dead toads

[zozbott]

PLEASE HELP ive had five dead toads in four days
does any one have any idea why i have lost all my toads in only four days ???
they have all been singing every night and pairing up nicely. but every morning i have found at least one dead in the bottom of my pond with no visible signs of disease or attack

[Lance Morgan]

Could just be natural loss after mating. May have even drowned while mating when too many males get hold of female.

[zozbott]

this time yesterday i would have been releived to read that because they had all been female, But the two i found this morning were both male. i have just checked the pond and i am now left with only two males and not a single string of spawn in sight many thanx for your swift reply tho

[SheffieldLass]

Seems the males, particularly the small ones also get squashed to death by the other males gripping them too tightly, when they are piled three or four high on top of the females. No wonder the small females stay away from the breeding sites, seems only the very big, mature females come to breed, I guess for that reason.

And round here, so many (hundreds) get killed on the roads on the approach routes to the breeding ponds. I've spent a few evenings moving them to safety across the roads.