Thursday, May 17, 2012

The Return of Toad

This morning, this friend greeted me on the path next to my newspaper. First toad of the year. I love to see toads around, usually a sign that they're surviving here. When I had a community garden, I had a resident toad, whom I provided with the traditional clay pot to live under. Toadore and I got quite pally, and he was unflinching while I hoed around him, never bothering to duck.My cats have other ideas. They are totally terrified of toads.

One once got into the living room at the condo, I think carried up a flight when I brought in houseplants from downstairs, and suddenly appeared on the rug, about the size of your thumbnail, like a piece of living jewelry. The current cats crashed into each other in their anxiety to escape, and ended up hiding behind me, while I scooped him up and returned him to the outdoors.

They explained that guarding from wild animals was not part of their job description, as described at the shelter.

4 comments:

  1. I found a toad last weekend, just under a plant pot when I picked it up off the garden. Hubby popped him out of the way of the cat, but not seen him since. Usually have one in the greenhouse too. We get a occasional newt as well. Always good to see wildlife around the place

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  2. Can't say I'm too keen on your toady friends but I was much relieved to read that the one that found its way indoors was so small. I'm with the cats o fearless one.

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  3. We grew a toad! When it's tail finally dropped off, it was the weeniest, dearest little thing imaginable. We took it to Grandma's garden and put it with the rest of the baby toads under the leaves.
    Mother had one that followed her along the rows of veggies when she weeded her garden. Huge thing he was, almost as big as a dinner plate. She accidentally set her basket on a toe, and he wouldn't move on down the row after that, and disappeared for three days in high dudgeon.

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  4. I love toads (and frogs and snakes, but we won't go into that). When I was a kid I used to bring tadpoles from the pond and keep them until they developed into little toads. It was fascinating to watch the change take place.

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