How long do frogs live for?

[gillycaddy]

Ok - I've looked this up and found so many different answers. We have had the same frog in our garden for some 14 years now. I know it's the same one as the garden is enclosed by high walls. I have no idea how it got there in the first place, possibly from tadpoles when my children were little..

It's not a pet, but we see it most years at some stage and it's pretty tame.

[shotski]

Hi Gilly

It would not suprise me if this frog was 14 years old as I would expect some
frogs could live this age. However I am not so sure it is the same frog you
are seeing year after year as frogs will always find ways in and out of your
garden. But to answer your question I would say the average life span of
a common frog is about 7 years or so.

Shotski

[Dogghound]

Common frogs can live upto 25-30 years old. Although its usually far less than this in the wild.

[gillycaddy]

Thanks for the confirmation. I was just curious how long we could expect this family favourite to keep coming. It entertained my children and now it's doing the same for my grandchildren - wonderful!

Shotski, I'm absolutely sure it's the same frog year on year. I know that it sounds unlikely, but the garden is an urban walled garden (no ponds anywhere near) surrounded by concrete and walls too high for a human to get over!! ;o) It would be less likely that another frog would coincidentally end up in our concrete prison!

Thanks again.

[~T~]

You would be surprised at just how well amphibians can climb. I've seen common frogs climb wet glass before. But it's definitely possible it's the same one if your garden is to it's liking especially with the lack of major predators. I know someone who had a toad live in their walled garden for many years, it was the same one as it was missing a back foot. You should maybe make it a little half barrel pond, then it would have the perfect pad (excuse the pun ).

[shotski]

If this is the same frog you are seeing year after year then it would have
to be a male, a female would not survive past maturity.

Shotski

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by shotski

If this is the same frog you are seeing year after year then it would have
to be a male, a female would not survive past maturity.

How do you mean by maturity?

There is no significant discrimination between the maximum ages of amphibians. Female tend to reach sexual maturity later than males in most species, once mature they can breed for multiple seasons.

[shotski]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

How do you mean by maturity?

There is no significant discrimination between the maximum ages of amphibians. Female tend to reach sexual maturity later than males in most species, once mature they can breed for multiple seasons.

Dogghound, you answered your own question in many respects.
Once sexualy mature a female will develop spawn in hibernation but
without a male or breading pond will probably die. I have been interested
in common frogs and toads since knee high and have seen this happen
on a couple of occasions.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by shotski

Dogghound, you answered your own question in many respects.

I cant see how I have?

Originally Posted by shotski

Once sexualy mature a female will develop spawn in hibernation but
without a male or breading pond will probably die. I have been interested
in common frogs and toads since knee high and have seen this happen
on a couple of occasions.

How do you know the deaths of the ones you have observed was caused by the spawn?

If a female frog cannot find a mate (which must be incredibly rare) or breeding pond, then the spawn is either reabsorbed back into the body or the female will release it unfertilized. She may also release it unfertilized if she comes out of hibernation to early. Female frogs do not start producing spawn until after winter, the reason they are quite large going into hibernation is due to subcutaneous fat reserves.

Females dont always breed every single season, orif they did find a lack of suitable habitat or any other reason prohibited them from breeding and resulted in them being full of spawn they would in ecological terms be shooting themselves in the foot.

I would'nt advise it but if you ever placed a gravid female common frog in a tank so she can not mate she will do one of the two things I said above and not die.

[Dorts]

As the Common Frog has become increasingly less common in Britain, so has the sight of unfertilised spawn become increasingly more common.
If every unfertilised female were to die, the demise of the Common Frog would almost be here by now. Not a very good survival mechanism!
Dorts.