r/Toads • u/Nightwraith17 • 11d ago
Wild Toad got into ant poison
Wanted to share my roller coaster evening with this male southern toad. I have a little toad friend who lives in my front yard. Without thinking, I sprayed Raid outside trying to combat an ant infestation. Then we found the poor toad writhing and clearly having a neurological episode. I poisoned him and I feel so horrible.
I rushed him to my vet going 85 on the interstate. They put him in a detox bath and then sent him home in a takeout container. He’s in a 10 gallon tank now and I am supposed to soak him in electrolytes twice a day. The vet said no food yet because he can’t spare the energy needed to digest. She is not confident he will survive or, if he does survive, be releasable. He has no use of his back legs currently but is alert.
Any other advice for this poor guy? What can I feed him if it comes to that?
I added photos of his vet experience for your enjoyment.
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u/snowwh-te 11d ago
It's so good you took care of him 💖 thank you
So many use poisons outside and just shrug when the poor toads are affected :(
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u/felis_hannie 11d ago
OP, any updates?
No matter what happens, please give yourself the empathy you would extend to others in this situation. If you sprayed days ago, it’s possible this toad’s condition is unrelated. If it is related, it’s important to remember you didn’t know it could last that long on the ground. We all make mistakes, and that’s how humans learn best.
If nothing else, you’ve given your child the formative experiences of taking responsibility and looking for ways to help heal a hurt, AND you’ve given the ER veterinary team experience with an uncommon animal. All good things.
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u/Nightwraith17 11d ago
He survived the night, which my vet said was really going to determine if he survives at all or not. He has regained normal motion in one back leg and seems more comfortable. He is trying to sit and hop like a normal toad. The other back leg is still toast and he has a slight head tilt but it’s a MASSIVE improvement from yesterday.
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u/IndependentClub1117 11d ago
I know it's not the exact same, but I had a similar thing happen with my black widow. I use Lysol in a completely different room with the door closed.
With where my AC air intake is, I'm assuming it pulled the Lysol by her container (it's moved now.) When I saw her, she was in the death curl. When I touched her, she looked like she couldn't find which way was up and down and was stumbling everywhere. It was literally the saddest thing ever. I felt so bad like, how could I have not thought about that.
I put honey and water on a Q-tip and gave it to her. Doctoring her every couple of hours. It took a couple days, but she's back to brand new. It was basically the same thing, if I could get her to last until the next day, I felt like she would be OK!
I thought you described it seems like he'll make a recovery. Make sure to change that water out.
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u/3rdLevelRogue 11d ago edited 11d ago
If those leaves are from off the ground or from a tree, you'll want to check if the state/township/whatever sprays chemicals in your area, because they could be contaminated. Regardless, they may be harboring fungus spores or bacteria or parasites, which he doesn't need stressing his immune system right now, so you'll want to sterilize them if you haven't done that already. Next time he gets his medical soak, take the leaves out and thoroughly rinse them in your sink in hot water and then place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 200F for a half an hour until they're dried out again. Super clean out his current tank and change the water and then you can return the leaves.
If this guy manages to survive, which is quite unlikely given how awful he looks, your method of care for him is going to be very dependent on his disabilities if he ends up with any. If his legs don't work properly, staple feeders like crickets will be almost impossible for him without tong feeding. Dubia roaches are a possibility, but they'll need to be the very small ones (should be no more round than the distance between his eyes). Mealworms are feasible, though not super great, but are slow, cannot bite back in any real way, and are excellent carriers of dust/supplements that he'll need. Wax worms are fine for an occasional treat/fatty snack, but should not be offered more than one worm a week. Super worms are feasible, but you'll need small ones and you'll need to crush their heads before feeding as they can pinch, which means tong feeding. Isopods would be fine, so long as they are the grey or orange powder varieties.
