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saintanneshs
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| Posted: March 05 2006 at 2:35pm | IP Logged
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Okay, I've decided to stop being a sissy about all things slimy (still working on the snake and spider phobia  ) and after reading about toads in Sharon Lovejoy's Hollyhock Days  , I'd like to put out a few toad houses in and around our garden. We live beside a creek and meadow and are boardered by woods as well, so there are usually amphibians-a-plenty each summer. Last year the boys had a ball catching toads (or were they frogs?  ) and playing with them in the little plastic kiddie pool before turning them loose. I usually stayed away but in an effort to be enthusiastic about my boys' love of nature, we're going to do a Frog and Toad Unit in the spring and I'd like to find out everything I can about toad houses.
Are there different kinds of toad houses?
What do I put in them?
Will more than 1 toad live in or visit the house?
Should the house be in a shady place or right in the middle of the garden?
Is there anything I should avoid when trying to attract a toad to our house?
...and anything else you can share would be great.
Thanks!
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Kristine
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mary
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| Posted: March 05 2006 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
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pretty much anything that provides a cool place can work as a toad home. we have decoratively painted terra pots and then put them half in the ground, turned on their sides. you don't need to add anything to them. i don't know how many toads would visit or live there. they should be placed in a shady area. that's the extent of my toad home knowledge!
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Dawn
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Hi Kristine, I can't help you much with a toad house, except to say that last summer we found toads loved the cool shade underneath an addition we were building.
We are also planning an amphibian unit this spring, and making a toad home is a great idea (Mary's terra pot sounds cute)! Are you creating the unit yourself or do you have one ready-made? I thought we might kick ours off with The Tale of Jeremy Fisher, and of course the Frog and Toad series ... my oldest is begging to catch and raise tadpoles as well !
(I'm with you on snakes and spiders )
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys 
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: March 05 2006 at 9:34pm | IP Logged
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saintanneshs wrote:
| Okay, I've decided to stop being a sissy about all things slimy... I'd like to put out a few toad houses in and around our garden. |
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Kristine,
You mention 'boys' and I couldn't tell from your signature line if you have any girls. If you do...take comfort in all things toady and slimy.
My girls always turn our toad houses in fairy houses. There is one right outside the carport door right now. 
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
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Dawn
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| Posted: March 06 2006 at 5:11am | IP Logged
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Here's an informative (and very pretty) page about Toad Homes. I didn't know toads were a source of pest control, but of couse it makes sense when you think about it ...
I love this line:
They seem to like human kindness and can be trained to come when called and can even distinguish between different people.
How sweet!
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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saintanneshs
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| Posted: March 06 2006 at 3:23pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the helpful info, Mary. I'll give the terra cotta pots a try!
Cay, I think I'd rather have "fairy houses" since it'll take some nerve for me to peek into a toad house to see if anyone is home!  ...and yes, I do have 1 girl and she is the baby. I am patiently waiting to see if she has as much enthusiasm for the slimies as her big brothers! My guess is that she will...
Dawn, thanks for sharing the neat site! I'm making my own frog and toad unit (expanding a bit on amphibians, but mostly on frogs and toads). I haven't gone too far with the planning, but I thought I'd do the Frog & Toad series too. I think I'll wander over to Amazon and our library and see what I can come up with in the way of living picture books. My guys are so little, what we do in the way of units is pretty basic and mostly just for fun! 
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Kristine
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MaryM
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| Posted: March 07 2006 at 1:35am | IP Logged
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We've been using the Electronic Naturalist site (that was recommended here by several people) for info on owls we are currently studying. They have great little mini units and they do have several related to frogs and toads in their reptile/amphibian section.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Dawn
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| Posted: March 13 2006 at 2:13pm | IP Logged
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If you happen to have access to the Animal Planet channel, this Friday's episode of Backyard Habitat, is about chickadees and toad abodes ...
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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saintanneshs
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| Posted: March 15 2006 at 5:49am | IP Logged
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Thanks, Dawn! We'll be watching!
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Kristine
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Toad Houses?
