Toadfest!

toadpole · #11 (**permalink**) 12-04-2011, 04:20 PM

nothing beats having a little garden ....except one with a pond

... i am so glad you are enjoying it ....keep me updated when the toadspawn hatch

I have now got ''on-land'' and all in the garden under my various log piles

.... all the 5 toads that i did have in the pond ....the 1 solitary male that was in there since the end of feb ...and the female I found (with the 3 males fighting to get on top of her) out nr my front lawn in March ...they never spawned

but are very happy and getting fatter by the day

plus i do collect loads of worms and guide them under their logs !!! so it really puzzles me what happened to the eggs she was carrying inside her as she was very fat ....i suppose if the conditions were not right for spawning (we had massive frosts for next 6 days or so ) her body must of absorbed them ...shame ...as there is nothing cuter in my eyes than a baby toadlet

still i have my 5 big guys and i am out with my torch still every night to see if they are out hunting ...only seen 1 as yet ...loads and loads of newt action going on ...and still have 3 large female frogs and 5 little yearling frogs from last year under the slate pieces around the pond and last night saw 2 of those actually in it

so still plenty going on outside ...long may it continue ...Marion

miranda · #12 (**permalink**) 26-04-2011, 06:25 PM

Hi Marion,
Did you get any toadspawn in the end? I have some toadpoles and would be happy to let you have some. ( I know there's a big debate about moving them but I think it's more of a help than a hindrance to the species if small quantities are moved,with care, from obviously healthy stock)
Miranda

toadpole · #13 (**permalink**) 14-05-2011, 05:21 PM

Hi Miranda ....sorry have not been able to come on here for a long while

No

my Toads did nothing

...I have 9 now, living under the logs around my garden and check on them daily !!! i pick them up and give their heads a little stroke every morning ,and make sure they have plenty of worms available as well .....i would love some toadpoles but i expect you live miles away from me

and i agree with you a few given away to a good safe healthy pond can only help them out ..and i think help the gene pool a bit !!!.....i gave quite a bit of frogspawn away this year to a friends nearby pond and then found all the spawn i left in my pond hatched and got eaten .(by the masses of newts)...every single one of them .....i am nr guildford in surrey thanks for the offer tho even if it does not come to fruition Marion

miranda · #14 (**permalink**) 15-05-2011, 09:27 AM

Guildford not so far from here,Marion and you'd be v welcome to drop in and see the inner-London-urban-amphibian situation here!
Our pond is simply teeming with life...and there's plenty to spare. (I'd love the toadlets to go to such a wonderful home where they get fed and also have their chins tickled(!). I'm actually a bit worried about where mine are all going to live....We've got tadpoles (in the creche),and 3 newts species,frogs,toad and toadpoles in the pond (which is only 4x3 ft) so it's v crowded but endlessly fascinating in there.
Someone told me the other day that toads only spawn every 2 or 3 years. I wonder if this is true? (My neighbours pond had spawn last year but not this)
Happy pond-ing!
Miranda

toadpole · #15 (**permalink**) 15-05-2011, 04:44 PM

Hi Miranda ....i have never heard of that before ...Toads only spawning every 2 or 3 years ....but saying that i had a large female and 4 males in my pond and not one drop of spawn (and i WOULD of been happy with just 1 little egg)

.....sadly i do not have transport but if you could pop a few in the post

....ONLY JOKING !!!!!

....when i went out this morning to do my morning toad check

i had 8 of the little beauties sunbathing on top of the log pile

i lay a huge thick towel over the top of the logs so it keeps it a bit damp underneath and every morning by 10 am they all climb up under the towel and enjoy the warmth without getting baked ...on days when the weather is scorching i allways spray a watering can full of water over the top of the towel so it stays nice and cool for them .....my son allways teases me saying i am running a'' Toad Day Spa ''

complete with a daily massage !!!! but i have been doing this for years now and it has become a daily routine that i love ....Marion