Feeding Frogs is Fun!

By Marilyn Miller

If you have a pond, you probably have a collection of frogs that share the pond with your fish and plants. Most pond owners enjoy feeding their fish. Have you ever thought about feeding your frogs? Frog

Convincing a frog to accept food from a human is not easy, but with patience it can be done. Some frogs will never accept food directly from your hand, but others will. Just like fish, frogs will learn to associate a handout with a human and even learn to beg for their treat.

WHAT TO FEED:
Frogs enjoy a variety of foods, including flying insects, crickets and earthworms. However, a frog will only eat offerings that are alive. Probably the easiest food to feed a frog is a worm. Worms come in different sizes and can be selected according to the size of the frog being fed. You can purchase worms from a bait store or just find them in your yard under rocks and in the soil dug up when planting a plant.

HOW TO TAME A FROG:
To start the training process you need to find a frog that will sit still long enough for you to throw food to him. Small frogs instinctively jump into the water when humans approach. The frogs that are good prospects for feeding are medium to large frogs. Green frogs, bullfrogs and leopard frogs all can be tamed.

After you spot a frog that will let you approach him, try throwing a worm onto a nearby lily pad or rock. This may take some practice. Frog and Worm Sometimes the worm landing near a frog will startle him and make him jump. Be patient! If you can throw a worm where the frog can see it, he will usually go for it. Some frogs have better snagging skills than others. It may take a frog a couple of tries to get the worm and he may end up knocking it into the water. Don’t worry, the worm won’t be wasted. Your fish will be thrilled with the unexpected treat. After you have successfully fed your frog a few times, you will notice that if you approach the pond quietly and sit or stand on the edge, your frog will appear in the water looking for a handout. If you have time to sit and wait, he may come up on a nearby rock and look at you. If this happens regularly, it’s time to try hand feeding.

HAND FEEDING:
It’s easier to get a frog to eat from your hand if you train him to eat on a rock instead of a lily pad. Sitting on a rock at the pond’s edge is a good way to get your frog to be comfortable with eating close to you. Try placing the worm closer and closer to you. Hand feeding frog Eventually try offering the worm on your extended hand while sitting very quietly. Some frogs will have no problem taking the worm from your hand. Some will even be comfortable with sitting on your hand. Sometimes a frog will bite your fingers instead of the worm. Unless the frog is unusually large this should not be painful or do any damage to your fingers. Frogs have small teeth in the back of their mouths but tend to grab food with the front of their mouths. Grabbing the frog or picking him up is not recommended. That will spook even the friendliest frog.

If you feed your frogs, expect them to grow quickly. Remember they are getting extra food and nourishment that they would not get naturally. Enjoy your frog buddies and don't worry if they get a little plump. After all, feeding frogs is fun!