bullfrog in pond, need advice for winter

15 years ago

Hi all! I'm in SE Wisconsin. We dug a small (200gal) pond this spring, and with all the flooding we had a young bull frog made his way to our pond. He left during the breeding season, then has come back, and defends "his pond" from our squirrels and chipmunks by croaking at them loudly when they come too close. He also seems to "talk back" to use when we're speaking in lower toned voices in the house!

Anyhow, since he left before, I'm assuming he's smart enough to leave to hibernate where there's enough mud for him to do so? If not and he's sticking around too late in the season, is there anything I can do for him? I really don't want to bring him inside as I don't have a good way of brumating him myself (hubby will NOT let me use the fridge for that purpose!) and I don't want him to become un-relaeasable.

We are going to employ a pond heater for the fish, but that will only keep a small hole in the ice open for gas exchange, it will not keep the pond warm.

Could I possibly sink a large pan of mud in the pond for him to burry himself in? The pond is 16" deep only, so I worry about him being too icy. Or, should I take him to the creek I'm sure he came from originally?

Again, I did not capture this frog, he came on his own, left once, then came back. I just want to make sure he doesn't die overwinter.

Thanks!

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Comments (7)

Day_By_Day
15 years ago
I'd take him back to the creek and let him hibernate naturally. He'll appreciate it and invite all his friends to your pond next spring.
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fishandflowers
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the help!

You don't think he'll just come right back like a dummy? :)
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Well, I thought I had purchased ' variegated sweet flag'. I wasn't aware that there might be differences. I do note that both listed varieties are called variegated. Mine don't go dormant; at least not the ones directly in the water. I note that your link showed an individual offshoot. I got mine as a big clump of perhaps 25 to 50 offshoots all growing together in a gallon? pot sitting in water at a garden/pond store. Originally, I just put the pot in a few inches of water at the edge of my pond. Eventually, I divided the pot into 4 or so sub clumps and sunk them into areas of my recycled stream. I now just lay a rock (like one or three of yours) on top of some of the root clump to keep roots underwater and they take off from there. The real issue is to keep them under control. In your pond, they would probably expand everywhere, under and over rocks. If you left them alone, you would probably have a hard time getting them loose from entwined clumps of rocks, roots and more rocks and roots. Just keep an eye on them and do some separation. They will grow on land that remains moderately damp. The land clumps may go close to dormant, but not really. My guess is that your link is simply wrong or is focused on the zones closer to 4 rather than 7 where I am. I like it because it grows very well but you still need variety. If you get significant shade you will find that impatiens and Hosta will both grow directly in water but are probably better in wet pots. Elephant Ear like a BIG pot in water too and can probably take much more sun. The hosta and EEs would also grow in the ground; go dormant; and re-emerge next year. I don't think the EEs would overwinter in the water.
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mikeygraz
15 years ago
I wouldn't disturb him - the animal knows what it is doing, and if it doesn't, then it will be selected against and its genes will be eliminated from the population - which is a good thing (welcome to natural selection).

Once it cools down enough it will likely leave on its own to hibernate in a more suitable location. Don't worry about it - they do not require our assistance to survive a natural cycle such as winter.

~Mike
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Day_By_Day
15 years ago
Agree with Mike but just don't know how many of ya'll can just let things be. We as humans think we should control everything. So my answer would make you feel better but not necessarily better for the frog. Mike's answer, better for the frog, but accepting that we shouldn't interfere with the fate of a "doomed" frog can be hard for the sensitive types.
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mikeygraz
15 years ago
The frog isn't necessarily doomed - you'd be amazed at the freeze tolerance of most temperate-ranging anurans and caudates - there are many papers coming out showing how hardy these animals are. Bullfrogs are one of the most successful anurans out there and its for a reason - they are ridiculously adapatable and robust animals. Another thing to consider - bullfrogs have had their numbers be unnaturally increased by human encroachment - they are one of the few subsidized amphibian species out there (subsized species are those whose numbers are denser in areas of human inhabitation or as a result of human influence than they would be in a more natural environment - good examples of this are raccoons, skunks, and opossums) - if one dies, there will be plenty more to take its place.

~Mike
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longlegggs
15 years ago
My 3 adult large frogs come back each year; this year we had a baby which I spied in early Spring (about the size of a half-dollar). We named her Olga and she never had any fear of us, as do the adult frogs. She would just sit on the stones and watch us.
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wayne_mo
15 years ago
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bullfrog in pond, need advice for winter

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bullfrog in pond, need advice for winter

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Day_By_Day

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