Cane Toads

[LuvBella]

We live in a semi rural area, which means we get alot of cane toads.

We have got guttergaurd around the bottom off all our fencing, and go hunting for them frequently, but our puppy always seems to find the ones we have missed.

I dont know whether she has licked them or not.

The other night, after she had one bailed up, when i wasnt looking, i was worried she may have ingested some of the poison, so we washed her mouth thoroughly, and there was no foaming at the mouth or convulsing. But i swear it was like she was on speed or something. she went extremely hyper for about half an hour to an hour, even with us trying to calm her down, and was drinking alot of water. Her breathing was erratic, even when she was simply lying down.

I know puppys "get thier zoom on" but i was so paranoid it was something more than this. i had the vets number all ready to be dialled if i saw anything else that made me worried.

What symptoms other than foaming and convulsing could a puppy have after licking a canetoad?

Also, does anyone have any good ideas about how to keep them out of our garden?

[First Time Puppy Owner]

Spot on - she was probably tripping. I have heard of a dog that knew just how much to lick to get a buzz but not to much to get sick from it.

Sorry no suggestions how to keep the evil buggers out though.

Edited April 3, 2009 by First Time Puppy Owner

[Hetzer]

Believe them when they say "I'm not not licking toads"

[Stitch]

I have been doing battle with toads for years.

We also live in a rural area with a lot of toads.

I use avian wire around all the dog exercise areas. This has a very small weave and will only let through the very tiny recently morphed toads. All the other sized wire the toads can squeeze through - toads are extremely good at getting through small openings.

The other thing I do is to lightly spray suspect areas with disinfectant, usually Phenyl. I know that Dettol is widely recommended for this but it is also very expensive and when you have a very large area to monitor it is just not feasible to use. Phenyl is actually stronger, cheaper and much more effective. If you spray it very lightly it has the effect of bringing the toads out of their hiding places and making a run for it.

Phenyl kills small toads on contact but the larger ones are best despatched by more direct methods.

[colliehound]

We use Dettol in the house yard. Smells ok and is almost instantaneous (sic?) in killing them.

We diligently sprayed for about two weeks and it has pretty much culled the population.

Colliehound

[LuvBella]

Will either of those be harmful to the puppy?

[Jed]

I spray the toads with Pine O Clean, or a copy of it from the Warehouse - $2 bottle, don't dilute, much cheaper than Dettol, nd works very fast. Neither Dettol or Pine O Clean will harm dogs. I don't know about Phenyl (sp?) but I think the smell would keep dogs away. My dogs lose interest in the toads once they are sprayed with disenfectant.

I do think some dogs get a high from licking the toads. One of mine has learned not to pick them up in her mouth, and picks them up by a back leg and torments them. I do think she licks them, and likes the "high", but she is never too "high".

If the dogs are poisoned by a toad, there should be some reaction within 30 - 45 minutes.

[Crisovar]

There is a company in Brissy, Utility Agencies, I think they are in Mansfield, they sell a Pine disinfectant that is Pine OIL based, if they haven't changed the recipe if kills the toads, smells great and friend of mine swears it keeps the snakes out of her aviary. You can buy 20l of it.

Much cheaper way to buy it too.

[bobchic]

What about the frogs???

[lappiemum]

I lived in NQLD for 20 or so years, and have cane toads as one of my PhD subjects.

Being squriting with disinfectant is a horrible way for a toad to die - it essentially eats into the skin secretions and they die in agony. And no, its not good for frogs either. A far better way to euthanise is to collect the toads, put them in plastic bags and freeze them. Their body temp goes down, they lose conciousness and die. Then you just take them out and dispose of them.

The environmental agency in your area will be able to advise on the best method for disposal; in some areas there is a collection service and in others they will just tell you where to dispose of the toads.

The reality is, however, is that toads are here, and even if you clear your yard completely, you will still have them if you live in a toad area. My advice is to use fine mesh chicken wire or shade cloth in areas that you don't want toads to invade, esp around water bowls. Toads love cool, moist (but not wet) areas to sleep in during the day and are active at night, so keep that in mind and clear areas/pick up objects that they are likely to nest in.

Toads are territorial, so you have a large one around it will usually keep its territory clear, and eat smaller ones who invade. However, remove that large toad, and there will be a mini race between the smaller toads to see who can get that new vacancy.

The masses of cane toads you see in pics etc is when there is a push to extend territory and range - you get the fastest, hardiest toads in that lot, and then once the population is established there is a period when breeding takes place and you see lots of toads everywhere - this is also when you get those hugely overgrown specimens! However, once a population equalibrium has been reached, your actual numbers will fall and the toads will reduce in size. They are also likely to have much smaller range within an established population.

My dogs in NQLD were never interested; but my two down here in Melbourne would probably be very interested. The best strategy is to train them to leave toads alone, which is done in a simlar way to snake avoidence training - most dog trainers will be able to advise you one that.

[LuvBella]

Thanks so much for that post. i didnt actually know anything about them, as i am a kiwi.

I will definately have a talk to a trainer about avoidance training.

We have already got that sorted with snakes, as although we dont have any around our yard, we have a couple as pets, and we quite often have them out, sitting on the couch etc. Right from the start Bella hasn't showed any interest in going to see what they are. she sits at a distance, and everynow and again has a look over at them.

I think she is so interested in the toads becuase it is dark when she finds them, and cant be sure what it is maybe.

[lappiemum]

Thanks so much for that post. i didnt actually know anything about them, as i am a kiwi.

