Most Floridians know to keep their pets away from cane toads, as the nonnative species can be toxic to small animals. When the toads become agitated, they can secrete a milky-white toxin from glands located on their shoulders. And if a dog or cat licks or sniffs the substance, it can potentially be fatal. So what’s the story with these creatures?
Cane toads, which are often incorrectly referred to as bufo toads (see “Cane vs. Bufo” below) are found in many regions of Florida today, including Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast, but they don’t belong here. Native to Central America, South America, and
extreme southern Texas, cane toads first arrived in our area back in the 1930s, according to Ken Gioeli, a natural resource and environment extension agent at UF/IFAS in St. Lucie County. At the time, says Gioeli, the toads were let loose in sugarcane fields in Florida (hence the name) as a biocontrol method to eat beetles that were harming the crops. With a staggering reproductive rate (8,000-30,000 eggs per female) and no predators in the United States, it’s no wonder they’ve spread so quickly over the years.
Cane toads camouflage into the environment, so you’re more likely to hear them before seeing them. They don’t ribbit or croak like other toads and frogs; their sound is more like a woodpecker knocking. They tend to be most active at night, when they feed on insects like beetles, and like to hang out near light sources such as streetlights and in neighborhoods with stormwater ponds or adjacent wetlands.
If you spot one, keep your pet away. If it sticks around and you’d rather it didn’t, you can always call a toad-removal company like Palm City–based Toad Busters (toadbusters.com) to come and deal with it. Lisa Thompson, spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Nonnative Fish and Wildlife Program, notes: “Like all nonnative species, cane toads are not protected in Florida, except by anticruelty laws, and can be removed from private property year-round with landowner permission.” Thompson also suggests residents report sightings to FWC’s Invasive Species Hotline (ivegot1.org or call 888.483.4681) so the data can be given to scientists to learn about population density and spread.
If your pet is exposed to the poison, Gioeli advises wetting a paper towel to wipe the inside of their mouth and then head to the vet ASAP. Don’t flush their mouth with a garden hose because you may wash the toxin down their throat and get water in your pet’s lungs.
Cane vs. Bufo
While cane toads are often referred to as bufo toads, Gioeli wants people to know that is a bit of a misnomer. “There are many toads that are bufos that are native,” he explains. “Biologists have now put cane toads in a different genus, Rhinella marina, to help save native toads that have been getting a bad rap. We don’t want people going around indiscriminately killing our native toads. They have a role in the environment.”
How to Spot a Cane Toad
Cane toads can be easily distinguished from other (nonharmful) species like squirrel frogs and green frogs by their size. They are usually between 6 and 9 inches (though a 1-footer was captured earlier this year on Marco Island!), whereas most native toads are smaller than 3 inches. Another clue: they don’t have suction on their feet, so they can’t climb on walls or windows and typically keep to the ground.
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