I found another dead frog on my pool deck today. That makes six or seven since May. They are really tiny--they probably hatched this spring. They may be toads and not frogs; I can't really tell because they are just so tiny; they are about as big as the tip of my finger. It is really frustrating--the pool deck is screened in, so I feel kind of responsible for everything that lives inside it (there are a couple of large plant beds which support at least a dozen lizards as well). I think the eggs may have been brought in with the dirt when the pool deck was built. They come out of the ground when it rains, and then I think they die the next day from the heat when they can't figure out how to get back to the garden area. I think the frogs/toads eat the ants and other insects, so they are good to have around. What made this one particularly furstrating is that I saw him hopping around yesterday afternoon, but since it was pouring, and he had gone underneath an overhang where it was dry, I let him be. Maybe Luke has some suggestions . . .
My cousin woulda grabbed the lizards and/or frogs and used em as targets with his bb gun. Or, he woulda launched it really high or far to watch it splatter on the ground.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jul 31 2008, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>My cousin woulda grabbed the lizards and/or frogs and used em as targets with his bb gun. Or, he woulda launched it really high or far to watch it splatter on the ground.</div> SOunds like the typical Florida resident to me.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GrandKenyon6 @ Jul 31 2008, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, at least you didn't find a gator resting at the bottom of your pool.</div> That's why it is screened in! Sometimes there are snakes hanging around outside the screen, though.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jul 31 2008, 02:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Jul 31 2008, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>My cousin woulda grabbed the lizards and/or frogs and used em as targets with his bb gun. Or, he woulda launched it really high or far to watch it splatter on the ground.</div> SOunds like the typical Florida resident to me. </div> Actually, funny you say that, he did move to Mississippi - Southern part, really close to Florida. I believe it's less than a one hour drive.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jul 31 2008, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I found another dead frog on my pool deck today. That makes six or seven since May. They are really tiny--they probably hatched this spring. They may be toads and not frogs; I can't really tell because they are just so tiny; they are about as big as the tip of my finger. It is really frustrating--the pool deck is screened in, so I feel kind of responsible for everything that lives inside it (there are a couple of large plant beds which support at least a dozen lizards as well). I think the eggs may have been brought in with the dirt when the pool deck was built. They come out of the ground when it rains, and then I think they die the next day from the heat when they can't figure out how to get back to the garden area. I think the frogs/toads eat the ants and other insects, so they are good to have around. What made this one particularly furstrating is that I saw him hopping around yesterday afternoon, but since it was pouring, and he had gone underneath an overhang where it was dry, I let him be.</div> Clean and hose down the deck, makes sure everything is out of it and shut all the doors?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Return of the Raider @ Jul 31 2008, 01:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Jul 31 2008, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I found another dead frog on my pool deck today. That makes six or seven since May. They are really tiny--they probably hatched this spring. They may be toads and not frogs; I can't really tell because they are just so tiny; they are about as big as the tip of my finger. It is really frustrating--the pool deck is screened in, so I feel kind of responsible for everything that lives inside it (there are a couple of large plant beds which support at least a dozen lizards as well). I think the eggs may have been brought in with the dirt when the pool deck was built. They come out of the ground when it rains, and then I think they die the next day from the heat when they can't figure out how to get back to the garden area. I think the frogs/toads eat the ants and other insects, so they are good to have around. What made this one particularly furstrating is that I saw him hopping around yesterday afternoon, but since it was pouring, and he had gone underneath an overhang where it was dry, I let him be.</div> Clean and hose down the deck, makes sure everything is out of it and shut all the doors? </div> There is a garden inside the screened deck, and they live there along with the lizards. Even if I wanted them gone--which I don't--there would be no way to do that unless I pulled up all the plants and paved over the beds.
Im in FL pensacola right now at my gf's mom house and they do have those little toads as well.. specially at night. But like you said just let them be because they eat insects which is good
Me? Is the garden area raised up? I mean, you could go out there after the rain and scoop them back there, but yeah, drying up is bad for them. When we were trapping them in the buckets we'd keep sponges down there to keep them moist.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (lukewarmplay @ Aug 2 2008, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Me? Is the garden area raised up? I mean, you could go out there after the rain and scoop them back there, but yeah, drying up is bad for them. When we were trapping them in the buckets we'd keep sponges down there to keep them moist.</div> Let's see if I can describe it . . . there are two large plant beds that are imbedded in the pool deck; they are areas where there isn't any concrete or pavers so the plants can really take root. The gound is covered with wood chips. The plant beds are pretty big and the plants are pretty dense. I'd have to look up what they are. The sprinkler system extends to the pool deck so we can water inside the screen, but it has been raining so much recently that it is constantly moist; we are getting some mushrooms right now as a matter of fact. The rest of the pool deck, though, is lined with pavers, and I think the problems arise when the toads hop around in the middle of the night and can't find their way back to the plant beds. It's also possible that somehow they are getting inside the screen-in area from outside through the overflow drain. I guess I'm going to have to scoop them all up and bring them to the plant beds . . . I hate to interfere with them, but I don't want them to die, either. I've also been noticing a ton of baby lizards. We've had a lot of ants on the pool deck because of the large plant beds, and the lizards and toads just eat them up, I think. I took some extra pavers and built a shelter in the corner where they seem to be getting trapped, so they can find some shade. There are a lot of gaps in the pavers, so they can hop in and out and under them. Under the shelter, I placed a plastic plate, which I filled with water and placed a few wood chips and rocks. Do you think that will keep them alive until I can find them next time?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kid Chocolate @ Aug 2 2008, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You should make frog leg soup.</div> They are too tiny for that! And some of the frogs down here are toxic.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Aug 2 2008, 09:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kid Chocolate @ Aug 2 2008, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>You should make frog leg soup.</div> They are too tiny for that! </div> That's what she said.
