Toad
I was watering my plants when I was suprised by a large frog straddling a hole in the dirt in one of my baskets. I actually noticed the frog because I saw another small hole first. Then on the opposite side of the basket I saw the frog. At first I thought it was laying eggs but that's kinda crazy because they lay eggs in water. Then I thought maybe I was going to get some free fertilizer but later I went to check on it and it had settled in. It was nestled in the hole just sitting there. What do you guys think? It's in a geranium basket that I saved from last year - I planted a few basil seeds in with it.
Comments
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I would say your soil must be wet enough and your friend want to help you control your garden pests. Enjoy.
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That is a toad. I have one that lives in a pot of basil. I've always been fond of toads as outdoor pets. They are very useful in the garden. But frogs though... that is one of my favorite meats! Gosh, I LOVE frog legs! But, I wonder if toads are particularly fond of basil?
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Lucky you! Toads are great garden companions.
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Thanks everyone for letting me know it's a toad!! It's a very big one too!
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Does anyone know if there is a way to edit my original post and change the title and tag to Toad?? If so please tell me how to do it. Thanks!
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Got it
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We've found toads living in the pots on our front porch several times- my mom was watering the other day and one popped out of a four-pack that had dirt but no plant. I also found one in an open bag of potting soil a few weeks ago. I love seeing them; it's always such a pleasant surprise.
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I had one in the pot of a plant that I waited til the last minute to bring inside last fall. That was fun trying to get it out of my house :) (it peed on my carpet as well so there is that).
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Toads are great to have in your pots/gardens! Great pest control! I try to find and relocate them to my planting areas!
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We have them here almost all the time. I have to watch where I put my four inch pots with seedlings because they love to dig in there.
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Whew, are those the bufo (bufa?) toads? There are a bunch of them in Southern FL & can be kind of toxic to pets. I definitely don't miss them 🙄
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Great thread on toads, who knew? Now I have a new appreciation, and ...definitely will not touch the (poisonous) mouth! Can hurt a dog, I suppose, if he/she tries to eat him-her. Glad to see that warts not their legacy...
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@mgray11 these toads will make a dog start foaming at the mouth, definitely not good for them! I used to play with them all the time as a child with no harm but then again I didn't try to eat them lol!
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My neighbor told me his dog likes to eat toads but they make her foam at the mouth like you guys are saying. He has to keep an eye on her so she doesn't get sick from eating them. He said they've been to the vet too many times over them.
Thanks @judsoncarroll4 for changing the title.
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My mother-in-law grew up on a ranch in Eastern Colorado and they had a concrete "water dish" for their dogs under the water spigot on the well house. My wife told me about Hoppy the Toad. Hoppy had no toes in his left back foot and it came to the water dish every night all summer for many years. With that distinctive left foot it was easy to know it really was Hoppy. My wife also knew Hoppy and she estimates he lived over 20 summers coming to that water dish. There was a light by the well house that attracted bugs at night so he could be assured of a regular dining experience. Nether my wife or her mother are certain how many years Hoppy was there
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On my grandparents' farm, the dogs' water dishes were old hubcaps under spigots that were left to drip all the time. Several toads lived under them. When I was a kid, I used to make mud castles in the sandy soil. They would bake fairly solid in the summer sun. I'd make rooms for the toads, moats and pools irrigated by the dripping water from the dogs' dishes... sometimes the toad castles would be three or four stories tall, with several residents! I wonder if things like that still happen, or if kids have any creativity apart from a "smart phone"... which seems to render its users anything but.
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Haha I never ate them either so had no idea how toxic they were until I was in my 20s. I dug around and found they're also known as Cane Toads and have been destroying the environment down in Australia as well 😒 they were originally introduced to eat some grubs(at least in the US) but look what happened.. Here's a little more info:
https://www.wlrn.org/post/what-do-if-you-see-poisonous-bufo-toad-near-your-property#stream/0
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@mgray11 I don't think the toads here are the cane toad. The ones here are likely the Texas toad, Bufo speciosus. The ones from my childhood are likely the Woodhouse's Toad Bufo woodhousii.
The cane toad is Scientific Name:
Rhinella marina (Linnaeus, 1758); formerly Bufo marinus(link is external)
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/profile/cane-toad
Thankfully the toads here are not nearly so big or prolific lol 🐸
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Does anyone have suggestions on how to attract more toads to your garden? I see them all the time in our lawn, but only occasionally in the garden. Their natural pest control would be very welcome, especially if they'll eat slugs, snails, and Japanese beetles.
I've thought about putting some kind of "toad abode" out, like upside-down planting pots with a toad-sized door cut in the side. They probably need shade on hot summer days, so giving them some moist cover is important.
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The toad that lives in my basil just came for a visit. I was sitting on the steps while my dog piddled about. The toad hopped up to me, let me pet it, hung out a bit and then hopped off. Friendly little bugger.
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@judsoncarroll4 Found another toad or maybe the same one. I can't tell. 😀
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Any suggestions on how to attract and retain toads in the garden? I commonly see them in the lawn and surrounding woods, but seldom in the garden.
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Toads have such stoic appearances!
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They need shade in the daytime and access to water. As I mentioned before, when I was a kid, they could always be found under the dogs' water dishes. Perhaps an inverted flower pot with a small dish of water inside, and a little gap at the bottom for them to go in. That could also work as a slug or snail trap.
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I'm a grumpy old man gardener. When I find a toad in the garden I see another grumpy old man. You could hand them a fat juicy bug and they would still have that look on their face.......
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I see that face and think "who can't love that adorable face?" They do need cool, moist shade in the daytime and they forage at night. They are really drawn to water sources which is why they like to get into our little pots of seedlings or even a big pot if they can find a way inside. I adore toads...can you tell? 😂
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