I am a newbie to this site. I have a small water garden. I guess it could be called a pond. I came here to ask a question and I read the toad post and about hyperventalated. My biggest fear could be just around the corner. I am very fearful of frogs and toads. I live in a subdivison not really near any wooded area. I have had my garden for about 3-4 years and have never seen a frog. Well this year while cleaning out the winter leaves and goo. I reached in with my skimmer and picked up the leaves. A frog hopped off it. I about passed out. DH and teenage son thought i was the funniest thing ever.
Anyway after the shock I asked my husband where he came from. Long story short. I love nature animals, but frogs to me I can't take. I didn't want any harm to come to him and my husband and little girl seemed to like him, so I told my husband he could stay.
Well, I don't put real water flowers in the garden as it really is for noise and bird bath more than anything. My DH wouldn't let me finish taking the leaves out until we got a underground water plant for him. Now I am horrified thinking there is more than one.. What if it has babies. What if I take the leaves out and their are a bunch of them! I came here to ask how possible that was and I saw the posting. My gosh... How do I know if we have tad poles? Would I see them? Is it a toad or frog? I don't hear any crocking. I can handle maybe one or even two but a whole pond of them. I would die! What should I do? I have been keeping the neighbors cat from it. I hate to have it eaten. Maybe I should just take the leaves out and not put a plant in there and it will run away. He is really not my fear it is the multiples of him I am afraid of.
Also, where did he come from? I haven't had any in years I just assumed I didn't have to worry about frogs. Those are only out in the country. Not that I live in Nashville but there is no wooded areas for a good few miles.
The plant will be here this week. I don't think I can get the rest of the leaves out. My DH and son will have to. I usely get down in it and wash the sides but not this year. I can barely put the cleaner in it. I can't get the pump out. The son and hubbie is doing that now.
Sounds crazy for a 30 year old person. I know!
HELP!
Panic mode Need advise**
Frogs and toads are extremely beneficial. There are none native to the US that cause any harm to humans. Have you tried educating yourself about the important place that both amphibians play in a healthy aquatic garden ecosystem? There are countless web sites chock full of information. If you have a good water garden you WILL have frogs and toads. No getting around it. It doesn't sound like water gardening is for you. If a few 3 oz. amphibians are going to keep you paralyzed from normal water gardening maintenance I suggest you take up another hobby. Are you also aware that water gardens attract snakes too?
Edited to clear up typos.
This message was edited Apr 21, 2009 9:23 AM
This message was edited Apr 21, 2009 9:23 AM
Yes, that is my 'thing' ....those darn snakes. We have plenty coming in and out to eat the frogs (so maybe you will want to see snakes!!) (smile)
I understand your fear - perhaps (unless you really like the maintenence end of things) you can ask your husband to take care of that part and then you can enjoy the sounds etc., without the fear of coming into contact with the frog(s) I am no expert but I think that surburban lot or not - frogs will be everywhere once your little oasis is discovered. You only need to look into the water to see the tadpoles when it is time. Google for info about the lifecycle. Try 'frogs lifecycle photos' in your search engine, and you can see photos of the different stages so you can recognize. You may come to enjoy the sounds of the frogs and toads etc., if you know that you won't be picking one up by mistake during pond duties.
My thing is "lightning". This mature (heck, old) college educated self employed businees owner and elected official who has faced down angry constitutients and fired disgruntled employees and who can pick up snakes that I find in the garden totally disolves when lightning appears in the sky. My response is involuntary and uncontrollable. I shriek with a pitch that can shatter glass and simultaneously duck for cover. My whole family finds it hilarious. Except if they are in the car with me when I'm driving. The only way I can calm down is to get inside a building away from any windows until the threat of lightning has passed. I'm not proud of it and I'd give anything to get over it. I have no idea how I got this way and it's actually gets worse as I get older. Next thing you know I'll be behind the sofa cowering with the dog!
Snapple -- HA! That is hilarious!!
That is what I do when I HAVE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN!
I will travel 20 miles to avoid! PANIC city!! Can't think and can't make that turn. I'd rather land a plane with no practice!
But lightening...heck I put on the raincoat to take a stroll !!
Thanks for the input. My husband has calmed me for a minute. It surprised me that that I even had one due to really no trees or wooded area around me and I haven't seen one in the years that the water has been there. Plus the picture of the toads on the posting was a little disturbing to me. I pictured tones of frogs like that all over my yard.
