Maverick

Maverick

Two-time CMA Award nominee Maverick, broadcasts weekday mornings to Southwest Florida on 92.1CTQ.Full Bio

 

Toxic Toads Coming Out in Florida's Heavy Rains

Infestation Of Poisonous Toads Has Florida Residents Calling Pest Control Specialists

Giant toxic toads come out in Florida as heavy rains are perfect mood for breeding

You asked what was nest for 2020.

Presenting The yellowish brown toads, they are making an appearance in Florida after recent heavy rains have these toads up and moving around. If our Florida summer is wetter than average which some are predicting, it may create a population boom for what is the largest toad found in Florida. This should be a concern for those who own dogs.

These toads are generally harmless to humans, however they can be dangerous for pets. In terms of their size they average between 4 and 6 inches, but in some cases can grow to 9 inches, have large triangular glands behind the eyes that contain a high load of a milky-white toxin that can kill dogs, If a dog bites or licks the slow-moving frog and gets some of the poison in its mouth, it can suffer convulsions, loss of coordination and cardiac arrest.

Experts suggest as we enter the rainy season, as the toads are breeding and are generally more active, dog owners watch out for signs of poisoning: excessive drooling, red gums, vomiting, disorientation, stumbling and falling, and seizures.

If a dog owner suspects a possible poisoning, you will want to grab a garden hose to wash the dog’s mouth for several minutes, running water through one side of the mouth and out the other. As you do this, be careful to not flush that water down the dog's throat. Then get to a vet as quickly as possible.

These toads have no known predators. Their diet is everything, from:: small lizards, snakes, bugs, and even smaller native frogs.. They are native to both Central America and parts of South America. In terms of Florida, some say the toad was introduced in the 1930s in South Florida, as a way to control pests. There were farmers who apparently believed the toads would help crops, by eating pests and beetles that killed sugarcane plants. The plan did not work. The toads ate everything else, from: bird’s eggs to small mammals.


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