How do you get rid of Toads- Almost dead dog!!

[Ozzie Python]

Last night we got a frantic call from my sister, her neo mastiff had an encounter with a toad which in turn made the poor dog go into a fit and started frothing and bleeding and lost control of her bladder. Luckily the 24 hour emergency line talked us through what to do and she is all ok this morning.

My question is, does anyone have any ideas on how to keep them from coming into her yard? She has never had a problem with them before but it seems there are a few floating around now. Is there any precautions we can take apart from a 1 wood and a torch?

All water sources will be removed tonight and the grass and gardens will be be cut down really short to try elimanate some of the luring factors.

 

[norris]

Just fence them out with an appropriate fence. (it would only have to be about 2ft high). If its possible just keep removing them every night or simply don't let the dog out at night.

 

[Ozzie Python]

there is already a 5.5 foot brick fence around the house, and mesh on the gates to keep kiddies hands out of reach of her, for some reason council call her a dangerous dog, which is true if you drowned in a puddle of her slobber.

I was thinking more along the lines of do they hate citronella or something that i could spray around the fence lines. I was thinking of spraying detol around but didn't think the smell would last long enough to repel them

 

[Jonno from ERD]

G'day mate,

It's all but impossible to keep them out. With the current weather, the toads are breeding like crazy, especially after the droughts we've had. The only real option to totally safeguard dogs against cane toads is to keep them inside, which isn't really possible with a Mastiff!

 

[Ozzie Python]

Kind of figured that Jonno, i had a small amount of hope someone new a trick i hadn't heard of. Don't particlarly want to go through that again. i suppose i'll polish the golf clubs tonite. I hope the dog has worked out they aren't a toy now!!!

 

[will.i.am]

hit them with golf clubs that just might work but a better way would be to make small fences or find out how there getting near the dogs and prevent that

 

[Kitah]

another way.. diluted dettol kills cane toads really well and fast. put it in a spray bottle and just spray some on teh toads, theyre usually dead within 5 mins

 

[Ozzie Python]

Thats why we are removing the water and cutting everything down short to see how they are getting there. The idea of a small fence around the water trough is a good idea but, since that is where the toad was that started it all. Obviously we need alot of water for when she is home.

 

[Ozzie Python]

yeah we used to spray dettol on them when i was younger and it seemed to do the trick. i was hoping by spraying it around the fences it would slow them down a little.

It works a treat for ants too!!! (and makes your house smell like a tattoo shop which i love)

 

[slim6y]

Two of the worst ideas on killing toads....

1) Golf Clubs - All they do is half the job - killing the toad and leaving it there just allows another animal (or your dog) to eat it and become poisoned.

2) Dettol - Does NOT kill the toad quickly and painlessly - DO NOT USE DETTOL!

There is NO excuse for animal cruelty regardless of the animal - just because it's a pest doesn't meam you torture it!

Kill them quickly and painlessly.

If you can find their eggs - dispose of them - easier said than done I'd believe. But this is the least cruel method - if you find them you can dispose of them in your compost or just bury them - plants will love it!

The most humane way to kill juvenile and adult cane toads is to catch them and put them into a secure container with air holes (plastic takeaway food containers are ideal). Put the container in a refrigerator overnight which causes the toad to go into a coma-like state. Then move the container to the freezer the next morning and freeze until the next garbage collection day or freeze it for a couple days and then bury them in the backyard compost bin or garden bed.

Taken from http://www.fdrproject.org/pages/TDdispose.htm

So stop trying to spread inhumane and torturous ways of killing toads and allow it to be done properly, painlessly and for the best interests of prevention of animal cruelty.

By the way - that method has worked exceedingly well for me - I find that cane toad numbers drop dramatically on my property even over 2 weeks with just 4 nights of capturing and killing then disposing

 

[Ozzie Python]

Slim6y,

When i said i would polish the clubs it was more of a sarcastic way of saying i would kill/remove the toads. I think most people would know belting a toad won't kill them, even running them over in a car wouldn't be the end of them.

I was actually going to ask the school up the road from her if they wanted them for their science class, my niece goes there and was asked to get toads last year for her biology class, in which case they would be delivered live and left to the teacher to deal with (which i assume would be freezing them).

No need to worry about the animal cruelty thing, i would think everyone on this site has the same stance on that topic.

 

[sigridshurte]

ha i like gold clubs or super soakers with pool clorine HA ......havent done it sine i wa 12 but it was fun then why cant it be fun now!

 

[slim6y]

well - so much for reading above sigridshurte

I find it funny how people remove the idea that an animal is an animal when it is a pest.... You do realise that - don't you?

Anyways - enough banter about torturous ways.

My comments weren't aimed at you Ozzie - I like to point out the fact that were targeted at - what appears to be - a juvenille audience

But - funny thing - I work at a school, in the science department (as a teacher) and we were recently asked to put in a 'Animal Welfare' form (of some description) to the Animal Ethics Comittee in regards to using cane toads as a disection animal. Apparently they want that stopped - even though the animal is dispatched in the most humane manner (in accordance to above) and a whole lesson is spent on animal ethics!

Still - I do agree somewhat - people (including some teachers - not science ones generally) can't remove the idea that the toad is a living breathing animal that has stimulus responses and most likely stresses and feels pain - well... that aside - there's certainly no shortage of disectable toads out here!

 

[Ozzie Python]

that's cool slim6y.

I wouldn't be surprised they want to ban it, i remember they many disguted students when i did it many years ago. I will have to check the legalities of it with the schools.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

I'm not having a go at anyone in this thread, just to cover my behind...

I think it's quite hypocritical that people with an interest in reptiles - by far the most persecuted family of animals in the world - knowingly apply the same ignorant "logic" when trying to justify cruelty to an animal belonging to another family. These are the same people that despise those who kill snakes and use the excuse "But it's only a snake!".

Regardless of what family an animal belongs to, it should always be treat humanely. I am all for the culling of exotic pests in Australia, and you will see me swerving all over the road to run over Cane Toads as much as the next person, but doing things like setting Cane Toads on fire and drowning cats is on par with the moron down the road who poors boiling water on a harmless Green Tree Snake.

 

[Ozzie Python]

It is a very touchy subject when this type of discussion comes up, and i didn't plan it to turn into this. I think everyone so far has had their say and we should now get of the topic of killing pests. There seems to be no sure way of us avoiding these pests apart from locking the dog inside, which can only happen when someone is home, slim6y has pointed out the humane way about dealing with them.

I appreciate all your comments.

I think it's time for mods to kill this thread before it gets out of hand.

 

[eerin]

i am glad the dog is ok!

 

[slim6y]

Why does your behind need covering (apart from the obvious indecent exposure) ?

You seemed to make fairly tolerant comments - still, I like what you've said and you've nailed it completley - hopefully a few people off HERE take this advice or information to heart and do something about their ways.