How can I deter frogs in the garden?

[Tracey015]

This may seem a strange question but I want to know if anyone can give me an answer to my question as my partner is absolutely terrified of frogs.

I currently have a sunken informal garden pond, which as you can imagine attracts many a frog throughout the year. I was considering changing the pond to one with dwarf walls made of the rough style decorative bricks. Would this deter frogs from the pond for starters?

My partner wants me to get rid of the pond completely to solve the problem, but apart from not wanting to have to get rid of my fish, I don't think it would stop frogs from coming into the garden anyway?

[Kayleigh]

Welcome to WAB...

Get him therapy.....

Im not joking get him hypnotised frogs are lovely things to have in the garden he needs to sort his phobia out and tackle the issues that caused them..

Sorry..Frog lover..

[BloomingMarvellous]

Your Partners names not Malli Is It.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Tracey015

This may seem a strange question but I want to know if anyone can give me an answer to my question as my partner is absolutely terrified of frogs.

Let's start from the perspective that phobias are debilitating problems which need to be taken seriously - from which we have to conclude it is not unreasonable that your partner wants to live without a constant threat of having to face the object of his fear, and that the question therefore devolves to one of simple practicality.

Firstly there are some facts that need to be established - where are the frogs orginating ? Is the pond in your garden the only local breeding environment ? If there are other ponds or streams within several hundred metres of your garden then you will potentially be in the dispersal enviroment of any breeding population originating from those other water sources. UK frogs only spend a few months a year actually in water, the rest of the time they are feeding in moist shaded locations. Only if your pond is the only local water source will filling it in remove the frogs - and then it may take up to two years for the existing population to die out. And do you really want to drive an entire local population to extinction ?

It is certainly possible to make your garden unattractive to frogs, short of filling in the pond, though again this would be drastic action if it involves killing off the only local population. Putting a barrier around the pond would reduce the ability of the frogs to use it for breeding, errecting close board fencing with solidly fixed gravel boards all around your garden would limit access into your garden - though not just to frogs but any other smaller wildlife - hedgehogs etc. Removing the kind of habitat that frogs prefer - moist shaded cover - would make your garden even more unattractive to frogs.

Frankly the though, all of the above seems a huge effort for potentialy small returns and I'd have to agree with Kayleigh that if your partner could be persuaded to seek treatment for his phobia, not only would that be a far cheaper otion, it would probably be far more life affirming for both you and him, as well as the creatures in your garden.

CM

[galanthus]

Ummmm present partner with suitcases ?

Soz lol. Agree with coth, your may be their only breeding area and this would have a terrible effect on the local population. Also believe, along with others, that maybe trying to get him to have positive contact with them could allow a compromise where he knows they are there but doesn't mind as much.

They look quite cute really so maybe getting some pics on the net of cartoon frogs in situ with humorous captions may be a start. You could build up to actually having him sit near one. Although it's unlikely he'll ever love them at least he may tolerate them. Good luck

[Garden Carpet]

Sorry your partner doesnt like frogs. I am assuming you had the house/frogs before the partner. henrya and I suggest that it would be a case of love me love my frogs.

Seriously though, your partner would benefit from the suggested therapy and so would the frogs.

The final response would be to move to a property which doesnt have frogs
but certainly do nothing to the frogs you now have.

jaki & henrya

[Jez]

I still have problems with frogs and toads (yes it's all coming out now after being a member here for almost 2 years ) I cannot handle adult frogs, which I'm sure there all too happy about ! Though there was a time when I was absolutely petrified off the little things. That all changed when I built a pond and went out of the way to make it with frogs in mind as I had watched from my childhood how they were quickly disappearing from around our neck of the woods and didn't at all like the thought of that! It wasn't long after the pond was made the frogs came in and I started to get to like them being there and using the the nooks and crannies I set up in the pond for them to take refuge in. So over the time my fears started to wain, though they can still make me jump when 1 just hops out in front of me when I'm not expecting it lol, and no not as yet am I prepared to pick them up, which was need at times when working at the farm shop-toads use to settle happy under the pallets we kept outside for coal which happened to get rather damp on the ground as it was on a small slope so rain water gathered there. Then the shop front was extended the slope knocked out but the toads somehow managed to find there way to the same spot, which meant me having to get others to take them away! Though I have to say now that I have taken up gardening full time I'm always happen when I come across them even at first I'm a little alarmed!

So I know what your partner is going through and I wish him all the best with overcoming his fears it can happen to a greater extent if not completely and hope you find a god solution which is best for all!


Jez

[fairy frogmother]

Before I had my pond I used to find frogs all over the place in my garden and I was always coming across them when I least expected it! Since I got the pond they seem to hang about in there either under rocks or in the plants around it. I don't think they have read that they are only meant to visit to breed So perhaps keeping your pond could be seen as doing your partner a favour as it is keeping them more or less in one place

Also, I agree with others here that it would be good to suggest that your partner tries to overcome his fears. I know that phobias are one of the easiest things to treat, and have one of the best treatment success rates. A few sessions with a good Cognitive Behavioural Therapist should sort out your frog hating partner

Good luck !

[Cotham Marble]

"I don't think they have read that they are only meant to visit to breed So perhaps keeping your pond could be seen as doing your partner a favour as it is keeping them more or less in one place"

That might be 'fair comment' in circimstances where the population density is low and the only attractive habitat is in the vicinity of a single pond - but the problem being posed is potentially far more complex than that.

If there are neighbouring ponds in which the frog population is growing, then there is likely to be dispersal prompted by food scarcity. Likewise if the pond in question supports a growing population, even if it has an 'island' characteristic, the island will eventually be outgrown.

The rates and style of disperal of a frog population will be particular to each local habitat and I doubt that we can infer very much from the circumstance in any particular garden/location that could be applied to a general picture of 'frogs in gardens'. Certainly where someone is looking for absolute certainty about how the frogs will behave, all one can do is describe how the creature behaves in general terms.

CM

[m1.carson]

OH dear,

We have an old fashioned plastic dustbin at the top of the garden, you may be able to remember them, approx. 3ft high and tapered outwards, 3 frogs have got in it and live in it, no idea how they got in , suckers on their feet perhaps, unfortunately a little wall won't keep them from water.

Max.