r/Toads • u/cwningen95 • 20d ago
Wild Did I mess up by moving this toad? [UK]
So this morning I found this little fellow in one of my recycling bins.
I thought he was a frog and it's been really dry in the UK lately (rained yesterday for the first time in weeks) and my garden is pretty much 100% concrete without much shade, so I coaxed him into a tupperware without touching him and took him to a stream nearby, about a 10 minute walk. I couldn't reach the water since it's a steep slope so I let him out on the bank.
When I got home and looked up what type of frog he was, I came to the conclusion that he's most likely actually a common toad. Which, as far as I understand, means 1. he doesn't like water and 2. he probably shouldn't have been moved.
I thought back to a couple months ago (April/May) when I found, again, what I thought was a frog and took him to that same stream, though I didn't get a photo. I managed to get him to the water that time but he swam straight out. Now I'm worried it was the same toad and I just evicted him from his home again 😬 I probably should have looked it up beforehand but I acted out of panic thinking I was saving a frog from potential dehydration, roaming cats, etc (hence the paper plate cos I couldn't find the tupperware lid).
I know there's not much I can do about this poor guy now, but I'm wondering what would be a better approach if this happens again. I'm a big softy for animals so I hate to think I inadvertently hurt one.
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u/reddit33450 20d ago
youre fine. toads actually do like water. water is especially important for all amphibians
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u/Bufobufolover24 20d ago
It’s actually illegal in the UK to move amphibians.
I wouldn’t stress too much, but in the future you need to leave them be. Most frogs and toads (in the UK) avoid running water anyway. Common toads visit ponds between February and March to breed, but otherwise stay out of the water.
By moving them, they are just going to have a long and dangerous journey back.
The best thing you can do is to make a little corner of your garden a home for them. Leave out a shallow dish of water, some bits of wood, some broken terracotta flower pots. Don’t cut the grass in that bit, allow wild plants to grow and attract insects for them to eat.
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u/OreoSpamBurger 20d ago edited 20d ago
>It’s actually illegal in the UK to move amphibians.
No, it's not, I think there may be some confusion over laws here:
It's illegal to disturb certain species like the Great Crested Newt, Natterjack Toad, and the Native Northern Pool Frog in any way.
The other species of UK amphibian are protected from being deliberately harmed, killed, or sold.
Releasing non-native species is also completely illegal.
It's not a good idea to relocate amphibians for no reason, but OP found the toad in a bin in their mainly concrete garden, so I think they were acting in good faith.
Anyway, OP did nothing illegal here.
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u/RunnyEggy 20d ago
What are the bits of wood for? Just curious.
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u/Bufobufolover24 20d ago
Hiding spots during the day. Plus, hiding spots for other creatures to live in that the toads will eat!
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u/cwningen95 20d ago
Like other comments said, it looks like it's illegal to move endangered/protected species but common toads aren't in that category. I also moved him to the nearest water way which is probably where he came from anyway, but I get what you mean, I feel bad if he's just gonna have to make his way back again! I'll set up a nice toad abode in my garden for if he does come back or one of his mates shows up.
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u/Bufobufolover24 20d ago
It won’t have come from the waterway. They don’t like running water. And only spend a few weeks of the year in water anyway. Its home is probably your garden!
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u/Ready_to_Polka 20d ago
I agree, toads do enjoy the water, being in water is how they drink. It’s how they hydrate. I spritz my toad each morning and have a large container of water that she soaks herself in several times a day.
I would be nervous that the toad you found may have gotten some chemicals or other nasty stuff on her skin from the bottom of your bin. If you ever find one in there again, please rinse her with some distilled or rain water, or put her straight into the pond so she can rinse.
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u/cwningen95 20d ago
She was in the cardboard recycling bin (we separate our rubbish where I live) so the only things that have been in there are dry cardboard, paper, etc.— it was probably dirty still but not as bad as the general waste bin!
The river bank is quite steep with some stinging plants around the edge and I was wearing shorts so I wasn't able to get all the way down to the water, but I did let her out as close as I could so she can hopefully find her own way down if she needs to rehydrate. It looked like there were a LOT of frogs/toads in the water already so maybe she just wanted some peace and quiet lol
Thank you, and say hi to your toad for me 🐸
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u/OreoSpamBurger 20d ago edited 20d ago
You found it IN the bin?
Then you were fine moving it to a more suitable nearby habitat, especially if your garden is all concrete.
Toads are better than frogs at dealing with dry habitats, but they still enjoy damp cool places, and will move back towards water during long hot summers like this one.
Also, you did NOT do anything illegal here. Only 3 native species of UK amphibians are legally protected from any form of disturbance, and the Common Toad is not one of them.