There's a New Resident in My Garden

[bdahunter]

I transplanted some flowers over the weekend as the garden was starting to choke itself now that Spring is here and things are starting to have a growth spurt. I noticed that something (probably slugs) have decided to make a meal of my Begonias but this new resident will take care of them. In the depression I left when I transplanted the flowers there now resides a Cane Toad, he's about the size of my hand and seems more than up to the job of eliminating the pests that are eating my Begonias.
They were brought to Bermuda in the 1800's to deal with the cockroach problem but apparently the biologist didn't do his homework because while they will eat coackroaches (a common pest in the tropics) they prefer other sources of food and one of those is slugs so I'm happy to have my new garden resident.

Cheers,

BDA

I will have to keep our dog away from it as these toads secrete a poison that is a strong hallucinigenic and also causes foaming at the mouth if a dog tries to eat one. Some local dogs like to lick them for the effect and druggies who are desperate have been known to do some toad licking of their own.

[EPC Guy]

It would be bad enough to be known as a druggie...but to be known as a "Toad Licker" would just be too much!

[pris]

That's a huge toad! Good thing he eats slugs. Would hate for you to find a flower child hunched down in your garden licking toads, though.


You would think that the thought of placing your tongue on the back of a toad would be deterrent enough for some people, much less the fact that there's something poisonous oozing from its skin. The lengths people go to.

[DonnaM]

I have heard of people doing that before. Ew!! If the toad doesn't do the trick on the slugs, you can bury a cup to the rim and fill it halfway with beer. Or you can just put some beer in a shallow dish. The slugs will go right in and die. It works!

[MinelabMan]

Hope they do the job for you. Our daughter lives in WPB, FL and they're down there also, there was a newspaper article about dogs actually dying from them.

[ObMiT]

Originally Posted by DonnaM

I have heard of people doing that before. Ew!! If the toad doesn't do the trick on the slugs, you can bury a cup to the rim and fill it halfway with beer. Or you can just put some beer in a shallow dish. The slugs will go right in and die. It works!

Not only will you have druggies trying to lick the frogs, you will have winos drinking the beer!!!

[bdahunter]

Originally Posted by DonnaM

I have heard of people doing that before. Ew!! If the toad doesn't do the trick on the slugs, you can bury a cup to the rim and fill it halfway with beer. Or you can just put some beer in a shallow dish. The slugs will go right in and die. It works!

Thanks, Hon! I've heard of that trick with the bear before but I'd rather put up with druggies licking the toad than put up with rubbies drinking 'beer with slug soup'. My back gardens liable to get a little crowded if I'm not careful.

Cheers,

BDA

['E']

I actually know a couple people who have licked a toad to get high, you couldn't pay me enough, that is so nasty, hope it works for you.

[bdahunter]

Originally Posted by MinelabMan

Hope they do the job for you. Our daughter lives in WPB, FL and they're down there also, there was a newspaper article about dogs actually dying from them.

Wouldn't that make a terrible obituary 'Man dies of Toad Overdose'.
I find reality exciting enough without adding halucinigens into the equation. It takes all kinds but 'toad licking' that takes the cake. Maybe I should call the guys from the Jackass Movie to come over to get some footage for the next sequel.

Cheers,

BDA

[portraitartist]

Reminds me of my favorite Simpsons episode...