Unwanted frogs

14 years ago

This may seem a little strange but can anybody tell me an effective way of preventing frogs from entering my pond, or is the only way to get rid of my pond totally?

I was considering raising the pond so it is more a of a formal pond with brick walls, but I thought that this still might not deter frogs from still getting in.

I myself do not mind frogs, my partner however is absolutely petrified of them; to the extent they often stop her venturing into the garden fullstop.

Although I would rather like to keep some form of pond with fish, if no-one can suggest a way of stopping the frogs, other than my partner getting therapy for her phobia, it looks like I might have to resort to getting rid of my fish and pond totally.

Any help would be much appreciated.

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Comments (3)

dampflippers
14 years ago
What a shame! You must have a lovely pond.
One suggestion to help her get to like them, is to caprure a baby when it has just left the pond, and let her get close to that. Most peoplke findthem charming and not at all scary.

The time of year when there will be alot of frogs is spring at breeding time, when frogs will come from all directions. This may be the time when she chooses not to go in the garden. After mating time, most frogs will disperse and leave your garden, although a few males may stick around all year. They will tend to sit in the pond just peeping out.

Suggestions:
1.Encourage a neighbour to build a frog friendly pond that the frogs might prefer.
2.Put fish in your pond which will eat some of the tadpoles, meaning you don't get so many new frogs each year.
3.Please don't scoop up all the frogs you find and take them to a wild pond, because this could spread disease to the wild pond if they have any infections like the chitrid virus or red leg disease.
4.I don't know where in your garden your pond is but is it possible to zone the pond off from the rest of the garden. Either by building a low wall or fence around it, or a generous buffer of planting round it. That way the frogs will be out of sight and out of mind.
5.I don't think there is a way to solve the problem of the mating week or fortnight. I think she may just have to bite the bullet and just go in the front garden then.
6.In spring, fish out a few tadpoles for her to look at at close quarters in a glass or a tank. Then progress to baby frogs when they emerge. Remember to have wet hands and put them in a glass with some damp moss for her to have a look at them.
7.If she has a camera, set it on macro and ask her to take a photo. She may then concentrate on the photo and not the frogs or tadpoles.
islandgal
14 years ago
build up to two feet. I have ponds that are above the ground and are frog free.

Here is a link that might be useful: my rustic bajan garden
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I'm sorry yall, but your methods seem far less humane to me than just smashing them. I used to swat them hard with my hand and it would smash their skulls and spine and everything else in one quick blow. I have no doubt it was fairly painless and quick. Getting drugged, or put into vats of pine sol, or captured and put in a plastic bag and then into the freezer sound far worse to me. Sort of like lethal injection.... That's not humane. I've shot plenty of things and I can tell you that a shotgun blast to the brain is the quickest, most humane way to end it all. I couldn't imagine the sheer terror of feeling the needle and then the drugs effects. As for me, I gave up on killing the Cuban tree frogs. There's just way too many of them and my actions didn't appear to make a difference. Plus I was tired of their bodies falling down and making food for fire ants.
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I'm sure that would work just fine, as the first net we purchased for the pond - before it was redone and enlarged - was just that . . . tree netting to keep birds away from the fruit. It just wasn't big enough for the new enlarged pond. I believe the net fabric is heaver for the pond than the tree netting was though.
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andy_sa
14 years ago
Ever thought of hypnosis? Not the hocus-pocus embarrass yourself on tv kind; I once tried this for another phobia, and it helped heaps. Might try it again to cope with the spiders!

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Unwanted frogs

Comments (3)

dampflippers

islandgal

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andy_sa

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