very off topic
- Thread starter bunnymom3
- Start date
Absolutly. I figure the thing you're thinking about most is feeding it, right??
There are alot of ways to ensure the frog has a substantial food source, but generally most people don't like them very much. Usually you'd feed captive herps crickets from the store, but that's not really a great idea in this case . . they'd likely just run all over the place and not be consumed.
The best way to ensure a bullfrog in a backyard pond is fed is to make available several foodsources for him. There will naturally be bugs around the pond, so that's one. Another way is to stock your pond with smaller frog species and some tadpoles--it'd definatly make use ot that . . . same thing with feeder fish. If you occasionally put feeder goldfish in the pond, the bullfrog (as a regular resident) will probably pick them off, too. The final way I'd say to ensure the frog has a foodsource would be to put a birdfeeder right by the edge of the pond. It may sound brutal, but a large bullfrog will have no problem picking off the occasional small bird, and with a feeder dropping seed at the edge of the pond, the bullfrog will have his pick.
Aside from a food source, its a great idea to make sure the frog has places to hide and some relative cover on the edge of the pond. Plants in and around the water (which are usually a standard anyway) will do just fine. They'll also provide for other species creating a more complete "ecosystem" of sorts. They also like hiding in between rocks in occasion, but that's also usually a standard.
Anything else or anything more specific, just lemme know!
-Bob
There are alot of ways to ensure the frog has a substantial food source, but generally most people don't like them very much. Usually you'd feed captive herps crickets from the store, but that's not really a great idea in this case . . they'd likely just run all over the place and not be consumed.
The best way to ensure a bullfrog in a backyard pond is fed is to make available several foodsources for him. There will naturally be bugs around the pond, so that's one. Another way is to stock your pond with smaller frog species and some tadpoles--it'd definatly make use ot that . . . same thing with feeder fish. If you occasionally put feeder goldfish in the pond, the bullfrog (as a regular resident) will probably pick them off, too. The final way I'd say to ensure the frog has a foodsource would be to put a birdfeeder right by the edge of the pond. It may sound brutal, but a large bullfrog will have no problem picking off the occasional small bird, and with a feeder dropping seed at the edge of the pond, the bullfrog will have his pick.
Aside from a food source, its a great idea to make sure the frog has places to hide and some relative cover on the edge of the pond. Plants in and around the water (which are usually a standard anyway) will do just fine. They'll also provide for other species creating a more complete "ecosystem" of sorts. They also like hiding in between rocks in occasion, but that's also usually a standard.
Anything else or anything more specific, just lemme know!
-Bob
B
bach2yoga
Guest
Nykki,
Bob sounds right to me. Bullfrogs won't eat anything that isn't moving, so if you had them in a tank and fed them mice you'd have to swing the mice around so the bullfrogs would eat them. (Trust me, you don't want your finger caught in their mouth, it hurts!)
Here's a site we've used extensively in caring for our frogs:
http://allaboutfrogs.org/froglnd.shtml
The kids will love the site, and there is lots of info on caring for frogs, and even a frog doctor!
Be sure to watch frog tv on the top left of the page.
I also wouldn't suggest the pet store crickets outside because they generally are supposed to have a more varied diet. In captivity you have to sprinkle them with a powder to give them more nutrients. And bullfrogs are big eaters-I saw one with another's frog sticking out of its mouth, that's all that was left as he was eating another one. Crickets are fine for smaller frogs, like leopard frogs, but not enough for bullfrogs. If you don't want the other frogs eaten, make sure they are about the same size. Any smaller frogs or taddies are fair game for dinner. Feeder fish are great though, especially if it's a pond that you've made.
Renee
Bob sounds right to me. Bullfrogs won't eat anything that isn't moving, so if you had them in a tank and fed them mice you'd have to swing the mice around so the bullfrogs would eat them. (Trust me, you don't want your finger caught in their mouth, it hurts!)
Here's a site we've used extensively in caring for our frogs:
http://allaboutfrogs.org/froglnd.shtml
The kids will love the site, and there is lots of info on caring for frogs, and even a frog doctor!
Be sure to watch frog tv on the top left of the page.
I also wouldn't suggest the pet store crickets outside because they generally are supposed to have a more varied diet. In captivity you have to sprinkle them with a powder to give them more nutrients. And bullfrogs are big eaters-I saw one with another's frog sticking out of its mouth, that's all that was left as he was eating another one. Crickets are fine for smaller frogs, like leopard frogs, but not enough for bullfrogs. If you don't want the other frogs eaten, make sure they are about the same size. Any smaller frogs or taddies are fair game for dinner. Feeder fish are great though, especially if it's a pond that you've made.
Renee
B
bach2yoga
Guest
From the species care page at allaboutfrogs:
Diet:
This is where things get a bit hairy for my taste. These guys have a voracious appetite and will eat anything that it can swallow, including invertebrates and small vertebrates such as mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, even turtles and other frogs. Bullfrogs have teeth in the roof of their mouth and a muscular tongue capable of flipping prey into their mouth. They'll eat lots and lots of really big bugs, fish (guppies, I am told, are pretty good feeders) and mice. Pretty much anything that will fit in their mouths. Large insects and worms should be left on the rocks, though these guys will eat them from the surface of the water too. Dead mice are best offered either by hand or using forceps (again, get the kind with round balls on the ends so you don't risk injuring the frog when he lunges at the food!) It is generally recommended that you house these frogs alone (except for breeding) in order to avoid cannibalism. Eeek!
Diet:
This is where things get a bit hairy for my taste. These guys have a voracious appetite and will eat anything that it can swallow, including invertebrates and small vertebrates such as mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, even turtles and other frogs. Bullfrogs have teeth in the roof of their mouth and a muscular tongue capable of flipping prey into their mouth. They'll eat lots and lots of really big bugs, fish (guppies, I am told, are pretty good feeders) and mice. Pretty much anything that will fit in their mouths. Large insects and worms should be left on the rocks, though these guys will eat them from the surface of the water too. Dead mice are best offered either by hand or using forceps (again, get the kind with round balls on the ends so you don't risk injuring the frog when he lunges at the food!) It is generally recommended that you house these frogs alone (except for breeding) in order to avoid cannibalism. Eeek!
Well what I needed to know is about winter time. How do they hibernate? Do we need mud at the bottom of the pond or do we need a heater to keep the pond from freezing? I don't want to get a tadpole with out finding out what he will do in the winter.
Nykki
Nykki
B
bach2yoga
Guest
mud should work, that's what we have in the bottom of our stream. We never heat our stream. 
Renee
Renee
Bob and Renee don't worry about it. 4 years ago a friends son brought us some injuried, sick green frogs. Don't know the name had green bellies. We nusred them back to health and they come back every spring but last spring they went to my neighbors bigger pond. We just moved our pond from around front to around back and added a few feet and a stream. I'm a little worried our little friends will come back to visit and I don't want a bull frog eating them. 2 years in a row they left us tadpoles and last year they left her tadpoles. We didn't even think about it when we discussed getting a bullfrog. Knew what they ate but just weren't sure they will come back our not. We also have about 10 feeders in our yard and nesting boxes for chickdees and blue birds. A bullfrog just won't fix into the mix.
We''ll stick to Brian Colbys African Clawed frog......lol. Before anyone says anything he is inside
Nykki
We''ll stick to Brian Colbys African Clawed frog......lol. Before anyone says anything he is inside
Nykki
B
