Poison Toad

flickerbulb · ‎03-09-2010

Anyone familiar with Bufo toads? They are a non-indigenous toad brought to FL from South America.

Someone once thought it would be a good idea to bring these creatures here and they have no natural enemies, so they thrive and multiply.

They can grow to be as big as a football. They have poisonous glands near their necks. Dogs grab ahold of them and ingest their venom. It will kill them almost immediately.

I have had a resident Bufo toad in one of my plant beds for over a year. I have tried to catch it but it has eluded me time and again.

I have been worried sick because my little dog likes to chase lizards and is always poking her nose everywhere to play with them. I thought it was in the front yard, but worried that it moved.

Today, I saw a plastic plant pot stuck in with some overgrown vines. I moved the pot and the toad must have been inside. It was HUGE! I would say it was as big around as a grapefruit and was as long as my forearm!

I got some spray stuff from inside the house, but that did not slow this thing down! It hopped into the back yard where the dogs go, so I HAD to catch this monster!

It went under a hedge, but I squirted it again and it was on the move. It finally stopped in an open area and I was able to throw a plastic box over it.

You are supposed to catch them and freeze them to dispose of them humanely, but I was not about to put that gross thing in my freezer!

I called Animal Control and she called me back and said they really don't deal with them but she would come anyway.

She put on her gloves and took a big garbage bag and was able to get the nasty thing into the bag. She hauled it away for me.

I have been worried about that toad for so long, and am SOOOO glad it is gone! One of my student's dogs was killed by picking up one that was in their pool. They are very dangerous to humans, too.

I feel triumphant today!!! My doggies don't have to worry about running into that beast! Here is a pic of one. Mine was 5x this size!

Zhills · ‎11-15-2011

The Bufo secretes from the glands on its back can be deadly.

If your pet comes in contact with a Bufo, you need to act immediately. Wash out your pet's mouth with a cloth that supersaturated with water. Don't use a hose, because the pressure can push the poison down your pets throat. Then get to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

If you waste time or ignore the situation, chances are that your pet will start foaming at the mouth, have convulsions, become paralyzed, and die.

Never pick up a Bufo without wearing gloves. The poison can irritate your skin.

TV will talk about the big Bufo, (4-6 inches) chances are you have some smaller Bufos. The smaller ones are just as deadly. Thought we had lost our Jack Russell to one.

NOTE: If you leave on an outside light, the toads will come to catch the bugs around the light. This is how our Russell got one and he was only 2" big.

Get rid of him immediately...any way you can! Save your dog. We lose several in the Tampa Bay area every year.

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

Thank you for sharing this info @flickerbulb and @Zhills

I went out to do my laundry (in garage😬) a couple of nites ago almost had a heart attack went to put laundry in washer -- I opened the top & this huge ugly toad jumped out!!!!

i know he's still somewhere in the garage....yikes I'm going to be "on alert" !

and these little green frogs are everywhere!!! we had a 5-7' alligator this morning in our yard (guess he got lost from his pond near us)....I didn't even attempt to go out and take picture...he was moving along which was fine with me!!!!

phoenixbrd · ‎03-27-2010

The Sonoran Desert Toad can also poison a dog. These toads can be very dangerous.

flickerbulb · ‎03-09-2010

@homedecor1

The little green ones that cling to the windows are fine. I have picked those guys up before to relocate them out of harm's way.

If it looks like the picture I posted, he must be captured!

They like dark places, so your washer is a perfect hiding place.

Don't make contact with it or anything it touched because it could have secreted poison on whatever it came in contact with.

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@flickerbulb

oh Lordy....you can be assured I am scared to death of him & wont go anywhere near him!!! I'm hoping he's gone...

and those "palmetto" bugs which are in my opinion "cockroaches" freak me out!!!! I never go in my garage without my can of RAID...I loathe the bugs here in FL!!!

flickerbulb · ‎03-09-2010

@homedecor1

I am telling you, the one I just caught took up residence over ONE year ago and did not move! I also hoped it moved somewhere else, but no such luck.

I fear that toad will take up residence in your garage UNTIL you catch it and get rid of it!

Put a bucket over it and get it into a garbage bag. Gross, but MUST be done for your safety and especially if you have pets.

Citrine1 · ‎03-09-2010

Oh my gosh, what a horror story! So glad everything turned out ok for you @flickerbulb. Between the bugs, frogs, lizards, and alligators, I don't know how you Floridians do it!

And if anything ever jumped out of my washer, I'd scream bloody murder!