Can frogs climb?

[BigT]

Last year I built a raised pond to be more child friendly and to prevent grass clippings etc from migrating into the water. In Feb this year, I found a frog traipsing down my driveway and gave her a helping hand into the pond, where she successfully spawned. All the baby froggies appear to have developed and moved on, but I am now left wondering if they will be able to make it back into the pond? The walls are about 2.5 ft high and made of ridged decking planks. Will the froggies be able to climb it, or do I need to build some froggy steps?

BigT

[henrya]

If your decking planks are vertical, it might be a bit of a challenge for the frogs. They *could* climb it, given sufficient incentive, but it would be kind to make life a bit easier for them. Maybe something that you could put down at frog spawning time, and take up when the frog movement had finished? But you might have to watch that Hedgehogs didn't use it and tumble in!

henrya

[natterjack]

Originally Posted by henrya

If your decking planks are vertical, it might be a bit of a challenge for the frogs. They *could* climb it, given sufficient incentive, but it would be kind to make life a bit easier for them. Maybe something that you could put down at frog spawning time, and take up when the frog movement had finished? But you might have to watch that Hedgehogs didn't use it and tumble in!

henrya

It's always a good idea to have a shallow sloping beach/log/ramp/slipway or whatever leading out of the water on the inside of a pond as well, to help any wildlife get back out of the water.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by henrya

But you might have to watch that Hedgehogs didn't use it and tumble in!

henrya

its always a good move to have a small raft floating in your pond so that hodge hegs etc can get out if they go for a swim

[nightshade]

I have watched frogs and newts climb the sides of an aquarium they seem
to allow their chest skin to stick to the glass somehow but am not really
certain of the mechanism,the frogs were only small ones

[eeyore]

I think they are using the surface tension of the water to form a sucker type effect , but that will only work on smooth surfaces , probably not on wood etc.

[nightshade]

Whoops,sorry there should always be a way out for wildlife from a pond
(I did not read all the thread properly)

[jimbeaux]

I've seen a frog climb (slowly) up an Ivy-clad wall getting to about 3ft off the ground and it seemed perfectly at home searching for a meal, I assumed. Why not plant some ivy? It'll look more natural and will provide habitat for loads of things.

Jim

[Hornbeam]

I think you will need a slope of some kind. However, frogs can climb and I've seen a series of photos showing a frog climbing up and over a low fence of chicken wire. SAS frog perhaps?

[pondy]

Hi BigT, I also have a raised pond and I had the same query. My solution was to build a sloping bog garden to provide a route into my pond.

http://www.cjs-design.co.uk/Pond/bog%20garden.JPG