I will definately have a talk to a trainer about avoidance training.

We have already got that sorted with snakes, as although we dont have any around our yard, we have a couple as pets, and we quite often have them out, sitting on the couch etc. Right from the start Bella hasn't showed any interest in going to see what they are. she sits at a distance, and everynow and again has a look over at them.

I think she is so interested in the toads becuase it is dark when she finds them, and cant be sure what it is maybe.

The hopping would probably excite her, and if the toad is frightened it will puff itself up with air so this may interest her as well (this is the stage when the most poison is being secreted, through the glands on the side of the head, although toads are pretty much poisonous all over - even as tadpoles!).

Actually, you may be interested to know that keelback snake (Tropidonophis mairii) is one of the few predators that have developed a tolerence to toad venom, and are able to include smaller - med toads in their diet. A fact sheet on these gorgeous reptiles is here at : http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/inquiry/factsheet...ke_20080709.pdf - if you have these guys its a good thing, as they are non venomous and quite shy, but do like their toads!

Predatory birds, such as crows and ravens, have also learned to flip toads over and eat them from their stomachs - they avoid the skin as much as possible and it doesn't seem to affect them too badly.

Goannas and other snakes, however, don't fare so well.

Good luck with your toad control!

[Baby Dragon]

Can you keep her inside at night, and on leash with you if you have to take her out at night?

[Crisovar]

What about the frogs???

What about the frogs? Nobody is doing anything to harm frogs?

I have a huge population of frogs. It is quite easy to tell them apart, they don't get squirted.

[lappiemum]

thats why its best to pick them up individually and freeze them - that way you can ID them properly.

[Crisovar]

thats why its best to pick them up individually and freeze them - that way you can ID them properly.

Toads and frogs look pretty different to me

[Jed]

thats why its best to pick them up individually and freeze them - that way you can ID them properly.

Toads and frogs look pretty different to me

Yep, me too, and I have a large frog population, with brown frogs, and bell frogs. Never sprayed the wrong species, and of course, because I have been spraying the toads for a few years, there are hardly any, and the frog population has increased.

And the frogs chitter when the dogs pick them up, so I can rush out and save them (the frogs, not the dogs!)

[Ray Wise]

:D I just now had this same damn thing happen. Taking Leela, our 5 month old GSD for her nightly walk around the yard, and of course she tries to grab every thing that moves, (mostly toads). I have her on a leash, and I carry a torch with us, telling her to "leave it" and make sure she does. She decided to sit in the garden fixated on something, I couldn't see what, and then "POUNCE" like a cat and then spat out a small toad.

Shes ok, but it looks like more "toad patrols" tomorrow night for me and my daughter. She carries the bucket, and I carry the Dettol spray. We got 13 fair sized ones the other night, and living on acreage with a swamp down the back, its never ending. I know you shouldn't spray them because some say its its "cruel", but what they can do is far worse and they are a totally useless pest, so I sleep fine at night regarding that point. Leela stays inside at night, buts its a shame when we have to go and get her and drag her inside as night falls, because thats when the pests come out of course. On the other hand our green tree frog population is exploding, great to see.

Might have to try the netting suggestions etc on the fence bottoms to try to keep them out.

Hoo Roo

[Crisovar]

:D I just now had this same damn thing happen. Taking Leela, our 5 month old GSD for her nightly walk around the yard, and of course she tries to grab every thing that moves, (mostly toads). I have her on a leash, and I carry a torch with us, telling her to "leave it" and make sure she does. She decided to sit in the garden fixated on something, I couldn't see what, and then "POUNCE" like a cat and then spat out a small toad.

Shes ok, but it looks like more "toad patrols" tomorrow night for me and my daughter. She carries the bucket, and I carry the Dettol spray. We got 13 fair sized ones the other night, and living on acreage with a swamp down the back, its never ending. I know you shouldn't spray them because some say its its "cruel", but what they can do is far worse and they are a totally useless pest, so I sleep fine at night regarding that point. Leela stays inside at night, buts its a shame when we have to go and get her and drag her inside as night falls, because thats when the pests come out of course. On the other hand our green tree frog population is exploding, great to see.

Might have to try the netting suggestions etc on the fence bottoms to try to keep them out.

Hoo Roo

Keep up the nightly patrol, you will decrease the numbers.

A solid smooth barrier is better for trying to stop them getting in, the nasty buggers can actually climb to a certain extent, we have to fish them out of the horses water and the large concrete dog troughs.

A spotlight placed down low on the lawn to encourage lots of flying insects especially moths and flying ants and you can harvest lots of them.

[Jed]

Hi Ray Wise, agree with Crisovar, if you keep spraying the little smuckers, you'll get rid of them in time. It took me 2 years. Began with nightly patrols, there were 7 squillion of them, then I got down to twice weekly, once weekly, and now it's rare to see one.

I think they have posted a toady sign that only toads can see on the fence that says "Savage Human, Danger, Keep Out". It's been like that for 4 years.

We have had a lot of rain recently,and I notice there are a few more around, so I go out for a few minutes once a week and knock them off too. I actually think I have reduced the larger ones which were breeding, so there are fewer being bred.

In the beginning, there were so many of them, I'd have had to buy another freezer!!

My yard is too big to put barriers up, and I am surrounded by creeks and dams, so they are breeding, breeding, breeding all the time.

And now I have some lovely frogs.

Jed loves frogs. Any mongrel dog found tormenting a frog is in deep doo doo!! :rolleyes: But the frogs tell on the dogs, and are saved.