Should I "help my frogs"?

Penny Black · #1 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 09:44 PM

Please forgive me if this has already been asked but I feel time may be important here. We have a raised pond (the area is too small for the usual type) fish live happily in it and breed. Three days ago I noticed two quite large common frogs sitting on the lilly pads. I am very concerned that they may not be able to get out. There is an overhang and they do seem to be trying to climb up the vertical sides to no avail. Today I got some plastic coated wire, for clematis etc., and made a ramp for them to climb, but so far, they haven't used it. I presume they need to get out to feed, how long before they suffer, should I try to provide food, although I don't see how I can feed live things in the water! Hopefully they have eaten the fish eggs.
Which means they aren't starving.

Thanks, Jan

Kayleigh · #2 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 09:53 PM

Welcome to WAB,

Can you put a basket of pond plants so the water level is the same level as the edge in the long run so they can climb up the plants, but you will need a ramp asp so the frogs can get out if they are not using the wire.
They can drown if they cant get out lucky they have a water lily to rest on.

Penny Black · #3 (**permalink**) 24-05-2010, 10:13 PM

No the water level is about 5 inches below the overhang. There are a lot of plants for them to sit on, they have spent some of the day with just their heads poking out and appear to be quite relaxed. How should I make a ramp. is it OK just to put a piece of wood in. I worry about anything it may have on it (preservatives) polluting the water.
Thanks for your interest, Jan

Penny Black · #4 (**permalink**) 29-05-2010, 10:02 AM

Just to let you know that my ramp seemed to work. They were quite active when I went to bed and had completely gone from sight next day. Anyway I have left it in place for any other visitors.
Thanks

Kayleigh · #5 (**permalink**) 29-05-2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penny Black

Just to let you know that my ramp seemed to work. They were quite active when I went to bed and had completely gone from sight next day. Anyway I have left it in place for any other visitors.
Thanks

That's great they tend to stay in the pond in the day and leave to hunt at night.
I have ivy growing round the rim of my barrel it looks quite affective and is practical this might be a solution or any trailing plant would do.
The frogs and newts climb this..

motnworb · #6 (**permalink**) 06-06-2010, 02:09 PM

Its not just frogs that can get trapped in a pond with such high raised edges, hedgehogs and many other animals can drown in these type of water features too.

Putting in a couple of ramps is definitely advisable and should be adequate for things to find their way out on.

They don't need to be ugly or distracting either. You can make them as natural or ornamental as you like, all they need to do is provide a sloping way from water to the bank top.

frogplate · #7 (**permalink**) 12-06-2010, 01:48 PM

Our ornamental pond needed to be a 1,000 litres but due to the small spare available we had to go for depth (it's a long story!). So it has 13 inch high walls with a slight overhang on the outside and a 7.5 inch drop to the water surface, again with an overhang. Despite these obstacles it hasn't stopped the frogs from moving in.

The pond is a uniform five feet deep so we have heavily planted baskets suspended in each corner, plus some mature water lilies. Frogs are pretty good climbers and their main route in and out is to climb up through the Iris in one corner. It's still a bit of a mystery how they get up onto the wall from the outside, but frogs as little as 3 or 4 centimetres make the trip nightly. There are lots of pots of plants around the pond and presumably they use them.

There are some alcoves just under the top of the inside of the wall and small frogs are often seen in them, having climbed two or three times their own height up the rubber pond liner. We've never seen them do this, but presumably their claws will dig into the rubber.

So some dense vegetation may be as good as a ramp, looks more natural and gives the frogs extra places to hide during the day.

Cheers,

Jonathan

Kayleigh · #8 (**permalink**) 12-06-2010, 03:31 PM

It looks lovely and the frogs will use the yellow flag to climb out they climb well, they will just jump in.

Penny Black · #9 (**permalink**) 13-06-2010, 09:03 AM

Yes, my frogs are now regular visitors and live along side the fish. I suspect they have eaten the fish eggs but no bad thing for keeping the numbers down. I do have planting along the ledges but thought the reeds etc. were a bit flimsy to support a frog. I have a bowl of water in the borders for the hedghogs and a large bird bath, so hopefully everything is happy. I watched the jays trying to stand on the lilly pads yesterday. There is also a Kamakazi blackbird who I though was drowning but she was clinging on to a lilly pad stem and taking a bath. Quite intentional I'm sure because she got out and preened herself on the edge before continuing to stuff herself on the feeders.

Miss Caretaker · #10 (**permalink**) 13-06-2010, 08:55 PM

I have a half-barrel pond and have put a pile of cobbles on one side of it so no matter what the water level is the criters can still get out. On the outside I have a log pile that is the same height as the pond which is used by birds bathing and as a nice damp home for our resident toad! After 5 years of being in place we finally have a resident frog too so bye-bye slugs!