where oh where has my little frog gone...

[brokensword]

So, this is a story about a frog. In particular, a frog which bummed a ride while apparently in tadpole mode last year when I was first-summering my turtles in a kiddie pool, while I was digging and planting my pond. I have to tell you the backstory because it seems that this frog is destined.

I had taken a hunk of cattail from the natural pond down the road to add to the kiddie pool and as I was cleaning everything out after dumping the two painted turtles into their new home, felt something move in between my fingers. It should only have been inert string algae covering the base of the cattail, but wasn't! After my mini heat-attack, I found it was a young green frog. Now, I don't know how it survived with two mature painters in about 300 gallons of water (and only a log as 'land'), but it did! So, I figured maybe it would be okay in the new pond and off he went.

Now, once upon a time, I had added a different frog to another era of turtles and almost split a gut trying to save the poor guy as I did NOT know turtles will eat frogs! (had them all in a 50 gallon aquarium) Armed with this previous experience, I was a bit doubtful for trying to repeat the experience but I figured if this new frog could survive 2 months in a kiddie pool, he might make it in a much larger pond. It was that or return him to Nature. So, I took a chance and he adjusted pretty well.

If you remember my pond layout, I have 2/3 of it stocked with goldfish and the other third housing the two painters. Between, is a mesh partition and all around, lots of landscape. Seems he figured out pretty fast which half to stay on and that's the way last summer ended; fish and frog doing just fine on the left, painteds on the right.

Fast forward to this spring; I'd taken the turtles in for the winter (because they hadn't had a full summer in the new pond and I was wary about whether they'd overwinter well or not) and left the fish and frogs to hibernate. Spring came and the frog was typically on the turtle side, but I hadn't taken the turtles out of the basement kiddie pool yet as the water temps were still chilly. As soon as everyone was back though, seems the frog figured out it was best to stay on the fish side once again and I usually could pinpoint his 'waiting' place; two spots he prefers--one in the water and one on land.

That was until yesterday when I couldn't find him. Now, he's a pretty big green frog, full grown and having the whole pondhouse to himself, so I figured he must know what he was doing. Still, I began to wonder. Could he have escaped? Again? (found him last summer, late, SOMEHOW on the other side of the pondhouse, sitting near a screen panel, just seeming to wait for me to figure out he'd gotten himself locked out or whatever). So I looked very thoroughly today after work, knowing he HAD to be there somewhere. But nope, couldn't see him.

I began to think there was a hole in the screen (I fixed his earlier escape hole) OR, could he possibly be hiding/waiting on the turtle side???? Nooooowaaaay. An unusual sound from the turtle side…ah, I see ONE turtle, but where's the other? Oh, there…hey, nowhere near where the sound had come from and certainly not the sound of a turtle splashing off the log and into the water--bingo! Found the frog. Sitting on one of the basking logs, still as stone, I watched, wondering exactly where/how he was going to navigate his way back to the fish side, OR, had he made an agreement with the turtles? So I watched and after we both got tired of waiting (one turtle was in the water, somewhere below, the other was sunning herself on another log), he plunged into the water and ended up…in the pic below…go figure, and I thought I knew turtles and frogs!!

 

[addy1]

Laughing, that is so cute! Froggy is making a friend.

 

[j.w]

What a neat story and they look like they are now good buddies!

 

[brokensword]

Heh, ya think so, Addy? Should have seen how 'still' he was while sitting next to the turtle. I don't think he knew the turtle was there when he scooted through the water and dragged himself onto the log as he came through some water plants to get there. Still, at least I got the picture as I don't think anyone would belive me...

What a neat story and they look like they are now good buddies!

Yeah, right JW; the frog knows it's safe as long as they don't meet in the water as water turtles do their eating UNDER the water. Smart frog, I warrant! Thanks for reading and lookseein!


Michael

 

[Shoestring Ponder]

WOW!! What a neat chronical of your Green Frog! Now I have to ask, would the turtle really be able to eat such a large frog? :question: I don't know much about frogs and turtles, but the turtle does not look big enough to make lunch of the frog. I could be mistaken though. I would name the frog Lucky! It looks like one we have had frequent out pond...Green Frog. Gonna guess it is a male Green Frog.

