A pit warning.

[baker]

Warning to anyone that have outdoor lizard pits. Make sure that you have some form of barrier at the bottom to not only prevent the lizard from digging out but also stops anything from digging in. I have just recently lost my cunningham to a toad that had burrowed in under the pit and through the chicken wire I had laid down the bottom to prevent the cunningham from digging out. It was something that I had not considered when making the pit so make sure you learn from my mistake.
Cheers Cameron

 

[Helikaon]

Ive lost a few blueys to the old toad but they arent digging in they are climbung the walls of mine to get in which I thought would have been impossible but I still pull them out regularly

 

[baker]

I had not thought they would be able to climb the walls of the pits. How high up are your pit walls that they are climbing? My pits walls are 800 high so I am just wondering if that was another possibility with it.
Cheers Cameron

 

[LippyM]

I had not thought they would be able to climb the walls of the pits. How high up are your pit walls that they are climbing? My pits walls are 800 high so I am just wondering if that was another possibility with it.
Cheers Cameron

Hi Cameron,

I'm sorry for your loss. I hope you don't mind me posting on this as I have no helpful information, but I recently posted a message regarding cane toads and didn't receive a response. I've recently moved to north of Brisbane and was seeking information regarding outdoor lizard pits because I don't know alot about cane toads. I see them at night but only during the day if I disturb a pile of mulch or loose leaf litter. My lizards would only be outside during the day. Did your loss occur overnight do you know or during the day? And is the problem that the toads eat the lizards or the lizards eat the toads?

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[baker]

From what I know off my parents it occurred during the day sometime between midday and 4 in the afternoon. The problem with toads is when an animal bites the toad excretes a powerful defensive poison known as bufotoxin. Because toads where introduced to Australia majority of our fauna do not have any resistance to this toxin so even small doses are lethal. All that is needed to kill is just a single bite to the toad. Unless you have a very small lizard outside ingestion by toads is highly unlikely to occur. The best thing for you to do is make the pit as impenetrable as possible so that your lizard can not escape and nothing can get in.
Cheers Cameron