frogs/ toads question

[bigwig]

Both our ponds have been established for 2-and 3 months respectively and are teeming with snails and the odd drone fly larvae, but as yet nothing else has moved in Do the ponds have to be established longer to attract other wildlife such as toads/frogs ? I did see a toad in the garden a few weeks ago and we placed him in the rockery pond ( as that appeared to be the direction he was moving in ), but he didn't stay around long.

[Tracey.A]

Don't worry it just takes time, but bit by bit more creatures will find their way to your ponds and every time something new appears it's such a thrill. Don't put fish in your ponds if you want your ponds to be wildlife ponds. An interesting thing to do is make a diary of what is in your pond and that way you can check the dates each year to see what has arrived and how this compared to previous years. Once the frogs arrive note the date when they arrived and when there was frog spawn, as it's interesting to see whether they arrive earlier, the same time or later the following year. Water plants are great and some provide shade, which is useful in helping to keep the water a bit more clear. Word of caution though, make sure that if anything falls into the pond it can get out again - my mum told me about a hedgehog that had fallen into her pond and drowned, which was so sad and competely preventable, but until something like that happpens it's not something you ever imagine could happen

Good luck with the ponds Enjoy, because they are just so fascinating

Tracey

[Dogghound]

Frogs and toads especially the toads will spend more time away from water at this time of year, so i wouldnt be to concerned they will return, they are especially numerous in spring when mating. Newts are the same. As it becomes more established more wildlife will come it does take time.

[bigwig]

Originally Posted by Tracey.A

Don't worry it just takes time, but bit by bit more creatures will find their way to your ponds and every time something new appears it's such a thrill. Don't put fish in your ponds if you want your ponds to be wildlife ponds. An interesting thing to do is make a diary of what is in your pond and that way you can check the dates each year to see what has arrived and how this compared to previous years. Once the frogs arrive note the date when they arrived and when there was frog spawn, as it's interesting to see whether they arrive earlier, the same time or later the following year. Water plants are great and some provide shade, which is useful in helping to keep the water a bit more clear. Word of caution though, make sure that if anything falls into the pond it can get out again - my mum told me about a hedgehog that had fallen into her pond and drowned, which was so sad and competely preventable, but until something like that happpens it's not something you ever imagine could happen

Good luck with the ponds Enjoy, because they are just so fascinating

Tracey

Hi, thnx for that. We actually have 3 small ponds - one is sunk into a rockery and the other two are of the terraced kind with a wooden surround. So far we only have 2 established, both set up as wildlife ponds with no fish. Hedgehogs and the such like would no be able to climb up onto the rockery or the sides of the wooden ponds, so there is no risk of anyone falling in. Both ponds have plants stood on breeze blocks to create steps up out of the ponds. Any idea on why the toad didn't stay around ? He made it all the way down our driveway from wherever he'd came from and then out into the garden through the garage and finally into the rockery pond, but by next morning he had gone again.

The third pond we are contemplating setting up as a fish pond. It is one of teh terraced kind of ponds, so I don't think frogs, etc could climb up the sides. Is it too late in the year to do this now ? Also, the pond is about 18 deep, so will it be ok for fish during the winter ? I can buy a small heater to stop water form freezing.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by bigwig

Any idea on why the toad didn't stay around ? He made it all the way down our driveway from wherever he'd came from and then out into the garden through the garage and finally into the rockery pond, but by next morning he had gone again.

Also, the pond is about 18 deep, so will it be ok for fish during the winter ? I can buy a small heater to stop water form freezing.

1. The Toads as far as amphibians go spend most of their time away from water and mainly only breed in water, so it probrably wanted to be away from the water as it has little reason to be in it.

2. The depth is a little shallow for fish, you would need a heater or some form of insulation or something.

[Tracey.A]

Originally Posted by bigwig

Hi, thnx for that. We actually have 3 small ponds - one is sunk into a rockery and the other two are of the terraced kind with a wooden surround. So far we only have 2 established, both set up as wildlife ponds with no fish. Hedgehogs and the such like would no be able to climb up onto the rockery or the sides of the wooden ponds, so there is no risk of anyone falling in. Both ponds have plants stood on breeze blocks to create steps up out of the ponds. Any idea on why the toad didn't stay around ? He made it all the way down our driveway from wherever he'd came from and then out into the garden through the garage and finally into the rockery pond, but by next morning he had gone again.

The third pond we are contemplating setting up as a fish pond. It is one of teh terraced kind of ponds, so I don't think frogs, etc could climb up the sides. Is it too late in the year to do this now ? Also, the pond is about 18 deep, so will it be ok for fish during the winter ? I can buy a small heater to stop water form freezing.

Both of your wildlife ponds sound like they are going to go from strength to strength. I don't really know much about fish ponds, but I do know that my mum puts in a polystyrene disc thing in her wildlife pond and when the surface of the water freezes there is still an area that is not frozen. You could try and google fish ponds and see if any of the sites can offer good advice about fish ponds. Hope this helps

Tracey

[galanthus]

A word of caution re hedgehogs, they are fantastic climbers !! They've scaled walls, steps and my waterfall

[pete the pond]

hi there again toads do not need the pond untill they are going to breed they can live for up to 50 years if you found this toad coming thruogh your garden it well be on its way back to its breeding pond they can travel as much as 5 miles from there pond and will only return to the pond that they were born in
they are becoming very rare now and need our help where ever possible

try and keep your ponds for wildlife its better rthan a fish pond by far
if they are at ground level newts and frogs can get in and out easyer
than a raised pond but frogs and newts do climb and will find water best time to see newts and frogs is in march to june and go out to the pond with torch in the evening on a wet warm night during these months .

where abouts in england are you i am in the south and get frogs newts in my ponds .

[bigwig]

Originally Posted by pete the pond

hi there again toads do not need the pond untill they are going to breed they can live for up to 50 years if you found this toad coming thruogh your garden it well be on its way back to its breeding pond they can travel as much as 5 miles from there pond and will only return to the pond that they were born in
they are becoming very rare now and need our help where ever possible


where abouts in england are you i am in the south and get frogs newts in my ponds .

Hi again I live in South Wales. I have never seen a toad in the garden before. Just seems a little too coincidental that it appeared only after the ponds were installed.

[galanthus]

I live in south wales and quite often had toads passing through my garden when growing up. They were usually on their way to a pond nearby in a valley bottom.

I've had my pond here 2 years but no newts or toads, only frogs so far. Most of them spend their time away from the water and in borders, hedges etc, however, at least 7 spend most of their time in the water, I so love them