Florida's Toxic Bufo/Toad Frogs
 

The other day a Lady started a thread on toad frogs.
Have you dealt with frogs????

We pretty much live on our back patio, we love it out there...one of the main reason we decided to buy our house cause of its outside space and pool...I always keep an eagles on my Yorkies in the evening and early morning cause thats when these bufo frogs are the most active...and never had a problem with them until last year, now it seems like I see them all the time in my yard or up on my patio late evening...I kill them when I see them and can get to them.:D Well that evening after reading the above thread...We were outside and I see this bufo frog jumping around in my yard, Thank god the babies were in the house all vegged out cooling off...I grabbed my shovel and went after it...this bufo frog was HUGE :eek:...I had never seen one that big before...I was almost to scared to get near it, to kill it, but my love for my babies out weighed my fear...I killed it!!

Than last night on the news, there was a report of a family whos dog licked on one and he died from it...Its say the bufo frogs are becoming really bad in Port St. Lucie, that people with pets need to take notice and protect their dogs and cats from them...As I was reading the report on it this morning...the owners think the dog either licked the frog or the frog jumped into food/water bowl they have out for them...I FREAKED :eek:...I don't keep their food bowl out on the patio, it stays in the house BUT I do keep a water bowl out there for them...Well as soon as I get home that water bowl is going bye bye, they will just have to go in the house to get a drink. DH & I have talked and the kids will be put on a leash in the mornings and evenings when these things are most active to potty. We would just be devastated if anything where to happen to any of our kids, skin/yorkies/cats...they are our babies

So please if you live in South Florida, take all steps to protect your babies from these deadly bufo/toad frogs...research them online, learn everything you can about them...if you keep food or water outside, remove it...it attract them...If you have a outside dog or cat once you feed them remove the bowl, use one of those water bottles that the dog/cat have to lick the little ball to get the water, not sure what they are called but those bufo won't be able to get in the water...Be very very careful pet owners...Your babies life depends on it.

Toxic toads are a threat to your pets | toads, threat, lucie - WPEC 12 West Palm Beach

Also seem these Bufo toad frogs are not native to the US...someone brought them into South Florida in 1936 I think I read, to eat the insects that was eating the Sugar Cane...and in the past few years they have been showing up in the Treasure Coast area...That explains why I haven't had any problem or seen them until last year...I tell ya I would like to punch that man in the mouth!!! :mad:

Why are people allowed to bring non native animals into the us? The impacted that it has on the enviroment/native aniamls, our beloved pets is devastating, but they continue to do it to this day.:( I just don't understand.

I paid good money to put up a privacy fence, so my babies could run free, play and be safe...and now they aren't even safe out there...what a shame....I'm pi**ed.

Thanks everyone for listening to my venting...and please if you live in South Florida protect your pets from these THINGS...They aren't even safe in your own back yard.

Last month when Laci went to the vet they told me to be prepared just incase, have several small cut up rags, and pepto, If they lick a frog, rinse the mouth using kitchen or outside hose, put the house on the side of the mouth NOT down the throat, do everything you can to prevent them from swallowing rinse 5 minutes and throughly wipe the mouth with a rag, disgaurd the rag , repeat each time using a clean fresh rag. Put pepto in the dogs mouth , again no need to let them swallow and get to the VETS asap, but he said it is very important to rinse the mouth prior to traveling, you want to get as much of the poison out of the mouth as possible.

to prevent them you can sprinkle salt in the yard also if you have a fence you can attach a fine hole chicken wire to the exterior of you fence to prevent them from getting in your yard..

Oh that chicken wire fence is a great idea, Thank you!!...I guess we would have to dig down in the ground some right? cause those things dig...they make their home in ground.

And I will give the salt a try...I have never heard of that...again Thank you! :) I'll do anything if it keeps my babies safe.

here is some information
How to Get Rid of Croaking Frogs | eHow.com