Dealing with Territorial Toads in Your Garden

Today I was doing some landscaping near a corner of my yard, when out of the corner of my eye I spied a toad jump towards me. It was as if he were telling me to stay away from his home.

I had left a plastic bag with twigs in it near this old tree, and when I moved it the toad jumped at me. Tossing a little dirt his way from the loose topsoil being laid down, the toad seemed to understand that I was improving his area. Watching a toad creep along on its feet was amusing.

The dark brown toad blended in very well with the dark clay soil that was getting a makeover with some fresh topsoil. A few moments went by when I found the toads den. Laying out some used tea leaves and watermelon rine seemed to appease the toad. I did that to attract critters that the toad likes to eat near its territory.

This same toad has been in other parts of my yard checking out the various bugs that try to hide in the jungle of a backyard the toad is so used to living in daily. His meals must mainly consist of grub worms, spiders, roaches and dirt dobbers that I have done well at keeping off the house.

Seems that this toad doesn't like the clay home designed for him, and after further investigation I found that our albino toad had taken it over. This was tricky to find out, but a little bait helped.

A tea time was inevitable, so I sat outside to see how long it would take for them to find one another. It was a good thing I had a book to read. Eventually the two met, and it was interesting to see them wrestle each other. I had never seen such a funny thing.

I gather this is some territorial feud between the two toads over which one gets what part of the yard. They seem to come to an agreement, and hopped off in different directions. The albino toad kept looking back. I don't know who won if either did win.

Therefore, it is apparent that toads do have a way to communicate other than verbally. Yet, I still have not heard either one of these two toads make any sound after all this time. They must do so when all the lights are out around the house.

I found it also interesting that they were awake as the sun was setting, and yet the sky was still rather bright. So they must have an internal clock to come out and start eating in the yard.

A territory dispute is interesting indeed to watch between two toads living in the same yard. Sure wish I had a camcorder to have recorded this for your viewing pleasure.