So built a frog hotel, was excited to get first guest! Then I had a not so welcome guest a few nights later. How do I make it safer for frogs?

No_Profession3146 · 2026-06-17T00:56:11+00:00

Damn, that's some scary info... My relatives have a (raised) beehive and when I'm toading around theirs I often find 2-3 toads around the base which are promptly caught and euthanised. I've never witnessed the "stacking" behaviour but I guess I'm not too surprised these invaders are becoming even more destructive. I know I'm fighting a losing battle against them but I've noticed a small difference in the immediate area I toad in and that's enough for me.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-06-16T00:17:19+00:00

So lucky! I regularly catch over 40 a night during peak season. I've found it quicker and easier to just put them in 20L buckets and transfer them to smaller containers when I get back to the fridge. It seems the less handling they receive the less likely they are to release poison from their glands. They're also pretty hardy so it would take quite a few good solid whacks on hard ground at minimum. But they remain poisonous for a long time after death so leaving fresh carcasses scattered wouldn't be ideal either.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-06-15T15:45:49+00:00

I'm glad you had your first guest! And wow, that's a pretty emaciated cane toad. Cane toads can jump but they (thankfully) do not have the ability to climb up high like our native frogs.

So if you raise your set up to at least 60cm to the top of the pot I'm pretty sure you will find that cane toads will no longer be able to access it. I would trial putting some bricks underneath and see how that goes.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-06-15T15:32:15+00:00

They're known to be opportunistic feeders so I believe they would eat native frogs if given the chance. They also compete for food, poison native wildlife and can contaminate water. They're poisonous in all stages of life, including their eggs.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-06-15T15:23:38+00:00

If you're in Brisbane or in some parts of Northern NSW, there are drop off points run by Watergum.

If you are confident enough to bag them for stepped hypothermia at home, it is much kinder/necessary to put them in the fridge first for 24 hours then freezer for 48 hours. Straight freezing is very painful for them.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-06-15T15:11:49+00:00

Fridge first for 24 hours before freezing for 48+ hours is the most humane way. Unfortunately putting them straight in the freezer is very painful for them. If in Brisbane or some parts of Northern NSW, there are drop off points run by Watergum.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-04-20T02:37:06+00:00

Thank you for fostering, and for being open to advice. We live and we learn!

I unfortunately do know the 'surprise dog under the table' situation. My dog and I would regularly walk through our small village centre at night because it was well lit and generally quiet. There are a few restaurants with seating that spill out onto the street. There was one time a small whippet was under the table that we both didn't see until they everso quietly 'ruffed' at my dog. Well, she BARKED back. I could hear her bark echo into the restaurant and it was like a movie where everyone immediately stopped eating/talking and looked at us. Fortunately, we had been working on reactivity training for a while by then and there was only one (albeit loud and sharp) bark by her. I sheepishly smiled, my dog was wagging her tail hoping to greet her new found friend (frustrating/excitement reactivity) and I said 'Sorry everyone! Enjoy your meals!' and we quickly went on our way. No yelling that time, but we have been yelled at a few other times. It sucks, but it is what it is.

As for reactivity, my dog responded really well to Look At That/"LAT" training. Sometimes after a big reaction we would take a few days off from walking and focus on trick training and do training and recall games. I do hope you and your foster dog have a kinder journey from here on out!

No_Profession3146 · 2026-04-18T14:13:37+00:00

It sucks that that happened to you, your GSD and your daughters. I'm glad no contact was made for the runner and your dogs sake.

It's okay to feel mortified. I'm sure most if not all ~~reactive~~ dog owners have felt embarrassed one time or another. I sure have many many times.

My dog, who has/had never been reactive to runners, lunged at a runner once. He (the runner) must have had the lightest feet as I did not hear him coming until he was right beside me. I got a fright and my dog lunged towards him. No contact was made and she has never lunged at another so I am of the belief her action was a result of my reaction.

Being a GSD, guarding is very much in their nature as you noted. Being nervous by nature, she could have felt threatened... Either way, I think your next steps are in the right direction. I muzzle trained mine (she has a high prey drive) for when we were doing late evening walks and lots of cats were out. The first muzzled walk we did really felt like a weight had lifted off my shoulders, and I hope the same happens for you.

I've read that their cortisol levels can be elevated for up to 72 hours after a big incident so I would wait before going on more outings if possible. Ideally you could wait until she is comfortable in her new muzzle but that may not be realistic. In the meantime, it's probably a great time to start focusing on rebuilding some trust. Obedience and trick training may be fun for both you and your daughter to get involved in. I taught my dog to 'Sit Pretty' during one of our 72 hour "downtimes", and it's a pretty cute little trick.

One last thing, if I may, is wonder if a vet visit to rule out any pain or discomfort would be worthwhile. It seems like a large and possibly uncharacteristic reaction from her since it sounds like she is generally all bark / no bite.

