Odd Consumer of Mice in Barn

[centrarchid]

An American Bullfrog had taken up residence in and around a watering trough that captures rainwater for emergency use. We first noticed it about 2 weeks ago. Gray Tree Frogs breed in same trough every year. The rather large bullfrog has learned to jump up 18" to get in as needed for hydration multiple times per day. Then it jumps out and moves into high weeds a few feet away. I suspect strongly the frog is consuming house mice that walk in the open at all hours and spend lots of time in cover provided by sames plants the from uses. Frog is big enough to each even voles. Will be watching this dude to see what is really going on. Grasshoppers to small to interest it this early in season.

 

[Farmgirl47]

How interesting! I hope you can snap a picture of him devouring a mouse (if he is indeed the guilty one).

 

[centrarchid]

Will try. It is hard to predict when it comes back to jump into trough for water. Away from trough I can not find it. Pictures later will demonstrate that.

 

[scottcaddy]

Will try. It is hard to predict when it comes back to jump into trough for water. Away from trough I can not find it. Pictures later will demonstrate that.

I'll watch this thread for those pic's, maybe a game-cam?
Scott

 

[Chickassan]

Frogs can and do eat mice, I've seen it. Frogs are opportunistic if it moves and it fits in their mouths chances are they will eat it.

 

[aart]

Frogs are opportunistic if it moves and it fits in their mouths chances are they will eat it.

Saw a pic of a bullfrog eating a sparrow.

 

[centrarchid]

I have cut them open to find crayfish, turtles, snakes, othher frogs, barn swallows and even a female red-winged black bird. At work they are extremely abundant and deemed a pest. We normally kill them all as their tadpoles are a major nuisance.

 

[aart]

I have cut them open to find crayfish, turtles, snakes, othher frogs, barn swallows and even a female red-winged black bird. At work they are extremely abundant and deemed a pest. We normally kill them all as their tadpoles are a major nuisance.

You certainly have the 'inside scoop'... yukyukyuk.
I imagine they would be a major pred at a fish farm.

 

[centrarchid]

Adults generally not an economic problem. It is the tadpoles. The tadpoles compete for feed / forage but real problem is during harvest and grading where the fish must be sorted from the tadpoles which can be labor intensive and hard on the fish. The tadpoles do not support much of a market.

 

[scottcaddy]

Adults generally not an economic problem. It is the tadpoles. The tadpoles compete for feed / forage but real problem is during harvest and grading where the fish must be sorted from the tadpoles which can be labor intensive and hard on the fish. The tadpoles do not support much of a market.

That must be one of your all time great understatements.
Scott