The cane toad secretes a milky liquid that can potentially be fatal to pets who lick or bite it Heavy rains in Florida are bringing much more than the need for an umbrella. The inclement weather has sparked a massive influx of cane toads, critters with a poison so toxic, pet owners are fearing for their animals’ safety. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Mark Holladay, a lead technician with the South Florida toad removal service Toad Busters, told local NBC affiliate WPTV that the toads certainly pose a risk to pets, and children, too. “With the warmer winter and then we had a rain two to three weeks ago, a torrential rain, that caused them to go into a breeding cycle,” he said. “They’re not safe for pets or children. If a pet was to ingest too many of them, even at that small size, it would cause a problem.” RELATED VIDEO: How Can I Help Endangered Animals? Cane toads — which were first introduced to Florida in 1936 as a means of controlling sugar cane pests — are considered an invasive species by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Their poison is secreted as a milky liquid near the toad’s shoulders, composed of a mix of toxins that mainly affects the heart’s functions, according to National Geographic. Ray Simonsen Sr., who goes by Ray the Trapper and runs a wildlife removal company of the same name, told local Fox affiliate WFTX that the creatures have been so prevalent, he can easily snag hundreds in one go. “I can pick up 200 to 300 in an evening, without a blink of an eye,” he said. “They will be in the pine needles, they will be in the mulch, around the landscaping. These guys will just burrow into the mulch, they can be hard to see.” The outlet reports that since the toad’s toxin has a milky consistency, it’ll stick to a pet’s mouth if the pet licks, bites or picks it up, causing drooling, seizures, loss of coordination, or even death. According to Holladay, south Floridians won’t be in the clear from the creatures any time soon.<doc-sep>Chad Gillis The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press & The Associated Press A Florida suburb is being plagued by thousands of poisonous toads that experts say are bufo toads – also known as cane toads. The invasive cane toad has spread across much of Southwest Florida in recent years, killing pets and native wildlife in the process. Residents in the infested Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood worry toxins secreted by the toads will harm their pets and children. News stations broadcast images of the small toads clogging pool filters, hopping en masse across driveways and sidewalks and lurking in landscaped lawns. Resident Jennifer Quasha told WPBF her family first noticed the toads Friday. She said hundreds of them were in her swimming pool. Mark Holladay of the pest removal service Toad Busters told WPTV that recent rains coupled with warm temperatures sent the amphibians into a breeding cycle. Holladay said even more toads are likely to spread throughout South Florida in the coming weeks. Here are five things to know about the toads. How you know it's a cane toad Cane toads are tan to reddish-brown, and their backs are marked with dark spots. Adults are larger than native toads and frogs, measuring 4 to 6 inches, and their skin is warty. If that's not gross enough, they also have large triangular glands behind their heads that excrete a highly toxic white goo when the toads are stressed or grabbed. The toads are more common in developed areas, especially near canals and freshwater retention ponds, and in agriculture communities. Are they dangerous? Yes Toad toxins are highly poisonous to cats and dogs, and many have been killed after grabbing the toads with their mouths. Symptoms of toad poisoning in pets include drooling, loss of coordination, head-shaking and convulsions. If poisoning is suspected, use a hose and run water in the side of the mouth, flushing the toxin out and not down the throat while pointing the head downward, the University of Florida recommends. Treatment typically includes a trip to the emergency veterinarian. Southwest Florida has what seems to be growing populations in recent years as more dog deaths and near-deaths are reported. The death of one Florida woman's 3-year-old Yorkie prompted her crusade against the toxic toads. Her dog, Daisy Mae, "started having seizures, and right as we pulled into the (veterinarian office) she died in my lap," Sarah Hulke-Ehorn of Fort Myers said. "It was violent." The toxin also can cause skin and eye irritation in humans who handle the toads. How to kill them Some people catch them and put them in the freezer, and others stab them with frog gigs and toss them in the trash. There are no guidelines when it comes to catching or securing the toads. They are not protected by state, federal or local laws because they are invasive and unwanted. The University of Florida says the toads should be humanely euthanized by catching them and rubbing a 20 percent benzocaine gel on the toad's belly before freezing them. One Naples neighborhood hired a 10-year-old boy, called the Toad Trapper, to catch them. How did they get to the US? An invasive toad from South and Central America, the highly predacious cane toad was first introduced in Florida to sugar cane fields as a way to control pests, according to the University of Florida. Another 100 or so were accidentally released at the Miami Airport in 1955, and there were various releases by pet dealers in the 1960s. They've since spread from the southeast coast of Florida northwest to Lake Okeechobee and to the Tampa Bay area and are likely permanent parts of the Florida landscape. More:Why everyone is Googling 'Florida man' and their birthday What they eat: Bugs, birds, pet food Cane toads eat anything from bugs and native frogs and toads to snakes, small birds and mammals. So not only do they compete with native toads for breeding space and feeding grounds, but they also eat a variety of native wildlife. They tend to be more active at night, and they can sometimes be seen in large numbers on streets and sidewalks. They appear to be drawn to light sources, which draw in bugs. They've also been known to eat pet food. Cane toads breed along the edge of freshwater ponds and lakes between March and September, and the eggs look very similar to native toad eggs. More:How to tell the difference between a crocodile and an alligator Follow environmental writer Chad Gillis on Twitter: @ChadGillisNP<doc-sep>News outlets reported that the toads were poisonous bufo toads, also known as cane toads. The toads are not native to the United States, but their presence in Florida dates from the accidental release of about 100 from a pet dealer at the Miami airport in 1955, according to the University of Florida.<doc-sep>
click to enlarge click to enlarge Photo via Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Cane toads, a poisonous invasive species that was once the scourge of Australia , are now the scourge of Florida.Sightings of the toads are statewide and have occurred in Tampa, Orlando and even as far as the Panhandle, but right now South Florida is straight-up plagued. The Palm Beach Gardens community is currently dealing with thousands of cane toads "clogging people's pools, patios, and even spread out all over the street," says WPTV "I just see a massive amount of toads or frogs everywhere, covering every square inch," said resident Jennie Quasha to the station. "You can't even walk through the grass without stepping on one. "Our war with these big-ass toads is nothing new. For decades, the cane toads have been a major issue for residents of Florida, mostly because they secrete a poisonous, milky ooze that is toxic to humans and pets. These large sacks of slime are actually one the largest toad species in the world, and can grow from 10 inches in length.According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the toads are native to the Amazon basin and were first introduced sometime in the 30s or 40s, likely as pets that either escaped or were released into the wild. But since then, things have gotten much worse, and recent heavy rains have only exasperated the problem. "With the warmer winter and then we had a rain two to three weeks ago, a torrential rain, that caused them to go into a breeding cycle," said Mark Holladay, a lead technician with Toad Busters to WPTV. "There will be another influx like this in 22 days when the next batch hatches out, and this is in every community in Florida. "Now, don't get these confused with the native southern toad. Those are the good toads. The differences can be slight, but unlike our buddies, cane toads feature large glands behind their eyes and lack a crest between their eyes.If you see a cane toad, you're most definitely encouraged to destroy it. According to the University of Florida , the most humane way to euthanize a cane toad is to "rub or spray 20 percent benzocaine toothache gel or sunburn spray (not 5 percent lidocaine) on the toad's lower belly." This will apparently make it become unconscious, which at that point UF says to put it in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for 24-48 hours. A cold peaceful death. Just be sure to wear gloves.But if placing a massive poisonous toad next to your Hot Pockets for a two-day " Shining " treatment is not your thing, you can also just call a local trapper Either way, spare no invasive toad.