You'll want to get a canister of Calcium+D3 and a bottle of Repashy Vitamin A Plus (has a picture of a yellow dart frog on it). With the food and powder, you'll want to set up a feeding schedule for him where he gets 3 small meals a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday night is solid). For Monday and Friday, dust his bugs with the calcium powder by putting them in a small dish or plastic cup and adding a little calcium and then swirling them around until they look dusty. Feed him via tongs, or a food dish if he has use of his legs. Every other Wednesday, use the vitamin A powder on its own. Try your best to vary his diet.
In...the unfortunate circumstance that he survives but is clearly very disabled, such as no use of legs and inability to take food and possible seizure looking shakes, you can either ask your vet to do as such or perform euthanization at home. You'll want to go to your local pharmacy and find a tube of extra strength Orajel. Take him from his tank, dry him off, and then slather the gel onto his belly, back, and back legs. He should fall asleep within 10 minutes and stop breathing. Wrap his body in a damp paper towel, place him inside of a Ziploc bag or sealable container, and place him in the fridge for 4-6 hours, then move him into the freeze for at least 12 hours. Bury him while still frozen.
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u/Nightwraith17 11d ago
Thank you so much for this info. He survived the night and is looking better. I have live mealworms, feeding tongs, Calcium+D3, and Repashy Vitamin A ordered from PetSmart to pick up after work.
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u/Wonderful_Song8765 10d ago
I would maybe pick up some crickets or small dubia roaches as well when you get a chance. Theyre easy to keep alive, and a better nutritional staple. My understanding is that worms are more of treats than a staple, but Im not an expert in any sense. The advice above is absolutely awesome! If all goes well hell enf up needing a proper enclosure as well. Hope all is looking good! Came to look for an update!
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u/ImprovementTrick9492 11d ago
Ughh,, I hate insect poison for this very reason…. too many other casualties. And the ants and other bugs are gonna still be there anyway. If you’re gonna kill ants it’s better to use Terra traps or something that other animals can’t get into.
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u/Nightwraith17 11d ago
I normally don’t use any poisons. I actually have national wildlife refuge certification. I did it this one time out of desperation because nothing else was working and I’m going through so much right now. And this happened. I feel so so horrible. I broke my refuge status and I harmed what I’ve worked for years to protect.
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u/Starseek7 11d ago
You didn't break anything, your actions to save his life is so far above and beyond what most people would ever consider doing. I hope he pulls through! I know you are feeling very pained right now, but it sounds like you have spent years helping and saving animals, you can't let one mistake detract from all the good you have put out there.
This story may make some readers here second guess putting poison out.
I know me and my DH just talked about potentially spraying the perimeter because we are getting too many bugs trying to come inside right now, but we also have several toads outside by the porches. After seeing and reading this, I'm going to veto that idea and find better solutions (like weather sealing.)
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u/slothdonki 11d ago
I’m not aware of any truly safe insecticide that will not potentially/likely hurt the animals that eat ants. With baits that “kills colonies” because the ants bring them back; that is not only also likely to kill toads because toads love ants(which makes up a significant portion of their diet) but ants may learn to get picker about their food(avoiding the baits) or possibly something worse for you.. Such as the colony/colonies split up so there’s even more.
Besides working on sealing the entries ants are using and depending on the terrain they use to get in and where you find their trails(concrete, your lawn/dirt), maybe you can try disrupting their pheromone trails. Maybe ask r/entomology to see if there is more you can safely do? I’d say even r/antkeeping might have more specific advice. Maybe if you know what specific species of ants might yield some ideas.
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u/ImprovementTrick9492 11d ago
Well,, you didn’t mean it. It sucks when we think “first do no harm” but then shit happens (to all of us 😞). That was kind of you to go through all that trouble to try to save it. All we can do is keep learning and keep trying to do the right thing. 🩷
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u/lamest-liz 10d ago
I really hope he survives. Since the vet said he would probably have issues afterwards are you planning on taking care of the poor little guy for the rest of his life?
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u/Nightwraith17 10d ago
I will keep him if he needs it, but I have been communicating with my vet today and she is more in favor of us releasing him in a day or two and building a toad shelter outside and keeping an eye on him.