:goldfish:

 

[brokensword]

shoestring;

ever see a turtle eat something too big for its mouth? It grabs with its mouth and then rips with both front legs/claws. A pretty messy sight. The frog might get away clean, might get a leg or bit of flesh nipped, but from the earlier experience (I saved the original frog that time), it's not something that's in the frog's favor. Hence why I don't exactly want to see how my goldfish would fare should I pull out the separating screen in my pond.

And Lucky should be only one of its names; I'm thinking he's got video on the two female turltes, ya know?

 

[Shoestring Ponder]

WOW! Thanks...I truly do not know "the ways of a turtle". I did not know it was so graphic...and only thought snapping turtles were so aggressive. I truly thought your type of turtles were vegetarian. Little do I know. And at the blackmail video thoughts.

:goldfish:

 

[blessedfamily]

Awww how neat is that..can you house any turtles with fish in a pond?? I just seen a pond with 2 sliders and goldfish/koi and wondered if that was a great idea as I have been seen or heard of this. Just wondered but that picture is awsome. Thanks for sharing.

 

[addy1]

I just watched a frog, maybe a bull frog, looked bigger and plainer than a green frog, charge out from under a rock trying to catch a fish........... This winter if I net any up they are being relocated

 

[brokensword]

Awww how neat is that..can you house any turtles with fish in a pond?? I just seen a pond with 2 sliders and goldfish/koi and wondered if that was a great idea as I have been seen or heard of this. Just wondered but that picture is awsome. Thanks for sharing.

In doing the online research, there's too many tales told of losing fish, hence the reason I had to put up the divider. Would have been cool to have both coexist peacefully. I'm sure if you ask the turtles, they'd tell you it IS peacefully coexistance and thank you for the sushi luncheon; can I have another? Some stories tell of such a nirvana, that of turtles and fish blissfully going about their business, but I wasn't going to take the chance. That said, I'll report back late this summer as some of the fry have made their way past the detention gate and are blatantly abusing the treaty as I've set it up. So far, I count 8 and more than a few 'just borns'and HAVE seen both turtles chase them with their mouths open. Can't say if this is just a new/better model of riding water currents or if perhaps, possibly, they're really just being nasty toward the small goldies. I have my theories, ya know? LAST year, I had a late batch and was surprised to see that they made it all the way until the autumn shutdown. This spring though, only one was left, the largest of course, and I let her(assumption) stay until just last week when I unceremoniously plunked her to the left and with the rest of his brood sires and mares. I just didn't trust he/she could keep the pace between the two (turtles) of them. Seems happy enough scrounging all the bits and pieces of food the others dribble to lower depths. Scavenging her way to adulthood, it would seem, sort of paying her dues or working the mean streets of Goldfishium. Dunno.

Addy:

even in doing some research for IF/WHEN I swapped the one fry survivor of last summer, I noted that green frogs supposedly eat fish. Now, I haven't lost large ones that I'm aware of to the frog, but I WAS wondering if the fry/babies were being treated as lunch by him or not. I figured if I put the survivor on the same side the frog typically resides, would that mean this 1" goldie was a goner? And while I'm thinking about it, why didn't ANYONE tell me of the numerous emotional sweatings I'd be subject to when it comes to such as missing frogs and 'just the right size for a snack' goldies???? Hmmmm???? Seems there should be a huge 'post-it' note on this forum, just so the newbs don't choke and gag when such actually happens. This turning a blind eye and all, well, hard to when you become attached to the pondmates, isn't it?


Also, that's the ONLY reason I left/placed the green frog in the pond as I know they don't get as large as bullfrogs nor do they have the same appetite! I'd say set a trap, train your cameras (you have so many, hardly seems like an inconvenience to turn them ((electronically, of course!!)) on the baited area. Will you need to actually make one of your goldies sacrifice themselves for your bullfrog trap or will buying a life-like goldfish lure from the Tackle Shop be enough? Think you got yourself a smart one? Then again, you DO seem to attract a rather brainy predatory group over there...what with the GBH and green heron lurkers you've talked about...might be you CAN'T go away for the whole summer until you now bullfrog proof the pond...just sayin'

Michael

 

[addy1]

Addy:

even in doing some research for IF/WHEN I swapped the one fry survivor of last summer, I noted that green frogs supposedly eat fish. Now, I haven't lost large ones that I'm aware of to the frog, but I WAS wondering if the fry/babies were being treated as lunch by him or not. I figured if I put the survivor on the same side the frog typically resides, would that mean this 1" goldie was a goner? And while I'm thinking about it, why didn't ANYONE tell me of the numerous emotional sweatings I'd be subject to when it comes to such as missing frogs and 'just the right size for a snack' goldies???? Hmmmm???? Seems there should be a huge 'post-it' note on this forum, just so the newbs don't choke and gag when such actually happens. This turning a blind eye and all, well, hard to when you become attached to the pondmates, isn't it?


