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Fri, Dec 31, 10 at 22:13
| Our unusual mid winter thaw had me out inspecting the pond. The hose was ice free. I decided to add fresh water (well water) slowly throughout the day in the larger 500 gal preformed where the fish live. I could not run the (submersible) pump because the ponds were still mostly frozen over. I also ran a little water to the two 50 gal top ponds that create the waterfalls. Ill be darned if I didn't see something move under the ice of the middle pond. A frog! Now I have to rescue this little guy because those 2 small ponds will freeze solid most winters, I have never seen a frog survive in those 2 ponds, only find dead ones. That pond was frozen down to the bottom already and it took several hours letting the hose trickle to get the ice out. I saved the frog, threw him in the big pond where there are frog pots. Then I saw another then another and yet another. I began dismantling the top 2 small ponds. In the end I had 18 frogs 5 were already dead :( . I didn't dare put that many frogs in the fish pond because I was not sure they would survive if they were disturbed during their hibernation. I took my bucket full of frogs 1/4 mile down the road and let them go in a river bog that runs between 2 lakes. They were in the bucket long enough to become active and I am hoping they were strong enough to find a safe place to spend the rest of the winter. They would have all been dead by spring if I had not moved them (imagine what a stinky mess that would have been)! Can anybody tell me if they have any chance of survival having been moved in this state? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Yes, they certainly will survive as long as there is a mud bottom for them to dig in. I know just how you feel because I have never, to my knowledge, had a frog survive in my upper pond either. My lower pond was 500 gal and I had 22 frogs one year. Remember that they are hibernating and are not consuming oxygen or creating excrement so they will not disturb the fish. I do not know which I enjoy more, the fish or the frogs. Just be careful running your pumps in the spring because the tadpoles tend to get sucked up. |
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| Oh good! I knew they would not have a chance leaving them where they were. The funny thing is I had done a frog search just before it was supposed to freeze. The weather man was wrong and there was one more nice day after I did the search before it froze. I wonder how many are in the 500 gal pond. I just can not believe there were so many frogs in that tiny little pond. I am so thankful for the thaw (it's back down into the mid 30s now and snowing). The bottom of the stream/bog I put them in is very muddy and could be where some of them came from. I hope they are all doing well. I do enjoy the frogs as much as the fish but when they get big enough to eat birds they get relocated back to thier natural habitat. |
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