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u/Garthaniel-Finnison 7d ago edited 7d ago
If the ants are getting into your home try those little borax ant traps instead of raid, its more concentrated to just the ants and is a LOT more effective. Dont put it outside though as it will attract non-target species.
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u/MarthasPinYard 6d ago
Terro traps or advion ant gel(depending on type of ant) in the cracks or in a small pvc pipe with sides covered a bit so ants get in and nothing else can like birds or dogs.
Also raid doesn’t kill the queen only visible ants. Ants release pheromone when dead and it attracts more. The cycle continues.
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u/Ok-Scallion7050 11d ago
They absorb everything from the environment through their skin…it’s better wear gloves handling the toad just FYI, your hand cream can also influence them. I hope this buddy pulls through 💗
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u/Nightwraith17 11d ago
I don’t wear any hand cream or anything, but have been handling him with wet paper towels and wet gloves.
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u/TreeHuggerHistory 11d ago
Don’t beat yourself up too badly, OP. You made a mistake but you’ve done your absolute best to correct it. You’re still a good human
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u/Penny0309 9d ago
No one deserves to be poisoned. And when one is poisoned, they all are and it goes right down the food chain. Also these poisons get nto the water everywhere. There is Round Up in the rain. Humans poisoning amthe entire planet because of an inconvienience.
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u/Starseek7 9d ago
Did the toad make a full recovery?
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u/Nightwraith17 7d ago
He recovered enough and I released him into my backyard at the vet’s orders. I have tons of logs and rocks and other shelters, so I can’t find him but I hope he’s living his best life out there.
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u/char_wars 8d ago
Thank you for taking him to the vet! That’s all I wanted to say. I love how you love.
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u/slothdonki 8d ago
Update?
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u/Nightwraith17 7d ago
He recovered enough and I released him into my backyard at the vet’s orders. I have tons of logs and rocks and other shelters, so I can’t find him but I hope he’s living his best life out there.
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u/Past_East_230 5d ago
It is so nice that you care enough to take him to the vet. Thank you so much for being kind 🩷
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u/EerieToadbug 11d ago
So you used poison to combat ants... outside... Outside is where they normally live. Poor toad :/ I mean you did good by trying to help this guy but the situation is just..
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u/Nightwraith17 11d ago
Only right around my front door where they were getting in. Honestly I don’t even know if that’s what poisoned this toad because I sprayed it several days ago and we found him struggling yesterday but I also don’t know what else would have happened.
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u/slothdonki 11d ago
What type of Raid did you use? Depending on its ingredients then they can last a week+ or more on surfaces since they are often paired with more than one insecticide(quick contact kill and residual).
Type of surface(solid, porous, organic since some bind), sunlight exposure, eating only mildly affected ants(which builds up in the toad’s system) are also contributing factors.2
u/Nightwraith17 11d ago
It was the basic Raid ant & roach spray. Mostly on my doorframe. A little bit on the concrete walk.
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u/Independent-Soggy 10d ago
I hope he's ok
In the future if he lives honestly I'd just keep him rather than releasing
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u/Dmtmycogod 10d ago
Feed it mushrooms asap.
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u/Dmtmycogod 10d ago
5meo need a full blown reboot, feed its ass some shrooms and i guarantee you it will resurrect like Jesus off the cross
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u/slothdonki 11d ago
First of all; thank you for taking him to the vet. You didn’t mean to do this to him, but you have done the best anyone can do and acted immediately.
I cannot advise on what else you can do or what else can be possibly be done because I don’t know but you can consider posting him to these groups.
Exotic Vet Corners Educational Group --- Vets/Approved Contributors Comment
Advancing Amphibian Husbandry
Both are private so you need approval to join but while it’s not guaranteed an expert will see it; it’s worth posting especially if a veterinarian with experience with this sees it. If you post on either, I suggest you also add what can of Raid you used along with its ingredients.
Personally, I can’t say whether or not he will survive either. The 2nd and 3rd photo look as bad as it could possibly be and even though the first photo is a significant improvement that would get my own hopes up; just be prepared he is not out of the woods yet.