Sleeping cane toads

[insectovor]

On Monday night, a good friend and I decided to go frogging. It had been raining here in Brissie for a few days and this would be an excellent chance to see some frogs that normally hide during the day. We asked permission to go frogging on a property west of Brisbane and loaded with torches and containers we went out. As soon as it got really dark the call of the eastern sedge frog was heard in large numbers and it didn't take long before we saw a male sitting on a leave with its vocal sac fully inflated. After a walk outside we wandered into some of the many green houses this property has got. After hearing the call of a cane toad we were searching for the location. All of a sudden we were surprised with a stony creek frog (litoria leseurii) in full mating out fit (yellow). Totally taken by it's beauty we did not realise yet,that we were surrounded by at least 10 males as we discovered after a few minutes. We watched them for ages and then we discovered a beautifull female. She looked like she was gonna pop eggs any moment. We decided to leave the intimate process and wander further around the property. Not many other frogs were spotted ,but Cane toads yes!! We collected about 55 specimens wich consisted of 40 females and 15 males. All of the females were gigantic. In the back of my head I was thinking what great pets these cane toads would make. But quickly I came to the realisation that these cane toads are no good to the aussie enviroment. So these humble and well fed cane toads had to come to their final destination that night. The freezer room.
They are now known as the "sleeping cane toads"

 

[saikrett]

good work!

 

[Fuscus]

If anyone doesn't know what litoria leseurii looks like here is a photo I took a couple of years ago.
http://150.101.58.70/thumbnails.php?id=Frog_Lesuirers_Frog
And has anyone else noticed, that when you go frogging in a new area, it takes about 30 minutes to spot the first frog then the next ten take two minutes total.

 

[ackie]

i would prefer to use a golf club or a turbo torch on the toads.

 

[Fuscus]

When I lived at the back of the gold coast in the 70's, we used to take out toads with a golf club, it is quick and it is cheap. At that time toads were really abundant there and I would take out 50+ a night (no comment please cichy).
Freezing is considered the most humane way to kill them, but you are leaving yourself open to legal problems if you transport live toads.

 

[wattso]

Whenever this subject comes up, people will consistantly show how cruel they can be! Imo freezing is NOT humane, try sitting in a cold room at -25c for a few hours and see if you like it! Simply because a living thing is legally on the "hit" list, should not encourage cruel mindless behavior, such as the article about people throwing them on power lines recently. Regardless the fact they are pest introduced species, you might remember they are mindless animals without any evil intent whatsoever, its not their fault there here, they are doing what comes naturally, i.e. surviving in an alien enviroment. There is NO excuse for mindless cruelty to any living thing, native or otherwise. :evil: :evil: :evil: Shame on you people, golf clubs and turbo torches indeed!............other than that, good post Fuscus, I love hearing of your expeditions, well done!

 

[ad]

Well done insectman,
Wattso, your views are from someone outside the range and who does not live with these animals, try and live in fnq for a while and then tell me what you think of the cane toad.
In breeding time you literally tread on them as you walk along. I was on 2 acres and used a ride on, I would mow around in circles and they would all go to the middle of the long grass. Then I would mow through the middle killing an estimated 1000 baby toads. I know I was doing good!!!
These animals are in absolute plague proportions, if they were in your backyard, I'm sure your views would be the same as swatting a house fly or mozzie. You'd be getting out the 5 iron too, unless you want them over the neighbours fence, then use a 9! lol. This is fun in Brsibane but it is a pointless excercise up north because you wear out your club too quick. Realize the situation before you sympathize with these horrid creatures and the real problem they pose, anything being done, cruel or otherwise, is a bonus, but its still not enough.
Freezing them is seen as the best means of killing them, condoned by the govt and different to freezing mammals.
Cheers
Ad.

 

[Brodie]

I totally agree Ad. I lived with cane toads for over 10 years which is over half my life, I used to live in Innisfail an they were absolutely everywhere!! horrible thingd\s and ugly too even killed two of my next door neighbours dogs . I moved up here to Darwin and there were none here but now they are coming up here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh well can't wait until fire cracker night .
Cheers

 

[wattso]

If they are so bad there why not lobby your local government to do something tangible about the problem. Ad. If the pest was cute n furry,would you club them to death with a golf club too? like a fur seal pup? how many can you destyroy? I suggest your best efforts over a few years would be a piddle in the ocean, hardly making any impact at all. destroying an animal may be nessesary, enjoying it and gloating about it is not! I imagine they get to plague proportions, but then nature takes over, they will simply run out of food eventually and starve like rabbits surely? what does the fnq and n.t. government do about it besides say kill them at your leisure? bugger all by the sound of it. do rangers do collection patrols? do they bait them?" do they attemp to controll there migratiopn , atleast into residential areas?

