You know what that reminds me of. And this happened back in Delaware on the East Coast so maybe all Toads secrete something. We had a cat that ran out on the deck all the time and one evening he went out there was a garden toad on the deck, now we had hundreds of them back there so we didn't think much of it. Well he went over and grabbed the toad with his mouth and immediately back away. Within a couple of seconds he started to foam at the mouth and it was choking him. So I turned the hose on low, and washed him mouth out till it stopped foaming without drowning him. He got over it, but wouldn't ever go near a toad again. Guess they all have some kind of protection like that.
Don...
Funny Pet story
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Desert Cruiser
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Jerry Feldner
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Re: Funny Pet story
Virtually all frogs and toads secrete some kind of poison and it is theorized that the ability to do so came about as a countermeasure to dipteran (mosquitos mostly and flies) attack. So that little Pacific Tree Frog ( Pseudacris regillus ) can be annoying especially when you let the secretions make contact with your mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth). Some toads and frogs are worse than others but it seems that most of them have this ability.
There is a family of frogs, the Dendrobatidae, consisting of several genera ( Colostethus,Aromobates, Dendrobates, Phyllobates, Epipedobates and Mannophryne), some of which secrete a very virulent poison which Indians in South American Jungles utilize on their darts or arrows. Hence the common names of Poison Dart or Poison Arrow Frogs. The Indians take the frogs and hold them over a fire to get them to secrete their poison, dip their darts or arrow points in the resulting liquid and they are then able to shoot monkeys high in trees and other animals.
Now, scientists have finally learned that the poison is a result of the diet of the frogs. They eat certain insects which allows them to store and secrete real bad poison. Only the more modern genera secrete poison. The Genus Colostethus, for instance, is considered primitive and the frogs are well camouflaged and brightly colored, but not poisonous beyond their normal skin secretions. Most frogs in this family are 1 inch or less in length and they are among the most beautiful in the world. One species found in Costa Rica and Panamá are red with deep blue back legs and are called "Blue Jeans."
These frogs are greatly sought after by hobbyists and captive animals, which are fed mostly fruit flies, do not secrete the powerful poison of their wild cousins.
There is a family of frogs, the Dendrobatidae, consisting of several genera ( Colostethus,Aromobates, Dendrobates, Phyllobates, Epipedobates and Mannophryne), some of which secrete a very virulent poison which Indians in South American Jungles utilize on their darts or arrows. Hence the common names of Poison Dart or Poison Arrow Frogs. The Indians take the frogs and hold them over a fire to get them to secrete their poison, dip their darts or arrow points in the resulting liquid and they are then able to shoot monkeys high in trees and other animals.
Now, scientists have finally learned that the poison is a result of the diet of the frogs. They eat certain insects which allows them to store and secrete real bad poison. Only the more modern genera secrete poison. The Genus Colostethus, for instance, is considered primitive and the frogs are well camouflaged and brightly colored, but not poisonous beyond their normal skin secretions. Most frogs in this family are 1 inch or less in length and they are among the most beautiful in the world. One species found in Costa Rica and Panamá are red with deep blue back legs and are called "Blue Jeans."
These frogs are greatly sought after by hobbyists and captive animals, which are fed mostly fruit flies, do not secrete the powerful poison of their wild cousins.