Toads In The Yard ?

[Len B]

A couple weeks ago Rocket (one of my dogs) alerted me that something different was in the back yard, It was early before sun up and he had spotted a toad. We have never had toads outside here so he had never seen one before. I had sprayed around the back door for bugs a few days before so I went out and got it. later I took it out front, took a few pics and left it loose in the front yard. here are some pics of that toad. This afternoon he let me know something different was out there again. It was what i thought was the same toad, but it wasn't the same one, it was a toad but a different one. this one is bigger and lighter in color. Been here 12 years and no toads in that time, now in less than 2 weeks we have 2. I just left this one in the back yard. I have no idea what type they are but what ever they are they are welcome to live here.I really like toads.And Rocket is already over his excitement about something unwanted in the yard, so toads are now safe with him watching over the yard.

 

[Tom]

Neat toads.

We have lots of them here every summer. I find them in my tortoises waters every night. They can't live in the tortoise pens because they soak in the waters and poop in there. Between the toxicity of their skin and whatever is lurking in their poop, I don't want them hanging out in my tortoises drinking water all night. I politely escort them outside the wall. I have no idea how they survive here. There is no water anywhere for them for miles, so I have no idea how they live or reproduce. We are in the desert. No ponds, streams or lakes anywhere within toad walking distance of here. Nothing but hot, dry dirt, but I see dozens of them all summer long.

 

[wellington]

I love toads. Up in Michigan, where I'm originally from, we have them all the time, well spring/summer. In the spring there are always little tiny ones. They look just like these ones. They are so cute.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

We have Cain toads (BUFO TOADS)
I'm not sure if that's what I see in your photo. But it sure looks like one.
They will go to great lengths to get into the pens and the water. As Tom says, they will be there. Pooping in it every night.
I collect them in a bucket and toss them into a canal on my way to work a few miles away. By simply tossing them over a fence or releasing them a short distance away, they will always come back.
they can get through a very small opening and are very hard to find when hiding, Even the big ones.
They are a cold, rubbery pain.

 

[Yvonne G]

If I can remember, next spring I'll take some pictures of the invasion of the baby toads. One has to watch where he puts his feet as he walks around outside because there are so many of them. It never ceases to amaze me and to wonder where in the heck did all those little toads spend their pollywog days? There are no canals, ponding basins, creeks, lakes, etc. around here anywhere, and if they came from my pond, it wouldn't happen because the turtles would have eaten them.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

We have a similar invasion of toadlets here. But there is water EVERYWHERE.
In your case, it seems very odd.

 

[Tom]

If I can remember, next spring I'll take some pictures of the invasion of the baby toads. One has to watch where he puts his feet as he walks around outside because there are so many of them. It never ceases to amaze me and to wonder where in the heck did all those little toads spend their pollywog days? There are no canals, ponding basins, creeks, lakes, etc. around here anywhere, and if they came from my pond, it wouldn't happen because the turtles would have eaten them.

You made me think of an interesting point. We have dozens of adults on my little 5 acre parcel, but I've never seen a baby. Not even a juvenile. Only full size adults. They hibernate underground in the winter when its cold and rainy, so they aren't reproducing then. I only see them in summer, but there is literally no standing water anywhere near my area for them to reproduce and for polliwogs to grow and mature.

Nature's mysteries...