I think you should rethink this issue. If there are any native frogs or toads in your area they will find your pond. Just be sure to understand that what these little critters need is not only a pool for breeding purposes but an adequate food supply and a habitat that will be comparable to the one they were borned into. Another reason for letting the animals find you is that if you want to "take" any amphibian or reptile in the state you will need a permit from the California Department of Fish and Game. Click here to DFG The most important thing I need to stress is the development of suitable habitat that includes your pond for allowing amphibians to exist within. Once this is done and the habitat is supporting an adequate amount of both flying and crawling insects then you may find yourself with other life forms besides frogs. Here is a link that may interest you: California herps Here is a link that might be useful: California frogs and toads

I was under the impression that frogs/toads are insect eaters. Any chance that your friend's buds are collateral damage? I have loads of toads in the yard and the greenhouse is occupied by frogs, and I've never lost anything other than bugs to them. Can't wait to see the photos and fing out more...a mystery for sure. Perhaps she can capture and humanely relocate it to a better environment. Kristi

Very belated response to this last reply, but this is not a Texas Toad, it is an East Texas Toad (or Fowler's Toad - depending on whose taxonomy you follow). Fowler's/East Texas Toad (A. fowleri) is a very different species than the Texas Toad (A. speciosus).

Oh gee, bogturtle .... such a loss to change the name to Pickerel in my online gallery. :-) Oh well ... I especially want to have the correct names on things. I will now search my blog to see what I can update there. Probably did a post on it. Danetherton, I try not to pick up frogs and toads because of the thinness of their skin and organisms that might be on my hands. It's very hard not to but I succeed except for the occasional baby tree frog which I will put my hand up to allowing it to walk on it. My natural tendency would be to hug everything I see. I give the bees a back rub while they feed on our flowers and so far they all love it. I know they can sense fear and react to it, so that's the key. I'm in the Piedmont actually. Mountains are 45 minutes away. Bogturtle ... biology wasn't my subject when I was in high school. We had a teacher that walked around with a huge snake on his neck. Growing up in the city I was terrified of snakes and also bugs which I got from my mom screaming every time a moth flew around or a bug crawled by. Fortunately I got gradually delivered of both fears when we moved to the woods 23 years ago. Now I love all of God's Creation and it so fascinates me. I was a good student but 3rd grading period we had to do a bug collection and I was petrified and told the teacher and he told me if I didn't do it I'd fail that period. So, I failed it because there was no way ... parents understood but it left a bad taste in my mouth for biology for a long time. LOL Thank you both for the confirmation.