Saturday 3 September 2011

Urgh - I stood on a cane toad!

Warning - this is not a pretty picture post!


Isn't this one of the ugliest things you've ever seen?
Did you hear me scream the other morning when I accidentally trod on him?!
Yes, I'm still here to tell the tale..a bit shaken, but still here!

Let me share -
We had a pretty wet last weekend with lashing rain and not owning a tumble dryer I was getting quite desperate to dry my washing. The next day, having spotted some blue sky I quickly ventured outside to hang things on the clothes line. I had used up all the space on my usual line and decided to use the second one...

Whenever I use this second line I always take a quick glance around. I have spotted a large blue tongue lizard in this part of the garden before and the cats have caught a couple of little snakes there and the rustling of the plants usually gives you a clue that there is something lurking or slithering...
Anyhow, in my rush to dry the clothes I didn't think of checking...and a few minutes later this thing moved by my feet!
I jumped a mile, but in my panic instead of jumping away from the thing, I jumped onto the thing!!



I seemed to be stuck and I just kept on lifting my feet as if I was jogging on the spot! I think the toad was totally confused too as he didn't appear in too much of a rush to get away either. We both just kept on dancing around, narrowly avoiding each other...

So can you picture the scene? -
I'm doing this hopping thing chanting "urgh,urgh,urgh!" over and over again...
I couldn't stop hopping...and chanting!
I have seen these toads before - we had one that got stuck in the base of the netball hoop some months ago (link to post here) and each time I see them I realise how revolting they are.
Their skin is toxic and this can kill a small cat or dog, so they are also pretty dangerous.

I wasn't taking any chances so after disinfecting my feet I found my wellies (gum boots) ready to go and continue with hanging out the clothes!



Oh the joys of sub-tropical Queensland.



10 Comments and thoughts:

  1. O.M.G.!!!! I would have nearly passed away if I did that. I have a phobia about frogs (and I grew up in Darwin mind you where they are EVERYWHERE in the wet season), but to step on a cane toad would have seriously disturbed me! You should have seen the faces I was pulling as I read your post (aside from smiling at you and the toad dancing together). That would take me months to recover. You're a brave woman venturing out there again :)

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  2. Beth, please try not to step on the wildlife....although we don't care about the toads...what you need to do is get out one of your hubbys golf clubs (assuming he's a golfer) and 't-off' on the blighter...send him over the fence or even better onto the road where he'll get squashed. I used to laugh, after it had been raining, on the way to school there would be dead toads, all bloated on the roads. In the afternoon at pick-up time the same toads would be squashed flat like paper. If you ever get to Cairns they sell little keyrings and purses made from cane toads...they are hilarious, but as soft as leather! Robx
    p.s. I would never venture out to the clothesline after dark when we lived in Yeppoon...just in case..

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  3. Yuck! I'm so glad we don't have those down here in Tassie!

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  4. Beth that is REVOLTING!!!!!!! I still remember the other post vividly. Did you see on 60 minutes how these creatures are becoming Super Toads. Frightening and alarming!

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  5. Ewww! I can just imagine your dance after treading on him - I would have done exactly the same! Melissa x

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  6. That creature is why we keep the dogs inside at night! I think I would have been doing the dance of horror too if I were you..yuck..you have my commiserations!

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  7. Eww they are one thing I don't miss about Brisbane...they are so disgusting and I would have done exactly the same thing.
    x

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  8. Ugh! You're right. Isn't he mighty ugly? My husband found a Red Back Spider in the house the other day, but I wasn't hanging around to take a picture. I'd say next time, but hopefully there won't be one ;-)

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  9. That is pretty horrible.
    Have you seen the cane toad ornaments - stuffed cane toads in various poses. Yuck!!

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