# Frogs



## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Not sure where to post so here goes...

I have what seems like a lot of frogs on my property. Mother frogs, daddy frogs and way too many baby frogs. They leave frog "turds" and scatter all over when I'm cutting. I don't want to hurt the little guys but I'm not sure if they are harming or helping the lawn.

Any insight on this? I did a google search and didn't find anything bad about them and they actually seem to do some good as the eat things like grubs which is a good thing.

Mostly just curious...


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## William (Oct 2, 2017)

I would say they're eating what is eating your lawn.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I have a pretty big Cuban tree frog problem in my area. They are invasive and eat all the local stuff like green tree frogs and geckos. They get huge and nothing likes to eat them. They poop all over my front porch but I haven't noticed them pooping on the grass. I do have quite a few toads in the back that obviously stay away from the Cuban tree frogs but haven't had any poop issues with them either. Maybe my grass isn't dense enough to hold up frog poop yet? :lol:


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

William said:


> I would say they're eating what is eating your lawn.


Maybe so and I'm thankful as the lawn is doing well these days 👍🏾👍🏾


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

Notice the blue feet? I had sprayed the yard with PGR and dye the night before. He's a repeat offender. If I kick on the porch light there's always a few out on the lawn. I just now put together they are the cause of the weird poop I see on the lawn when I get home from work.

The baby frogs are as thick as I've ever seen them. We had dang near record rainfalls this spring and they are everywhere. Driving on the highway is like a game of Frogger except you're in the car swerving trying to miss them looking like A DWI waiting to happen.


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

Yeah, I have frogs, too. Usually 1 to 2 in the front yard and a couple in the back. They're annoying to me, but harmless. The reason they annoy me is because they are fearless. I don't want to step on one, they don't move. Had one in my garage hiding just in front of my swardman. I went to move the mower and splat! Animal repellents do not work. Some say spray vinegar around the porches and patios. Haven't tried that yet.


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

I have frogs, toads, and lizards in my yard. I see them all the time in the flowerbeds, where the lizards are amazing at keeping the insects under control. I see the toads mostly in the evening, since the daytime temperatures are too hot for them. They burrow in my mulch in the flowerbeds and tree rings. Those big old Texas toads can dig into the mulch and make themselves quite a little underground house to get out of the relentless sunlight.

I encourage them, because they eat a lot of insects. Those big toads can absolutely feast on crickets and grasshoppers. I do not use insecticides in my lawn. I let the birds and amphibians take out the locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets, and the tree frogs and lizards (mostly anoles) keep the spiders and other bugs in check. They are like having outdoor pets...!

They do not move away from you because movement attracts predators - they prefer to stay motionless and rely on their camo colored skin, or ability to change their color, to blend in. Hawks and other birds of prey will swoop down and eat them.

If they bother you, put some waterproof gloves on (they secrete chemicals to make them taste bad, and they will also let go on you to make you drop them) and just relocate them to an area that has water near it - a creek or pond is perfect.

To me, if you are seeing these animals in your yard, it is a sign you have your lawn ecosystem in harmony with nature. :thumbup:


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

When we hit the rainy season, and I have a lot of water in the back yard, I wind up with pools of tadpoles, and when the water finally dries up, it's a god-awful smell. I'm not talking about two dozen or so, no way... I'm talking thousands!

I agree with @FlowRider that having them shows that your lawn ecosystem is in harmony with nature.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

FlowRider said:


> I have frogs, toads, and lizards in my yard. I see them all the time in the flowerbeds, where the lizards are amazing at keeping the insects under control. I see the toads mostly in the evening, since the daytime temperatures are too hot for them. They burrow in my mulch in the flowerbeds and tree rings. Those big old Texas toads can dig into the mulch and make themselves quite a little underground house to get out of the relentless sunlight.
> 
> I encourage them, because they eat a lot of insects. Those big toads can absolutely feast on crickets and grasshoppers. I do not use insecticides in my lawn. I let the birds and amphibians take out the locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets, and the tree frogs and lizards (mostly anoles) keep the spiders and other bugs in check. They are like having outdoor pets...!
> 
> ...


That's a very good point. So many times we focus on one thing (our lawn) and forget how nature can help our overall situation. By spraying for certain pests we can remove the food for something else. Take the wheel bug for example. It is a scary *** looking dude. But it is actually a good thing to see in your garden. They attack and kill many insects that we consider pests. We as humans sometimes forget that complete control over everything on our property sometimes isn't the best thing for our property.


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

All good stuff guys. Im not opposed to the frogs I was just curious for the most part. In addition to the frogs I have birds in the lawn feasting as well. I will take this all as a good sign! I don't use a lot of chemicals...just what's needed when there is an issue and I tend to go light even when needed. Besides my granddaughters love chasing the frogs from time to time


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## Sbcgenii (May 13, 2018)

So many frogs this year. More than usual at my parents house and all over at my new place. I think they are digging holes at my new place?


I have a few of these holes throughout the yard?


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## The Anti-Rebel (Feb 16, 2019)

Sbcgenii said:


> So many frogs this year. More than usual at my parents house and all over at my new place. I think they are digging holes at my new place?
> 
> 
> I have a few of these holes throughout the yard?