 

[mystic_herps]

Hehe,
I have refrained from commenting on this thread and Westhamsc's cross bred python thread even though I knew I could get a heated debate out of both lol.
See Slatey im doing well pmsl

 

[wattso]

You are doing well Mystic, very bloody well mate, im proud of ya! well done, keep doin it mate .........cruelty to animals is a time bomb for me, cant help myself! I hate it no matter what the excuses offered. Thanks for posting right where you did Mystic, you just made me realise im in dangerous waters! I hereby retire from this thread.

 

[Artie]

Come on John, put a bit of spice back in to APS it?s been getting a bit boring lately. :twisted: :wink:

 

[Belinda]

Whenever this subject comes up, people will consistantly show how cruel they can be! Imo freezing is NOT humane, try sitting in a cold room at -25c for a few hours and see if you like it! Simply because a living thing is legally on the "hit" list, should not encourage cruel mindless behavior, such as the article about people throwing them on power lines recently. Regardless the fact they are pest introduced species, you might remember they are mindless animals without any evil intent whatsoever, its not their fault there here, they are doing what comes naturally, i.e. surviving in an alien enviroment. There is NO excuse for mindless cruelty to any living thing, native or otherwise. Shame on you people, golf clubs and turbo torches indeed!............other than that, good post Fuscus, I love hearing of your expeditions, well done!

Amen Wattso.

 

[Belinda]

horrible thingd\s and ugly too even killed two of my next door neighbours dogs

Riiiiiight.............

 

[ad]

Cute and Furry like feral cats, yep I dont mind killing them either. foxs? rabbits? rodents? A plague animal needs culling, regardless.
Wattso, you havent pictured the situation correctly. It would be best to actually see it to really comprehend it. I'm sure we are paying some government officials lots of money to eradicate the cane toad and I am sure they are aware of the problems.
We all do our bit by killing one whenever we see it, many people do, its a queensland custom. Piddling in the ocean or not, every bit helps. The radio organizes toad catching nights and they freeze all toads caught. So we are proud when we kill one with whatever implement is handy because we feel we at least did something to help.
What about carp, fishing is such a popular sport that involves killing an animal, so many people can do it because the fish makes no noise when dying, these same people cannot kill a rabbit. Brown Tree Snakes in Guam? I squash lots of cockroaches and spiders (hate them) too, how far does your conscience let you go?
Cheers
Ad.

 

[mystic_herps]

I am an avid carp culler
(course fishing for European carp)
Many times I have park rangers on the creek bed beside me having a chat.And many times they have told me it is illegal to throw them back into the water way,I should leave them on the bank to die and feed the birds that also use that area.However on testing,I have noted that carp can stay alive out of water for up to 4 hours (prolly longer but I wasn't prepared to wait any more lol).So my method is simple,snap there necks and seperate their head from their bodies.All with the aprooval of officials

I agree with culling exotic animals (ferals,pests etc).
As for the means involved,I guess I am neither for or against any method.I do hate cruelty to animals in general as I am 100% towards conservation,but conservation of OUR OWN native flora & fauna means culling other animals not of our land.When it comes down to the crunch I would prefer to be a cruel sadistik person that saved atleast 1 Australian animal than a nice guy that contributed to helping any exotic wipe out a native species.

You have to look at it with an optomistic view.Look at the larger picture I guess.As a wires member I have to occasionally euthanise animals that are too far gone.As sad as it is we must realise that sometimes killing an animal is for the best.Whether short or long term.Not agreeing with cruel acts on any animal,but sometimes it is necessary.EG,I am all for humane euthanisation,however if I ventured across a cane toad and had nothing on my property,I would not hesitate in crushing it with a rock.While this may be against my initial intention I would rather see it eradicated there and then rather than left for anytime to repopulate and cause further havok...

PS
I have said all I wanted and won't remain arguing lol

 

[wattso]

You said it well mystic, bravo. Its the mindset of those who have fun killing things i hate. Im not against euthanasia per say, its sometimes nessesary, I onced worked for R.S.P.C.A had to put down 20 to 30 dogs everyday. very sad. But thats not to say " it must be done so ill enjoy it at every opportunity for "the greater good ". ...........Damn, didnt i retire from this thread? ....p.s. You are all ,of course, welcom to your opinion, I may not agree with what you say, but ill defend heartily, your right to say it! ~Cheers

 

[Brodie]

What Belinda..whats wrong with what I said if u are talking about cane toads killing two dogs then well....... you do know that Cane toads are poisonus don't you????? meaning they can Kill things.........derr

 

[wattso]

Easy brodie, give her a break, she is no older or wiser than yourself mate! be nice please ts xmas p.s. Ad, my consciense allows killing of pest insects but thats about it. lol I feel guilty eating meat chicken, fish etc.

 

[mystic_herps]

I believe those darn Toads have evolved to jumping into animals mouths and releasing toxins to purposely kill them lol.They are getting damn good at it too!

They are pretty toxic when it comes to consumption.I hear that a certain snake has now evolved to being immuned to cane toad toxin? but I cant recall what species anybody know? I guess all snakes would eventually adjust,becoming immune to them at some point,but this would take generations and hundreds of years and by then many species would be extinct...