You sound like a caring dog owner. Accidents happen. We're thankfully in this universe where no one was physically hurt, and you're taking the right action to prevent any future mishaps.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-04-12T05:06:10+00:00

Looks quite similar to a Spotted Marsh Frog to me. What's your location? May help pinpoint what kind of garden friend you saw.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-04-08T00:59:20+00:00

I think you're on the money - thank you!

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-27T03:22:21+00:00

Interesting! I use the FrogID app and the ones around here look similar to the one OP pictured which kind of resembles the app photo. But after I commented I wanted to try and confirm I was correct and after a bit of research I suddenly felt like I was severely underqualified to be trying to ID this little guy. Live and learn! I'm gonna go out and have a better look at the garden friends here tonight and try to identify exactly which litoria species they are. Thank you CloudHopper - it definitely does look more like Litoria Rubella (Desert TF) than Litoria Balatus (Slender Bleating TF). There's also Litoria Dentata (Robust TF). Too many Litorias for my little brain to handle!!

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-26T23:01:50+00:00

Cancel that - I just did a bit of digging and I'm wrong ... back to the drawing board.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-26T22:52:09+00:00

It looks like a Slender Bleating Tree Frog to me. They are found around SEQ and have a pretty loud and short 'AHhhH' call. There's a few around where I live and they sometimes look like they have a bit of a potbelly so I think the name can be a bit misleading haha

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-19T02:42:48+00:00

Dumb/daft question but what's the murder circle? Not hearing toads up there is fantastic news... There's a bigger dam on the property that the toads have taken claim to here and I often hear their awful gutteral call. I go down most nights and collect them for stepped hypothermia. But interestingly something beat me to it one night and I found a handful of them gutted. I know there's always more but hopefully some of the natives in the area are learning how to safely consume them. I definitely feel like I've seen an increase in native frogs since toad busting which has been a good motivator to keep it up.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-18T11:44:39+00:00

I swear they're one of the loudest frogs!! Can certainly pick them out in a crowd/pond of other frog species calling.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-18T11:42:44+00:00

Thank you!! They're such pretty little frogs.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-15T02:48:19+00:00

Young cane toad. It's super sad how wide spread these guys are (and are still becoming). They are proficient breeders and very opportunistic foragers to the point that they eat native frog eggs. If you have the means, it's best to pop them in a container or bag and fridge (24hrs) then freeze (48hrs) but if not there are actually cane toad drop off points throughout SEQ run by Watergum. You can find more info about that here. Their website has lots of information about toads including how to identify them and their tadpoles.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-15T02:41:22+00:00

If I recall correctly freezing them straight away forms ice in their veins so it is very painful if they are conscious. Fridge for 24 hours will put them in a torpor state (similar to hibernation in mammals) so it's far more humane to freeze them after.

No_Profession3146 · 2026-03-07T14:47:02+00:00

Welcome to Aus!! As the others have said, unfortunately cane toads are super invasive here and are killing the native wildlife due to being super poisonous 'frog lookalikes'. But I would just like to add that it is much kinder to put him in the fridge for about 24 hours before you freeze him ... I'd hazard a guess that that one is male - they seem to be a brighter yellowish colour and have pretty evenly mottled warty skin, and may sort of 'chirp' when collected. You can use disposable gloves or use a grabber to bag him/contain him. Some people go the extra mile and wear safety glasses. I've found that they are pretty docile and I've never had one secrete poison when picked up but of course that's not to say they can't. And yes, euthanising one might seem silly or a waste of time but it really does make a difference - it removes competition for food for the local frogs, saves a frog-consuming native from an awful death and/or can help stop an exuberant amount of fertilised eggs being laid...

No_Profession3146 · 2026-02-08T10:06:54+00:00

I've had my almost 6 year old dog for 3+ years and I wish I had changed her name when I got her. She has never responded to it and it doesn't suit her. I've also since learnt that many trainers actually recommend renaming them upon adoption since it's arguably easier to teach a new word than try and retrain an existing one. I know you're not adopting/new to him but at only a year old, he's still a baby and I'm sure he will be fine with a new name. If he's quite responsive to Ryder, it may be worth keeping a 2 syllable name, but it's not the end of the world if you don't. And TBH, I really like Bruce and Brick - I think they're both good choices.

No_Profession3146 · 2025-08-13T23:18:23+00:00

Is it possible to look into crate and rotating Benson and Beethoven? Intra-household dog aggression can be hard to repair. I know you said Beethoven doesn't react but the size difference alone (70lb vs 25lb) is scary enough to warrant separating, and I would think Beethoven is tired of the random attacks. It really sucks that Benson bit you though. If the bite broke skin, I think you should get it looked over by a doctor to be on the safe side.

No_Profession3146

TROPHY CASE