I need a toad expert

21 years ago

I work as a mason in new construction. We are on a fresh dig,pouring footer for a foundation. This is a new street in seemingly very virgin area. It breaks my heart to see toads hopping around in the hole. I first took to throwing them out to an area I deemed to be safe. But now there are so many I have two buckets in the corners (shaded) where I put them in till the end of the day and am dumping them a fair distance away. They are all the same size. About an inch to a inch and a half. I figure them to be hatchlings from this season. I am picking up as many as 30 or so a day. The waterproofers are coming soon and they spray the outside with tar. In my opinion this will be certain death for them. I have limited knowlegde of toads. My question is. Can toads be relocated to another area without problems? I heard, don't know if it is true. That toads will always try to return to the area where they were hatched. I am thinking of taking them out to my parents farm and letting them go. Will this be a problem? I feel so bad for them. I have about 10 regular toads I love that live in my flower gardens. But I cannot see myself bringing home 300 toads from work. Any help would greatly appreciated. Thank you Glne

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kzarina17

21 years ago

I ended up saving about 80 toads. As we were picking up to leave the job. I found about 8 medium sized toads. One was singing on the way home. That was a first for me. Sitting in the cab of my truck they would bury themselves in the sand in the bucket. I heard a chirping and one's head was poking from the sand with his throat puffed in a bubble going at it. I think he was thanking me.
I will figure how to post pic and show some of my home toads. I have about four little ones, five medium males and at least one big female. Over the fourth of July. She was hanging out by my garbage cans and my guests and kids fed her a ton of Japanese beetles. They were blown away with feeding the toad. When it rains here I take a leisure walk through my yard and say hello when they come out.

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Comments (10)

Arbee
21 years ago
My knowledege of toads, at least the ones native to our area in Maryland, is that once the hatchlings come out of the water, they move away to nearby habitat (can be woods, marshes, meadows, people's gardens, parks, etc) where they will spend the next couple of years eating, growing and sexually maturing. After they are mature, then they return back to water to mate. I really doubt that it is necessarily the same place where they hatched... that place may no longer exist.. it may have been just a temporary vernal pool at the time. When it's time for them to mate in a few years, the ones that survive will find bodies of water, small or large. I think relocating them to places where they stand a chance makes sense. You might want to call you DNR and ask them for suggestions.
fairy_toadmother
21 years ago
sorry, i can't help you with your question, but BLESS YOU!

i would love to have 10 toads in my garden. if you ever have time, please show or tell!
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snakeliz
21 years ago
Hooray for you!!!! I don't have answers either but just lots of praise for your thoughtfulness. I just saved a red-eared slider from near-certain destruction on a four lane road nearby, and I'm so glad there are others out there willing to help.

Good for you!!! Wish I had toads...and snakes...and fun stuff in MY yard.

Mary
ILuvGinger
21 years ago
Awwwwww!!! That's so great of you!

How big is the hole? Could a tarp be put over and held down with rocks?
kzarina17
21 years ago
The hole was about 70 feet by 40 feet. About 6 feet deep.
DaveOdd
21 years ago
You can safely relocate them to just about anywhere there is suitable habitat. Some wet woodlands would be best. Any place that has some degree of temporary water like a drainage ditch or pond and of course no where around busy roads or heavy development.

Toads will breed anywhere so they do not need to return to thier place of birth.

dave
kzarina17
21 years ago
They all went out to my parents farm. They have 60 acres next to a state park. I do my composting and materials piles there. It is an ideal location. I was just worried about them trying to go back to where they came from. I think that they will like it out there. I have taken toads home before. Just not this many. They were everywhere. We are heading back there in a couple weeks. I will keep my eyes open for more. Though I think I cleaned them out.
Amy Ellis
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Only male toads chirp, kzarina17, although I'm pretty sure you were referring to a treefrog singing! But I learned that American Toad males will chirp if you hold them. This is due to the fact that when it's breeding season, the males jump onto females, and grip their little arms very tightly under the females front legs, where they continue to piggy back ride on her until they're in water.

She will then expel her eggs, while the male sprays sperm all over the eggs. So, if a male toad mistakenly jumps onto another male, the one underneath will chirp repeatedly, which, in essence, translates to "Hey! Get off! I'm a boy! I'm a boy!"!!!!
User
10 years ago
Toads sing (call) just as much as Treefrogs, except they are usually louder! Some species are obnoxiously loud (Great Plains Toads, for example). They will also make release calls when handled sometimes.

Treefrogs will also make release calls when grabbed by another male frog. They don't seem to do it when grabbed by humans, unlike toads.

American Bullfrogs have a terrible screaming release call! Search youtube for Bullfrog screaming to hear how blood curdling it is!

I need a toad expert

kzarina17

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Arbee

fairy_toadmother

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