I made the small river bed out of great stuff then covered it with clay. On the inside of the riverbed I but Ricca it took off and made a mat. Who ever said water feature doen't benefit the frogs I wonder. My female goes to the bottem of the steam and soaks her butt at least once a day. She does some kind of little frog squat where her legs makes a V shape its kinda wierd. In one of the pics you can kinda see the male doing it.
They are drinking. I call it a "Butt Dip". All frogs/Toads absorb moisture through the cloacal region. The frogs will utilize this spot in a very concentrated and consistent way when laying eggs/tending to the tads. The female uses a lot of internal water reserves to create the gel and egg capsules themselves. After laying eggs, she will soak her butt in an effort to re-establish a reserve, both for health and to further her ability to gestate. The male will frequently urinate on the eggs as a means to ensure proper moisture levels are being held. He will also be a frequent, and consistent visitor to the water as well, exhibitting the same posture as the female(as you noted).
Also, darts shed very regularly, and they maybe stretching the skin in preparation as well. A good soak and a "drink" will only have a positive benefit toward the shedding process.
In closing, I would say water FEATURES are not needed. However, small pools are nothing but beneficial.
JBear