Could be crayfish.


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## Dawgvet (Jul 2, 2019)

Sbcgenii said:


> So many frogs this year. More than usual at my parents house and all over at my new place. I think they are digging holes at my new place?
> 
> 
> I have a few of these holes throughout the yard?


Is the opening about 1/2 inch diameter?


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## Sandmountain Reel (Mar 15, 2019)

Just caught these guys tonight any idea why so many


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Sandmountain Reel said:


> Just caught these guys tonight any idea why so many


Mild Winter, warm Spring, lots of rain, and...well, frogs and toads like to eat insects, sleep, and make baby frogs and toads! :lol: :nod:

Find a pond in an area not frequented by humans. It will sound like a frog symphony. Boom, boom, ribbit, ribbit, boom!


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## Sandmountain Reel (Mar 15, 2019)

Is it bad if a dog bites it


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Some toad species have glands behind their ears that secret a mild toxin that will make a dog foam at the mouth, but it will not harm the dog - it will just make the dog drop the toad, and will pretty much guarantee your dog will leave them alone after that. Just rinse the dog's mouth out with the garden hose turned down low to flush the foam and secretion out of its mouth, and they will be fine after about an hour. The toxin is designed to taste bad, so when something tries to eat them, it lets them go before it can bite down and swallow. It is very effective on mammals, not so much on snakes, turtles, birds, gators, or fish. If you handle them bare handed, it is a very good idea to wash your hands before you eat, drink, or touch your eyes. My lab (RIP) picked up a toad when he was a pup; dropped it, foaming mouth. Never touched them again...!

There are cane toads in Florida - an invasive species - not what you have in the bucket - they can actually kill dogs and cats with their toxin. If you can train the dog to leave them alone, it would be best for the dog. If not, Nature will teach them!


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Dawgvet said:


> Sbcgenii said:
> 
> 
> > So many frogs this year. More than usual at my parents house and all over at my new place. I think they are digging holes at my new place?
> ...


Yep. Crayfish or crawfish ("crawdads") burrow into the mud to escape the heat, and mound up the mud from burrowing to help keep the hole they dig to hide in moist to keep from getting baked in the sun during the heat of the day. "Mudbugs!"


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Sandmountain Reel said:


> Just caught these guys tonight any idea why so many


Are you drinking Bud-Wise-Er?


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Lookit all them little toad babies in that bucket...!

There will not be a bug to be found in your lawn in the morning.

Hop. Splat! Gulp!


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## Sandmountain Reel (Mar 15, 2019)

Yea wife just doesn't like them and when she takes out the dog he just seems to go straight after them so I caught them and moving them as Flowrider suggested. Yea the dog bit one and started foaming at the mouth she got scared that's why they have to go


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## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

It is actually a good thing to teach your dog. It is better they learn to leave toads alone, so they don't tangle with snakes....

Tell your bride not to worry too much - the dog will be fine once their mouth is rinsed out. Just keep an eye on the dog, and make sure it is breathing okay and getting back to normal. Big dogs recover faster than small dogs - dosage vs. response.

I gave my dog some milk and he was fine after drinking it. After that day, he would see a toad, and start butt tucking and running around in wild circles. He would not pick it up, but he definitely wanted to swat that thing with his paws a few times.

I used the command "watch out" to warn him about harmful things - comes in handy with snakes, skunks, aggressive dogs....


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## jakemauldin (Mar 26, 2019)

@ctrav we have tons of frogs this year. I just happened to catch this little tree frog on the spigot. This thread has been kinda comical to read because I have one dachshund that's all about the frogs. I let him out to the bathroom but he is more interested in the frog that lives beneath the flagstone I have to remind him over and over he's not out there to mess with them. He has foamed at the mouth a couple times when he has sniffed them a little too closely. It's not a hazard to them it's just kinda like getting your mouth washed out with soap as a kid. It always sucked and tasted bad, some of us learned our lesson after the first time and others kept saying those bad words time and again and soap was the result every time. @FlowRider is correct about being concerned about snakes too. Where there are frogs there are snakes. My neighbors dog got bit by a copperhead last week and ended up being ok after two days rest. Another neighbors boy got bit as well a couple weeks ago. Last week I caught a 3 foot bull snake in the dirt right off the back porch which that's not too typical for a snake to be out in the open mid day. The frogs will eventually make their way to ponds and water once things start to dry out and the babies start to mature. So I would be extra careful when dogs and humans are walking in the grass while frogs are near. Hope this keeps at least one person safer


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## Dawgvet (Jul 2, 2019)

> Yep. Crayfish or crawfish ("crawdads") burrow into the mud to escape the heat, and mound up the mud from burrowing to help keep the hole they dig to hide in moist to keep from getting baked in the sun during the heat of the day. "Mudbugs!"


 Crayfish are aquatic to semi-aquatic, so I did not know his yard was near a stream/pond.

Just making sure it was not Cicada Killer wasps, which will also dig "burrows" all over lawns.










Not my picture (can't give me a hard time about the weeds :lol: )


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