RAUK - Archived Forum - strange habitat

Hey there, that is quite an interesting story. It is my guess that the frogs and toads have either fallen in from above, or found their way in through cracks as tiny froglets and toadlets and then grown too large too escape.  Frogs are not too fussy where they spawn, but I would say that if they lay their eggs in a 'dish' of water, then they are probably trapped and have no other choice.

  Frogs and toads have a particular skill for falling down steep sided holes. When I was a kid I used to regularly make the rounds of several drains and cattle grids looking for captives...they don't drown, and can eat the many insects which also fall in, and so they can live a long time in such inhospitable habitats...

If you go to your local pet store which deals in herptile food, get some house crickets (about ú2.75 for a big box). Our frogs amd toads love them. Alternatively, a slightly less sought after food is the common worm. If you are going to do that, you may as well set up an outdoor terrarium and make them all pets! Lol

Robert 

 "The frogs look like common frogs, but some of them appear very skinny, with pronounced hip-bones(?), hollow sides..."

"I don't think they are starving. They look healthy and are pretty active..."

Well, you cant have it both ways! The first description does make it sound like they are unhealthy and starving....

Oh, I see what you mean. Yes, toads tend to be plumper than frogs, and they will hop short distances too.

It sounds like the ideal solution (if possible) would be to build a pond in your garden, and provide some cover...such as an area of longer grass, a pile of logs, a rockery etc. Although, it would have to be quite a large pond to encourage the toads to breed, frogs are happy with quite small ponds. You would probably still have to release any froglets outside your garden to prevent overcrowding though.

Regards the hopping frogs and toads, I think I worded it on the ID pages as toads 'tend to walk not jump', i.e. if you see something toadish or frogish walking, chances are it is a toad, it's not to say common toads don't jump, they just don't tend to so much as common frogs.

Just to confuse it further I've often noticed that toadlets of B.bufo tend to jump quite often, though will walk when stalking prey.

I've yet to see a common frog move in anything like a walking motion.

Cyba, if your still not sure which are toads and which are frogs, take a look at:

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/common_frog.htm

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/common_toad.htm

My guess is they are probably coming down the slope to use your garden as terrestrial habitat and then finding it not so easy to get out. This sort of funnelling effect has been noted in amphibians before. Why not make the most of it? Go for the largest pond possible in a sunny spot, leave some of the garden untidy and enjoy!

Gemma,

I know this post is a "little" outdated, but Common Frogs can and do walk. I found one in my backgarden, a breeding female, and filmed it hopping, then walking in the same movie.

She was an old girl, about 20cm outstreched, and had 3 strange sores on her underside, which I think may be a type of fungal infection.

Also, Common Toads can and do jump, and I also have observed this in my backgarden.

Both frogs and toads are breeding in the relatively small pond, 2.5m by 1.7m, and about 1m deep, and most of the breeding and laying takes place in the oxygen plant-infested third, which is slowly creeping to overcome the open water, where the numerous goldfish usually patrol at dusk and dawn.