There are many poisonous or toxic frog species that can make you ill. You should treat every strange frog like it’s dangerous and even avoid touching pet frogs until you are sure you can touch them safely. Otherwise, you could end up sick or dead without proper protective equipment.
How to catch a frog in your house:
- Place a damp paper towel on the floor or a leak-proof container with 1 inch layer of water to lure frog out from hiding
- Frogs are easier to locate at night using a UV flashlight because they will glow
- Before touching the frog, wash your hands with mild soap
- Wear gloves to avoid skin contact
- Easiest way to catch a frog is to sneak up behind it and pin it to the surface with firm pressure
- Once you have the frog, you want to extend its legs and hold it behind the knees carefully. This will prevent them from escaping
- If you don’t want to touch the frog, you can sweep them into a bucket or use a fine mesh butterfly net to trap the frog
Table of Contents
How To Catch A Tree Frog In Your House
Tree frogs in your house can be pretty tricky to catch. Not only are frogs excellent hiders, but many species are dull neutral colors that blend well with their surroundings.
The same dull textured skin that makes a frog tough to spot in a tree can make it hard to find on carpet or furniture.
Many frogs, including some tree frogs, are nocturnal. However, according to the San Diego Zoo, “… poison frogs are active during the day when their jewel-colored bodies can best be seen and avoided.”
That said, the nocturnal tree frogs will find somewhere out of sight to sleep for the day, making them even harder to spot.
So, how can you find one small froggy in your home if it’s still and quiet? You need to know their secret.
Frogs, including tree frogs, are easier to find in the dark because frogs glow under UV light. A small UV flashlight will let you spot them even if they’d generally camouflage perfectly with their surroundings.
What Is The Easiest Way To Catch A Frog
The easiest way to catch a frog is to sneak up behind it and pin it to the surface it’s sitting on with firm pressure. This will prevent the frog from hopping away.
However, you need to wear gloves and be extremely gentle if you try this technique because frog bones are delicate and break easily. There would not be much point in live capture if you were going to kill the frog anyway.
Once you have the frog, you want to extend its legs and hold it behind the knees carefully. Doing this will prevent them from escaping while you relocate them.
Fortunately, frogs don’t have claws or teeth to bite you with, so you’re safe as long as it can’t touch any exposed skin.
If your frog is safe to touch, like some pets frogs, you still need to be delicate with it. Moreover, it would be best if you washed your hands with a very mild soap like dawn before touching the frog, so you don’t hurt it.
Having a cloth sack prepared so you can put the frog inside and close the top will help you keep ahold of your stray frog safely and guarantee it can breathe.
How To Lure A Frog Out Of Hiding In Your House
If you’re quick enough or cunning, catching the frog inside your house is the easy part. Luring the frog out of hiding will also make it easier to catch.
Below I’ve listed 3 simple ways to get a frog to come out of hiding:
- Place damp paper towels somewhere dark. This method works best if you’ve heard the frog in the area and a UV light either didn’t help, or you don’t have one.
- Fill a large leak-proof container with a shallow layer of water, an inch or two deep, and leave it where the frog can jump inside. This method works even better if you have a wide, shallow plastic tub with a lid, as you can often simply close it up to trap the frog. Don’t forget to make small air holes first.
- If you have minimalist decor, create a nice dark sheltered spot where the frogs can hide and put a small water dish inside.
How To Remove A Frog From Inside Your House
Wild frogs don’t want to be in your house. They hop in by mistake and get stuck, so sometimes opening a door is all you need to do to get them out again. Otherwise, there are a couple of easy ways to remove a frog from your house.
First, you can sweep the frog into a bucket or similar container. The trouble with this method is, of course, frogs jump.
Be ready to put a lid of some type over the container long enough to get the frog outdoors and away from the house. This trick is more manageable if you have someone to help slam the lid in place.
Second, you can grab your gloves and a fine mesh butterfly net to trap the frog. Once you’ve got the frog in the net, simply scoop it up and twist your net near the opening, temporarily closing it.
You’ll have to be quick, but it’s not difficult once you’ve got the knack. The downside to this method is that you need to have a large enough net with fine mesh on hand to pull it off.
Helpful Tips To Know About How To Catch A Frog In Your House
Frogs tend to be quick and very agile, so they can use bursts of energy to catch their prey or escape from danger.
Fortunately, with the right tools and knowledge, you should be able to locate them and perhaps grab them while they’re sleeping.
Here are a few more helpful tips to know about how to catch a frog in your house.
- Catching frogs in your house is especially important if you have pets or children. Tiny fingers and paws aren’t always careful around fascinating new creatures. When you suspect there’s a frog n the house, ensure that you put up the pets and keep kids far away for their safety.
- I cannot stress this enough. Never touch a strange amphibian! It may sound overdramatic, but it’s not when you consider that you can die from coming in contact with the wrong frog. One of the most poisonous creatures alive today is a yellow frog native to South America. According to National Geographic, “The golden poison frog is considered one of the most toxic animals on Earth. A single specimen measuring two inches has enough venom to kill ten grown men.” While the golden poison frog is the deadliest, there are numerous similar, highly poisonous frogs and toads. It doesn’t take much, and a single touch is enough to absorb some incredibly potent toxins, so please wear gloves to catch strange amphibians.
- Frogs are not known for their endurance. Hopping is costly in terms of energy, so you don’t want to do it for too long. While a frog will undoubtedly give you a run for your money, it will also tire quickly. Plus, all that hopping will help dry the frog out, which is excellent for you but damaging to the frog. If it gets too dehydrated, your frog will die.
- Most frogs are considered toxic, but few are deadly to humans. However, you don’t want to end up in the hospital paying hundreds or thousands of dollars because you couldn’t be bothered to grab a net or toss on some gloves. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Final Thoughts
Frogs are not the easiest creatures to catch. Their damp skin is slippery, and frogs are naturally talented jumpers which makes it even more difficult.
A UV light will make your home-invading or aquarium escaping frog substantially easier to spot. Luring them out will help, but it’s safer for both you and the frog.
In addition to protective gloves, wear long sleeves and use a net or container with a lid will help protect you from salmonella or poisons, and it can prevent you from accidentally breaking the frog’s bones or harming it during the capture.
