Frogs live most of their lives inside the water though most can be on land at least some of the time. As tadpoles, they grow up in the water, and as adults, they do everything else, including eat, drink, mate, and more in the same water.
In fact, some species die after just a few hours outside of the water. Do frogs poop in water?
Frogs will poop in their water bowl and in pools. Unlike most mammals, amphibians will poop whenever they feel the urge and do not seek out one spot and return to it over and over. Unfortunately, that means they dirty their water quickly, and frog owners should change at least 10 to 20 percent of their tank out weekly.
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Do Frogs Poop In Their Water Bowl
Some frogs poop in their water bowls. However, not all frogs climb inside their water bowls, and it’s pretty awkward to get your cloaca up over the edge of a water bowl to poop into it from the outside.
Still, many frogs are all too happy to hop into their drinking water for a potty break.
If your frog has ever been constipated and needed to soak, the water bowl may remind them of that feeling. It’s probably more comfortable considering how large frog poops can be.
How To Tell If Your Frog Pooped In Its Water Bowl
First and most important, if you suspect anything is off about your frog’s water bowl, I strongly recommend you pull it out and clean it thoroughly right away.
After all, no one wants a sick pet. Regardless, it’s a good idea to know what to look for to see if your frog pooped in its water.
Keeping track of how often they ‘go’ is essential to ensure your pet stays healthy since impacted bowels can be deadly to frogs.
If your frog pooped in its water bowl, the water would not be clear anymore. Depending on how long the poo has been in the water and whether or not the container has moved, the poop may be semi-identifiable or completely dissolved.
Either way, the water will be brownish or greyish and murky from the feces inside.
Do Frogs Poop In Pools
Frogs can poop in pools, and they will happily do so in naturally occurring waters. However, frogs that get into backyard pools may inadvertently do everything they can to avoid pooping in your pool.
Sadly, that’s because they don’t want to be there.
Homeowners in areas with frogs can consider them a menace, especially when they get in the pool. Rest assured, your pool is also a menace to the frogs.
Human-made swimming pools are typically full of crystal-clear water, which stays that way thanks to filters, skimmers, and lots of chemicals.
As Vue Custom Pools explains, ” Frogs can survive for short periods of time in a backyard pool. However, they won’t like the chlorine, salt, and other chemicals in the water. When a frog enters the water, it will find out that it doesn’t like the water and try to exit the pool.”
Disturbingly, a frog who fails to exit your pool in time will almost certainly poop there at least once. The chemicals will eventually kill the frog, which causes them to lose their bowels.
How Often Will A Frog Poop In Water
Frogs eat several times per week, but they don’t poop the same day, unlike mammals.
Juvenile frogs have faster metabolisms and will eat daily, pooping every day or two. If the young frogs are in the water, they do it without hesitation when the urge to go hits them.
While these poops are smaller, they’re generally the same sticky consistency as adult frog feces.
Mature frogs only poop every one to two weeks. Larger frogs have much larger poops which they will leave wherever they prefer. For most frogs, this means the water.
Meanwhile, for others, it may mean pooping in a tree, a water bowl, or even on the ground near their pool.
Sitting in a warm, shallow water container can help an impacted frog poop when it has trouble.
To accomplish this feat, add four to six drops of pure honey which works as a diuretic for frogs, then have the frog sit in the warm water for roughly ten minutes. Most of the time, your pet will poo.
Why Does A Frog Poop In Water
Frogs poop in water because it is comfortable, familiar, and convenient for them. Since frogs breathe through their skin, absorbing oxygen, they can stay in the water for months at a time.
You would poop, too, if you spent months anywhere, including the water. There’s no reason for a frog to avoid pooping in the water, so they don’t.
What Does Frog Poop Look Like In Water
What frog poop looks like in water depends on the depth of the water. In a deep pool, it will dissolve relatively quickly and contribute to the overall murkiness of the water.
Alternatively, a shallow pool may leave some of the poop exposed to the air.
In general, frogs poops are massive compared to the size of the frog. They tend to be dark brown to black with a sticky, shiny appearance.
The poo often seems too big to fit in their tiny bodies, and the process looks painful but is entirely normal for the frog. If you would like to see a frog poop in a shallow water bowl for reference, I recommend watching this video.
Helpful Tips To Know If Frogs Poop In Water
Like all animals, frogs will poop where they live, and most frogs spend their lives in or near water. It wouldn’t make sense for them to wander away from their homes to find sand, asphalt, or even just a patch of dirt for a bathroom.
Here are more helpful tips to know if frogs poop in the water.
- You cannot train your pet frog to poop in one place. Unlike a cat, rabbit, or dog, amphibians won’t hold it and move to the waste disposal area before letting loose. However, some frogs develop a perverse liking for pooping in their water dishes.
- Frogs dirty the water with more than poop. They may also carry salmonella and shed bacteria with their feces. Pool Spa News adds, “These hopping green bug eaters actually excrete urea through their skin which does contribute, in a small amount, to the organic chloramine level. Chloramines are a weak and ineffective chlorine. Organic chloramines differ from inorganic chloramines in that they cannot be removed by adding additional amounts of chlorine.” I recommend covering your pool to prevent frogs from getting inside when it’s not in use.
- It’s essential to wear gloves when cleaning up frog poop. Not only is there a concern about salmonella, but you may also suffer skin irritation from the sticky excretion.
Final Thoughts
Asking if frogs poop in water is a little like asking if bears poop in the woods, the answer is pretty obvious on the surface.
When you dig deeper you learn that some frogs poop on land just as some bears poop in the water. Like most things, froggy feces is more complex than a simple yes or no answer can convey.
Frogs only poop in the water when they are there. Some frogs, like tree frogs, spend a lot of time away from their ponds, pools, or other water sources.
If you have a pet frog, they will poop in their water which is only a small part of why you need to keep their aquarium clean.
