Toads

[Sunspray]

We have some rather large toads which seem to lurk around the wheelie bin and coal bunker. We do not have a pond in our garden nor any damp vegetation, so I am at a loss why they want to make it their home. Should I attempt to move them to another site within easy access of water?

[Lu_B]

Toads have a dry, rough skin, often with lots of warts. This skin is capable of preventing drying out much better than frog's. Toads can therefore live in much dryer environments, often far away from water, such as woods, heather etc

They only need water to mate and lay their eggs and will often travel travel a long time to reach the water where they were born.

So if your toads are happy in the wheelie bin I'd tend to leave them in peace.:)

[Whitezombie]

Well put Lu b, you beat me to it.

[Jenny]

How can I encourage toads? I get the occasional common lizard and (as posted elsewhere) now frogs. But no toads!

[Kerry L]

Hi Jenny

I agree with Lu B, the toads seem to like pot plants that are raised up so that they can hide underneath - they certainly keep some of the pests off the plants. The last time I found a toad in our garden was under a wood pile, with a few frogs. I haven't seen one for a while though - hence slug and snail munched lilies! :mad: And its raining again!:mad: :mad:
My mum's toad lived down a drain in the warm seasons. We called him Digger because he often went "walkabout" and he was around for quite a long time - perhaps his offspring took over, because there was a toad around for several years. Obviously bath water didn't seem to bother him much either.
Regards Kerry
PS Cats and dogs outside and neighbour is mowing lawn - crackers!!!! :)

[Jenny]

Hi, Kerry

Raising tubs off the ground up here would result in loosing more plants to the gales - got lots of nice shady damp safe places but still no toads or have I? Had some distinctly different spawn in pond about a month after the frogs and the tadpoles look different - could I be in luck????:confused:

[Kerry L]

Hi Jenny
If gails are a problem, I would go for the wood pile in your damp corner - you would encourage lots of insects, beetles etc, and at the same time provide a food source for the wildlife that likes rummaging in the rotting wood. It sounds promising if the spawn is different - if it is long and stringy, then it is toad spawn. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Our toads liked munching worms too.
Hooray the sun is out today and quite warm too.:)
Bye for now, Kerry

[Ronnie]

We too have what appear to be toads in our garden, but no water, they generally live on the rockery, but during this hot weather have moved to underneath some wood behing the garden shed. We have had toads in garden for over 20 years they are part of the garden now. We have on occasions seen a frog but don't know where it comes from because there is no water in the immediate vicinity. The toads seem to like a nice dark patch and they certainly keep the slugs at bay.

[optrex]

When the house was first built the whole street used to be inundated with small frogs. However thsi has diminished over the years. Not had the opportunity of a toad visit though.