Anyone else hand feed their frogs?

[Mr. Green Frog]

I started tossing an occasional worm at my green frogs and was surprised by it's immediate reaction. Sometimes a smaller one will be watching, swim up out of nowhere and take the worm, seemingly irritating the other one getting ready to eat it (sometimes they'll grunt or chase it off).

Even more surprising is one of the male greenfrogs is letting me get a couple feet from it. I tossed a worm and it went in the water (about an inch deep, frog was standing in it) immediately in front of it, next to it's foot webbing. Frog couldn't see it and worm started burrowing in the gravel, so very slowly I reached over and pushed the gravel with my finger to find the worm. The frog? He kept pecking my finger tip! Couldn't believe it. Talking about a wild frog here. Was able to grab the worm and lay it on a partially submerged rock, and then ate it all w/o fleeing. Other time he took a worm and went to hide after I moved while he was going in for it. He immediately turned around and came back after apparently realizing it wasn't an attack.

Can anyone else give frog anecdotes with regards to them recognizing a human as a food source? Frog intelligence? Assumed they were glass-eyed baby alligators in training, but there's clearly more going on with them.

 

[Jhn]

Yep, in my first pond used to throw worms at the frogs, they learned quickly I was a food source. They would all come swimming/hopping over to me, appearing out of nowhere at my feet, had to watch I didn’t step on them. Had a few frogs, if my aim was good throwing the worm, they would catch it out of the air, from a decent distance away (10’ or so)

Havent fed them at my current pond, but still have to watch the green frogs because they won’t move even when I am about to step on one.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I've tried. We used to have a green frog who we named "friendly frog". She hung out very close to the areas we wandered on a daily basis. I plopped 'food' (grubs, etc...) down near where she was perched, but.... nothing.

I've given up & am committed to the reality that the resident frogs are going to do what they are going to do.
'Friendly Frog' has disappeared & I'm pretty sure she fell victim to some sort of predation due to her habit of hanging out right in the open (In other words, I'm pretty sure our friendly frog became a sitting duck)

It is what it is. My pond is intended to enhance the natural area around me - not replace it or intercede with the natural order of life in this area.

 

[j.w]

@Mucky_Waters who used to come on here hand fed his frogs. Here is a video of him feeding his frogs. Scroll down till you see his post and video. https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/frog-obesity.15577/#post-239571

 

[Mr. Green Frog]

Very cool stories. One of those thing you don't really think about, then kinda blown away when it happens.

Grew up watching 1980's nature programs, so well aware of letting nature run it's course. They still climb the bank and "hunt" on the gravel, exposed dirt areas, etc..

@BKHpondcritters Far as I can tell, it helps if the object "moves" and needs to be within their range of direct sight. If the worm is half-dead or frozen, they'll typically ignore it. Same with beetles or similar. Had a worm not moving, got ignored. Placed a more lively one over it, both were eaten.

Maybe I'll take a video at some point.

 

[Mr. Green Frog]

Just wanted to update, all/most of the greenfrogs from last year, wintered over and are here again this year. One LARGE female with a brightly colored face seems to be a main egg layer, while a handful of the males reassumed their territorial thrones (literally same spots to sit as last year). Also noticed the ones being fed worms last year, by the location they'd sit at before, were less fearful or altogether not fearful this year. Another way to judge this is truly wild ones will submerge and stay submerged for minutes at a time. These guys, if startled, will submerge then immediately resurface.

Feel honored to have them as residents as well as their transitional children. Dug out a 125' long, by 2' wide trench, 1' deep at back at 2.5' deep up front, front to back of yard, to help with the onslaught of heavy downpours. It's dug out to mimic a creek, with chicanes and new plant life, lined with river stone, and I intentionally fill it and have low spots; baby frogs move to it from the pond and seemingly love it. As do the birds, raccoons, rabbits, etc..

 

[GBBUDD]

Not the frogs but started hand feeding the wild turtle. Had to evict the latest's arrival, That turtle started biting at everything the other turtle . the danios and neos and ME. not that was a big deal but saw it try for a koi and he got evicted

 

[Mr. Green Frog]

What kind of turtles GBBUDD? Surprisingly haven't seen one yet, but given the pond slopes, rocks, obstacles, and neigbor constantly mowing his yard, not the most inviting place for them.

 

[addy1]

I had a snapper a few years back, relocated. Just saw two of our land turtles wandering in the yard. No pond turtles just darn snakes.

 

[Jhn]

Not the frogs but started hand feeding the wild turtle. Had to evict the latest's arrival, That turtle started biting at everything the other turtle . the danios and neos and ME. not that was a big deal but saw it try for a koi and he got evicted

The terrapin pictured above my handle here, was the same way it would swim over and start biting me if I got in the pond. It had zero fear of me had to watch I didn’t step on her as she was constantly around me. None of mine have yet to go for a fish, have had the occasional painted turtle turn up over the years, but usually remove them and send them on their way.

 

[GBBUDD]

I may have to start looking for a tarapin they were amazing. And if a wild turtle likes it here. I guess there might be a chance a tarapin might hang here too

 

[rcoad]

How did I miss this thread? My pond is all about the frogs. I hand fed them treats, not their entire diet as I don’t want them to be dependent. I have 7 now after this last big rain. A few have been here several years.

 

[GBBUDD]

I Wont hand feed them but i'll take a seat next to them

 

[rcoad]