I got used the idea of one...He doesn't seem to bother me. He/she jumps off the bank when I am there and he moves out of the skimmer's way when I get the leaves and sticks etc out of the garden. I am expecting it now so it doesn't startle me as much. I do stand back a ways to make sure he doesn't jump on me. He doesn't come out very much. Probably as scared as I am!! :) Plus I have 2 dogs and the neighbors cat. Still can't put my hands in the water. I can not take the way they feel. But DH said he can take care of that. Once it is up and running it pretty much stays clean. The cleaning decreases.
My husband wants him to stay so he has it's frog approved (my husband got off the internet) flowers and lily ordered and will be here this week. My fear of frogs is weird I know but I have always been leary of them. I guess my fear is they will take over my little water feature. How can I control them.. I mean it really doesn't have alot of room. Not sure it can take more than 5 frogs. Will they be everywhere? How do I do population control on them. My fear is it will get out of hand and I will not be able to enjoy my other gardens and my true love of butterflies!
He says I always make more out of things than necessary. Small things become larger than life. I am picturing a frog/toad take over!
The neighbors are going to love this!! Needless to say they didn't want the water feature and complained for months. That's ok. The city approved it, paid for my permit and everything. (although the city said I didn't need one). I play by the rules! Plus I don't particular enjoy see their lab cooped up in a little pin that they never clean or their cat that will not stay out of my garden!!! UGH
it isn't easy being green..if I may quote Kermit.
lars1angel..they are our friends and will not hurt you. Just think how much bigger we are then them. I hope you will learn to love them. They are cute if you give them a chance!
Frogs are everywhere, City, or country.
They somehow find water.
They are much smaller than you and are most likely afraid of you as you are them.
That is why they jump in the water and hide when people come by.
The eggs are in a large 'mass' in a clear jelly like stuff. You will know them when you see them. Sometimes they are laid in a long 'strand' like a string. The tadpoles are big enough to see, dark color. They swim like a fish. You cannot catch them really and there could be hundreds at a time. Fear not, many of them get sucked up in the filter, eaten by various things, ect. I had a HUGE mass of eggs last summer and I declare maybe only 10 of them lived to be frogs. Some probably get eaten by the fish ect.
My advice is to think about why you are scared of them? Have you ever been hurt by a frog? Maybe you just don;t know much about them and that makes them mysterious and scary to you. Try putting a lawn chair a few feet from the pond and just sitting quietly and watching the frog. You might do this for several days a week or so and see if your feelings toward the frog change. I am pretty sure you will eventually have quite a few frogs in your pond.
You could also set up a small tank (like 5 or 10 gallons) in your house or porch and put some tad poles or eggs in it. Then watch them develop and turn into frogs. It is really a neat thing to watch and it might help you overcome your fear. The only other thing is to either have your DG take care of the pond, or get rid of it. Because you will have frogs in it. Courtin' frogs LOL
Now, FrillyLily, If you could just get me over my absurd fear of lightning, I and my family would certainly appreciate it!
LOL I am afraid of Lightening.
I almost got hit by Lightening once, My dad DID. We were walking home after school/work and it was storming and we crossed a fence, and somewhere along the way it was hit by lightening. I was already over, and luckily it just gave dad a 'buzz'
Lightening can be dangerous stuff.
Even my dog is scared of storms. He puts his ears down and hides under the couch when the growly storm comes!
I have an irrational fear of those huge sewer bugs so I can empathize with the frog fear. I am not afraid of poisonous snakes, spiders or anything else. I was even bitten by a brown recluse once and still do not fear them but if one of those huge sewer bugs comes out and starts flying around I go nuts. I also hate those palo verde beetles (used to have those when I lived in Phx) come to think of it, they look a little like the sewer bugs too LOL! My dh and kids think its funny.
The thought of touching frogs or fish (I have koi fish) was not a good thing to me until last year when the fish all got sick and I had to treat them with medicine. Some of the fish looked so horrible and were so sick but I got over myself and my fears of the unknown and took care of them the best way I could and what do you know-I am not afraid anymore although I do spook every time the resident frog jumps out of my skimmer in my direction.... I wouldn't have it any other way. I am their caretaker!
lars1angel -
we all have different fears, whether they are rational or irrational..... it is part of who we are and how we got to be the people we are.
I have a terrible fear of fire - I am afraid the house will burn up while I am sleeping. To the point where I will check to make sure everything is off on the stove or any other appliance when I go to bed. It would always drive my husband daughter crazy with my checking and rechecking and checking again - I tend to be OCD about it. They never say anything though, because it is safety related.