Also, that's the ONLY reason I left/placed the green frog in the pond as I know they don't get as large as bullfrogs nor do they have the same appetite! I'd say set a trap, train your cameras (you have so many, hardly seems like an inconvenience to turn them ((electronically, of course!!)) on the baited area. Will you need to actually make one of your goldies sacrifice themselves for your bullfrog trap or will buying a life-like goldfish lure from the Tackle Shop be enough? Think you got yourself a smart one? Then again, you DO seem to attract a rather brainy predatory group over there...what with the GBH and green heron lurkers you've talked about...might be you CAN'T go away for the whole summer until you now bullfrog proof the pond...just sayin'

Michael

roflmao, yeah right bullfrog proof! They came out of the woods, heard the sound of water falling!, crept up to the edge and leaped in. They were not invited guests, but then again the green frogs, tree frogs, pickerel frog all made it here on their own, no invitation. The fish it was chasing was around 6 inches, it missed. This crazy fish, very dark shubbie has decided it likes to live in the drain pipe (where the rain water comes in) The frog was sitting right next to the pipe, it charged the fish ran, well swam........

I don't make favorites of the fish anymore, if you do that one for sure will be the next snack! To be honest I would be hard pressed to tell you if any fish disappear, there are about 6 that catch your eye, if they poof I would notice, they are the biggest of the herd. Guess it is just natural fish population control.

Silly great blue has still not stopped by, darn bird flies over every night and morning. The green heron has not been back in about a week, I made it harder for it to walk the bog wall and fish.

I have a green frog living in the lotus pond, it has more than enough rosey reds to snack on.

 

[Mmathis]

BS -- Enjoyed your story What kind of frog is it and how big is it? I have box turtles and am in the process of making a pond with a "turtle" section, safe for them since they're not aquatic and only go in shallow water to soak (and poop!). I hope I get frogs, but at the same time, hope not too many since they will be competing with the turtles for insects (already have a gazillion green anoles and skinks doing the same thing).

 

[brokensword]

Tis a green frog, TM, the only one I have. As you can see from the pic, stands taller than the turtle, which is about 7" long. He's a handful, that's for sure. I used to think maybe with my setup (screened-in/enclosed pond) that I might be starving the poor feller but seems he's doing very well. Bugs must be getting in somehow--I do know some damsel flies got caught inside before I put the top on, so there's some sustenance at least. As you can see from the pic, he's pretty big, so he's eating something. Haven't seen had any fish missing, but he might be taking some fry; hard to say as I never see him eat.

As for whether you'll get frogs; as another more famous who have come before me; build it and they will come! Might even get a costner or two, if you're lucky!

I've followed your box turtle/fish plans and I'd love to do something similar, but probably don't have the room, unless I wanted them to have full run of the patio portion of my pondhouse. Not sure the wife would be overly exuberant about this suggestion though. Think I should ask?


Michael

 

[Mmathis]

As for whether you'll get frogs; as another more famous who have come before me; build it and they will come! Might even get a costner or two, if you're lucky!
Michael

LOL! We've already had Costner here in town -- for the filming of GUARDIAN! He stayed in a house a few down from my brother & sister-in-law. We never saw him, though.

Did spot a frog today. Looked sorta like a spotted leopard. Have seen some green tree frogs recently. We hear at least 2 different kinds of calls, but don't know what they are. When I play frog call audios, nothing sounds like what we hear. Go figure!

One of these days I'll get around to getting my build-pics up (too lazy to do the converting from iPhone, etc.). Sort of afraid to show anything, in case it turns out to be a bomb, but once I know it will work I won't mind Right now I'm finishing up some faux rock ramps into the water as well as the false floor. Putting the PVC support frame together has turned into a time & energy hog, but I'm too committed to abort at this point. The cedar picket fence will follow.