# Handling frogs with bare hands **URL:** \ **Category:** Nature Talk\ **Created:** [August 11, 2026, 11:26pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730 "2026-08-11T23:26:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jnstuart](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jnstuart/32/1623_2.png) [@jnstuart](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jnstuart)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/23 "2026-08-16T18:10:38Z")
> [@screedius](#): > > Having those positive encouters with animals is important, though. It is one of the most effective ways of allowing people to connect with the world around them and develop that desire to protect nature. I agree. I got my start in nature study and a career in wildlife biology handling herps as a kid. I wouldn’t want to deny that experience to any budding herpetologist or field biologist. “Look but don’t touch” certainly applies to many animals but gaining some familiarity with those that can be safely handled is great experience. How many people with no knowledge of snakes comment on how nice they feel (not slimy) when they get a chance to touch one? ---
**Author:** ![rmcminds](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/rmcminds/32/2742_2.png) [@rmcminds](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/rmcminds)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/24 "2026-08-16T19:24:25Z")
I don’t really disagree with anything you two have said, and don’t want to go on too much of a tangent from the original post. I do think it’s important that we are all considering the difference between one individual’s infrequent impact on common species in their backyard, and the impact of a widespread ‘culture’ of behavior which we may contribute to via these discussion. Every situation is different, assume good intent, experts often have good reasons to make exceptions, etc etc. But at the most simplistic level, I would hope the ‘default’ behavior is to avoid impacting wildlife. In wild areas and for at-risk species, the _cumulative_ impacts of human recreation can be very significant. Even perfectly happy chickadees being handled are becoming accustomed to that human interaction, and can ultimately end badly - I’m certainly not the first to say “don’t feed the squirrels”. Even though I totally agree that wildlife interaction also has the potential for lots of positive outcomes, I just wanted people to be mindful. Everything in moderation, and consider cumulative impacts. ---
**Author:** ![coccineus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@coccineus](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/coccineus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2026, 9:19pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/25 "2026-08-16T21:19:44Z")
I had no clue about the oils and chemicals. Happy to learn. I have picked up both toads and frogs to move them out of the way of a lawn mower. This was an emergency move, and I hope I helped more than I hurt. They usually wet my fingers. I have read that peeing on things is a defence mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![roadside\_rambler](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/roadside_rambler/32/60180_2.png) [@roadside\_rambler](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/roadside_rambler)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/26 "2026-08-17T00:22:17Z")
I think it’s safe to assume that your hands did less harm than the lawnmower would have. ---
**Author:** ![wildmare64](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/wildmare64/32/66761_2.png) [@wildmare64](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/wildmare64)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 10:01pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/27 "2026-08-17T22:01:31Z")
Agree with this, some people become combative even if it’s gentle education offered. I am a five-season volunteer doing newt surveys in Sonoma County, CA, where we have mostly been studying a population of Red-bellies (Taricha rivularis) for a park agency. What the staff supervisor discovered is that handling newts (and/or most/all amphibians, maybe particularly endangered?) requires a state-issued permit. Unfortunately, there is a very public pond near here where CA Newts breed annually and are easily observed and known by the public. Every time I am up there I try to educate parents and kids about not handling the newts, keeping dogs out of the pond, and not wading in the pond. 90% of the time this is taken with gratitude, but there are always those who argue they “know what they are doing” and are doing it out of scientific discovery or that their dog simply couldn’t hurt one by plowing through the pond, even though it’s clear to me they are way incorrect. One of the main things I try to explain along with the contact with your skin products is that it is extremely stressful to that animal to be handled by a predator (humans, eyes in front). ---
**Author:** ![a-j](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/a-j/32/30700_2.png) [@a-j](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/a-j)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2026, 2:15am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/28 "2026-08-18T02:15:48Z")
keep up the good work you are doing, even if not appreciated by the entitled few! ---
**Author:** ![euproserpinus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/euproserpinus/32/14838_2.png) [@euproserpinus](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/euproserpinus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2026, 2:55am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/29 "2026-08-19T02:55:57Z")
I came here to say just this. Well said! ---
**Author:** ![aaravmishra](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/aaravmishra/32/33901_2.png) [@aaravmishra](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/aaravmishra)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730/30 "2026-10-16T17:49:15Z")
I love frogs. I don’t intend to harm them. But touching was enough. When I’ve used a pen, I really don’t know how streaks of ink teleport onto my palm. Happens without me noticing it. Then I puck up a frog. After sometime it turns bluish. At first I could not understand why. What was happening. Then I realised. I hesitate to catch a frog is my hands have ink now. I feel sorry for those frogs who suffered or probably after release, died. I didn’t know it back then. [Previous page](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/handling-frogs-with-bare-hands/83730.md?page=1)