Good luck - let hubby deal with the some of the pond chores. If you have a pond, the frogs will come.
No infestation of pond!! Only one little frog. I got all the leaves out. My dear sweet teenager, reached his hands in there and cleaned out the last remaining leaves. Probably because he wants friends to come over! :) I put the frogs plant on the rock where the leaves where so he can hide. He and i are fine now. I have done some reading on them and I think I know why I have him this year vrs other years. Other years I had no bank plants. So they couldn't hide. Of course, no leaves or plants in the pond for them to hide either. Last year I put some lamb ears and those things grow like crazy and have covered the banks so they now have a place to hide.
Well, now that fear of investation and a frog war has surpassed I worry that the little frog will not make it. My enviorment is not ideal for frogs I gathered from reading. I have more birds than you can count and some big ugly black ones. Probably crows. I noticed the other day down in my pond. They usually take a bath in the waterfall but I noticed these crow like things where shallow steps of the pond. Maybe scouting for the frog. Of course, the neighbors cat, but my yorkie has him covered. He maybe small but he is a pit bull at heart! :) He loves chasing the cat. Of course, the two dogs and my little girl who is not afraid of frogs and wanted to catch it today. Based on the internet they eat bugs. We do have some bugs but I put bug killer on the grass to keep fleas from getting on the grass so we don't have as much. But we do have some worms.. I mean lots of worms!! Thus all the birds.
I guess I will buy some more border water flowers to give a little more screening for him! I don't want to buy more flowers but hey it's for nature!! :)
Last thought! My best friend pretty much summed me up the other day. I was talking to her about the fear of frog infestion and what I would do if I had tons of frogs. Another lady said. Just have someone come in and take care of them. I was like I can't do that. I can't have someone kill them. She said why not I thought you were scared of them. My friend said. "Michelle Loves Nature but she doesn't like to touch it" LOL I guess she is right.
If I can get him still enough I will take a pic and post it. Thanks for the help and talking me down off the ledge! :)
Great! Looking forward to the pic. Now maybe someone can get me out from behind the couch the next time there's lightning.
Or help me to get the courage to make a left turn!!!
I do not have any plants in my pond.
I have a few planted on the outside, but mostly rocks around it.
But I have like 3 or 4 toads and 2 leopard frogs. I just put my pond in last summer.
You will get more frogs. They will show up, But you may be right about them getting eaten, so maybe it won't turn into an infestation.
Well, here he is. I didn't think I would get the picutre as he hides if you are around the pound. I was working from home today and I looked out the window and there he was on the rock. I took the picture through the glass. I knew if I opened the door he would jump. (the dogs run out when the door is open) & he did. When I opened it to see if I could get a better pic. He jumped in the pond.
Any idea what kind he is?
Oh...he is beautiful. Congratulations for getting the courage to snap the shot. That is a step in the right direction on becoming a lover of frogs!
It is hard to identify as I am not sure how big he is. The link below is a web site with all the native frogs in TN. Hope this helps
http://www.state.tn.us/twra/tamp/frogs.html
You have fallen in love with that frog!!!!! (smile)
I declare!!!!.................. Next thing we hear will be that you have been out wife shopping for him and are looking forward to grandfroggies!
Well I have become found of him since specially since I realized I didn't have a frog invasion... "george is his name". Course picture was in the house! LOL I have been fighting grows off out of the water garden all morning! :)
No wife for him but we did buy him a lily! Put it in yesterday. I even put it in. Of course, getting it used to the water so it was on the side where I can run if needed! :)
Handsome dude! Wish he was in my pond! Frogs are an excellent indicator of a healthy aquatic ecosystem. You are to be congratulated.
edited to correct the ever
present typos
This message was edited Apr 24, 2009 11:54 AM
And you have named him......ah, all is lost (or found!)
You will have to start a new thread.....Panic Mode No More!!
I love to hear them on a hot summer night.....
Carolyn - what surprised me is that we are in Spring. It actually has been very nippy at night - and the sound some nights has been deafening. I am used to that on a hot summer night as you have described..but this year they must have donned their coats and come out early! It wasn't that long ago that our pondless stream was frozen.
Ahhhh he's a nice froggy! I think he's giving you the eye LOL!
looks like a bull frog to me, but I don't know if they even have those in TN or not.
They get rather large and are greenish.