Topic: Frogs

[Garden Manager]

I have just 'aquired' a frog in my new garden pond. I want to make it welcome so would like any info or links to webpages you might have on native frogs; how they live, what they eat and basicaly how i can make my pond more frog friendly. It would be nice if i can get it to stay and perhaps breed next spring.

My new amphibian visitor has been worrying me in the last day or so. it hasnt been very active and yesterday morning took a bad tumble off a dry stone retaining wall i have close to the pond. The frog had climbed up it to sit and sun itself on the top, then unfortunately got back down to the pond the hard way. After some activity following this, it has stayed in the pond, so still that i feared it had died, but some movement when i went to pull out some blanket weed allayed this fear. Could it be starting to hibernate? I thought they did this on land not in the water? I am confused.

So basicaly any info would be helpfull

Thanks

[Robert_Brenchley]

it's far too early for a frog to be hibernating. You don't need to worry so much; they're pretty tough. they need cover, a bit of damp in the surroundings but they don't live in water out of the breeding season, and they eat invertebrates, which you've probably got loads of. I had loads when I first got my plot but they mostly disappeared as I got rid of the weeds. There are loads of sites out there if you do a search for 'Common Frog', but I can't find anything which says much about their lifestyle.

[redimp]

I have a small pond on my lotty (but don't tell the council) and it is teaming with Frogs.  At the moment they spend quite a lot of time in the pond with just there heads out.  I do have to watch where I walk as they also patrol my plot - especially amongst the bush and climbing beans.  I think that Frogs do sometime hibernate at the bottom of ponds (they shut themselves down so they do not have to breathe) I also have a few toads which ten to hibernate in my compost bins.  I also keep a weedy area round my pond for cover for both the amphibeans and for myself ;D  They also patrol the rest of the site so I am doing everybody a favour and nobody has grassed me up yet.

[froglets]

GC, it's hard to fathom the mind of a frog - mine sit and do nothing for ages while I weed around them and get on with my stuff and then for no apparent reason, leap of in a huff, usually when I've moved onto a patch further away from them.

Lack of movement isn't necessarily a problem.

[redimp]

Male frogs hibernate underwater, beneath piles of mud and decaying leaves. Females and juveniles remain on land, and find shelter in small cracks and crevices, beneath piles of leaves or under stones and logs.

Frog in a garden pond Frogs can stay underwater for long periods of time because they have a special skin which allows them to breathe. The bottom of a pond is quite a good place to hibernate, as the temperature remains fairly constant throughout the winter, and the frogs are safe from predators.

Frogs hibernating underwater need a supply of oxygen, so if the surface of the pond freezes over for too long, they may die from lack of oxygen. If your pond freezes over this winter, and you have fish or frogs in it, make sure you ask someone to break the ice.

[Garden Manager]

Thanks for replies.

My frog has since last posting shown signs of well being. He/she popped its head above the water when i was out in the garden last pm. Stayed there for some time before disapearing again. I havent sighted it since. I am sure its OK now.

I was sure for a time that it was either sick or hurt inside, hence the inactivity, but If you say they tend to dothat then that dispells that theory.