Cane Toad? Or.... are you just not an 'amphibian person'?

Problem is they lay thousands and thousands of eggs! Each egg becomes a frog. They become invasive even if native. I certainly love amphibians of all kinds. We have a plague of European toads which I don't love. The noise of these thing is not pleasant. I like the call of many tree frog species, some of them make an absolutely magic sound. But hundreds of quacking frogs is not a nice thing. etc. Just I would say if you don't have frogs don't introduce them it's a mistake you will regret.

 

[Wayfarin]

Problem is they lay thousands and thousands of eggs! Each egg becomes a frog. They become invasive even if native. I certainly love amphibians of all kinds. We have a plague of European toads which I don't love. The noise of these thing is not pleasant. I like the call of many tree frog species, some of them make an absolutely magic sound. But hundreds of quacking frogs is not a nice thing. etc. Just I would say if you don't have frogs don't introduce them it's a mistake you will regret.

Toads have a high survival rate because their spawn and tadpoles are somewhat poisonous to predators, but the eggs and tadpoles of most species don't survive to reach the frog stage, especially in ponds where fish are present.

Bullfrogs are too territorial to congregate at ponds, except when young.
Most ponds won't sustain more than a few adult bullfrogs, which will eat most other frogs and even each other (and sometimes small fish).

 

[jdale]

My pond is ~12000 gallons, 25' diameter. Bullfrogs here are like the Sith: always two there are, no more no less. I don't know that I've ever had more than that. Lots of other types of frogs though.