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Loud small frog #753165

Asked May 31, 2021, 10:13 PM EDT

Hello. We have a pond for our ducks. For the past week, we've had a small frog that is loud inhabit the rocks around it. It is really hard to find them because they can hide amongst the rocks. But when I have seen them, they are really small. This small frog is no bigger than the last digit of my pinky finger. The bad part, is that it is loud; loud enough it keeps us awake at night. Is there something we can do to make them be quiet or drive them away? It is really hard to find them because they can hide amongst the rocks.

Boulder County Colorado

Expert Response

Craig, 

Yes, those small frogs can be quite loud!!! 

Unfortunately for you, maybe not so for the frog, it is breeding season so the males call out to attract females.  The season will end sometime, depending on the species of frog, so waiting it out may be your best bet.

Not knowing the species of frog it is hard to say what natural predator might be helpful, but birds and snakes will eat frogs.  Maybe your ducks can help out!

Here are a couple of frog related websites:

http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/lafayetteco/2017/09/25/frogs-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

https://www.nps.gov/articles/northern-leopard-frog.htm#:~:text=Northern%20leopard%20frogs%20breed%20in%20permanent%20pools%20in%20rivers%2C%20streams,pools%2C%20ponds%2C%20and%20wetlands.&text=Breeding%20generally%20occurs%20from%20mid,female%20from%20a%20breeding%20pond.&text=Release%20of%20the%20eggs%20stimulates,and%20the%20eggs%20are%20fertilized.

Maybe investing in ear plugs is a good bet as well.

Good luck, 

CMG of Boulder Co.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 01, 2021, 11:52 AM EDT

Craig, 

Yes, those small frogs can be quite loud!!! 

Unfortunately for you, maybe not so for the frog, it is breeding season so the males call out to attract females.  The season will end sometime, depending on the species of frog, so waiting it out may be your best bet.

Not knowing the species of frog it is hard to say what natural predator might be helpful, but birds and snakes will eat frogs.  Maybe your ducks can help out!

Here are a couple of frog related websites:

http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/lafayetteco/2017/09/25/frogs-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

https://www.nps.gov/articles/northern-leopard-frog.htm#:~:text=Northern%20leopard%20frogs%20breed%20in%20permanent%20pools%20in%20rivers%2C%20streams,pools%2C%20ponds%2C%20and%20wetlands.&text=Breeding%20generally%20occurs%20from%20mid,female%20from%20a%20breeding%20pond.&text=Release%20of%20the%20eggs%20stimulates,and%20the%20eggs%20are%20fertilized.

Maybe investing in ear plugs is a good bet as well.

Good luck, 

CMG of Boulder Co.



From: Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>>
Sent: Tuesday, June 1, 2021 7:56 AM
To: Boulder County Parks Master Gardeners <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Question assigned to you (#0023096)
 

Hi Boulder County,

Question #0023096 has been assigned to you by CSU E.

Loud small frog

Hello. We have a pond for our ducks. For the past week, we've had a small frog that is loud inhabit the rocks around it. It is really hard to find them because they can hide amongst the rocks. But when I have seen them, they are really small. This small frog is no bigger than the last digit of my pinky finger. The bad part, is that it is loud; loud enough it keeps us awake at night. Is there something we can do to make them be quiet or drive them away? It is really hard to find them because they can hide amongst the rocks.

From: craig.cutforth
Submitted: 05/31/2021 10:13 PM


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An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 01, 2021, 11:59 AM EDT
Are there any things we can do to help deter the frogs, whether now or in the future?  I've read some info that frogs don't like vinegar or coffee grounds - is this accurate or just a myth?

Thank you again for your help.

Craig

-----------------------------------------------------
Craig Cutforth
Ph.D. University of Colorado at Boulder
M.S. University of Colorado at Boulder
B.S. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
<personal data hidden>



On Tue, Jun 1, 2021 at 9:59 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
The Question Asker Replied June 01, 2021, 9:28 PM EDT

I don't have any research based information that vinegar, salt or coffee grounds are effective in repelling frogs.  They would be cheap and easy to try.

Habitat modification would help get them to move on.  Food, shelter and water are three of the four elements all animals need to survive.  They need moist areas and insects to survive.  You can keep vegetation around the pond cut so that it does not provide the moist habitat.  You may need to remove the rocks that they like to hide in or at least place the rocks in a way that it doesn't provide a hiding place for them.  Since you have ducks, you can't fence the area off to prevent access to the pond.  You could add some fish to the pond.  The fish will eat the tadpoles or the frogs depending on the size of the fish and the frogs.  Putting in an aeration or water movement system may help by providing water movement which they don't like but it also helps the tadpoles survive.  If you aren't using BT to manage mosquitoes, this will remove a food source.  Keeping vegetation managed around the pond reduces the number of insects which is their food source.  You can also drain the pond for several months to get them to move.  Once you refill the pond, they may return.

If everything else fails, you can hire an animal control contractor to remove them.  However, if you still are providing the food, shelter and water, they can return.

Let me know if you have further questions.

<personal data hidden>

An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 04, 2021, 1:35 PM EDT

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