Help! Need some answers

[lisa828]

Hi all, I am new to this forum and would like to ask a few questions. I just moved to a woody area with a creek that runs through my backyard. I have seen many frogs hopping in and out of the creek. However, I was gardening and walked past my window well that leads to a small window to my basement. I was walking by it and found 5 toads (bufo americanus). The well is about 2 1/2 feet deep, I have been observing them for a month now. I didn't want to bother them so I just leave them to themselves. There is one big toad, a smaller one and 3 little ones. The bigger ones don't seem to want to jump out but the smaller one keeps jumping trying to get out. The thing is, the well is deep and they can't jump out. I am wondering if they are stuck and want to get out or if they made the well their home. I really don't have experience in toads but if they are stuck I would like to help them out or do I just leave them alone. In one sense they seem safe if the well from other predators. There are rocks on the bottom and leaves to hide for cover. But like I said before, I don't know if they are stuck and want to move on. Please help! Thanks

[SethD]

Hi all, I am new to this forum and would like to ask a few questions. I just moved to a woody area with a creek that runs through my backyard. I have seen many frogs hopping in and out of the creek. However, I was gardening and walked past my window well that leads to a small window to my basement. I was walking by it and found 5 toads (bufo americanus). The well is about 2 1/2 feet deep, I have been observing them for a month now. I didn't want to bother them so I just leave them to themselves. There is one big toad, a smaller one and 3 little ones. The bigger ones don't seem to want to jump out but the smaller one keeps jumping trying to get out. The thing is, the well is deep and they can't jump out. I am wondering if they are stuck and want to get out or if they made the well their home. I really don't have experience in toads but if they are stuck I would like to help them out or do I just leave them alone. In one sense they seem safe if the well from other predators. There are rocks on the bottom and leaves to hide for cover. But like I said before, I don't know if they are stuck and want to move on. Please help! Thanks

Without seeing it I don't know if they are stuck or not. However if you are concerned about it just take them out. If they go back within a few days they probably were not stuck. From what you describe though it sounds possible that they could be.

[lisa828]

Seth how could you tell if they are stuck or not? If I sent you a picture of them in the window well would you be able to tell?

[Kurt]

Based on your description, I would say they are stuck.

While I have you here, could you please post your location and country in your profile? It helps us to help you better.

[lisa828]

Sorry I thought I did post that...Media, Pennsylvania, USA. So do you think I should help them out...do you think they will come back?

[lisa828]

Just wanted to give you an update...I put a board in on a diagnol and the one little guy, the one that was trying to jump out did...the 4 others didn't leave. So i put in some flat stones from the creek and built steps going up to help them out...but now the 2 little toads are having a ball climbing in and out of the stones. I was observing them tonight and watching them catch bugs and the big toad helped himself to a slug...very cool observing them in their natural habitat. They sun themselves during the day and hide in the rocks...then at night they are jumping all over catching bugs..since they are in the window well I can hear them...especially the big guy that sings.

So what do you think?? Should I try to get them out or leave them be?? They don't bother me and nobody bothers them...

Thanks for your help!

[bshmerlie]

I'd leave them be. It looks like thats where they live and they seem to be doing just fine. You're so lucky to have something like that where you live. Out here in California in the cities we don't have natural habitats. Not unless you start driving to go to the mountains.

[Kurt]

I remember driving around So Cal and it was house upon house.

[kellie]

hah .. that's so cute! i remember last year in the late spring when all of the tadpoles started morphing, there were about 100 or so tiny little toadlets in the stairwell to where my basement sliding glass door is, all hopping around. there's a creek and river in my backyard where they all lived as tadpoles. it's quite a walk from there and it's amazing that all these teeny toadlets made the walk, ehr .. hop, to where my basement door is. the basement door is like 5 or 6 steps down from where the lawn is, sort of like a bi-level? like, you walk out my basement door and you can see out, but you're like 4ft down and have to walk up the stairs to be at ground level. i had to help them all out, cuz there's no way for them to get out .. but, they always made their way back down.

[lisa828]

Thanks for all your input...It is really cool to get to just watch them do their thing and the more I observe the more I really enjoy the toads! It's funny because having a creek going through my backyard I get all kinds of friends that stop by and see the frogs hanging on the edge of the water all the time...I also have a pool and on Saturday rescued a little toadlet from the pool filter...he was wiped out when I got him out...I put him under a bush and stayed there for a day and then he moved on. Then found a salamander swimming in the pool and my 2 year old son put him back in the creek.

The craziest thing I have seen so far was the HUGE Snapper turtles that made their way up the creek and in my mulch to bury their eggs....we had 3 stop by but one of them was so big-head, body, tail...it looked like something pre-historic! In addition, we have a lab named Scratchy who is in love with his new home, a cat Tailey who thinks she is a LION...and our Koi are in temporary housing until we get our pond up and running...it is just crazy...my house is like a mini zoo!! Bunnies, nosy chipmucks, a robins nest and a sparrow nest in my outside light...we only moved about 5 minutes from our old home but since we are backed up to a reservior we just have everything hanging around!!! My son just loves it and so do we

[Eel Noob]

If it was me I would help get them out. I rescued a toad out my parents' window well once.

[lisa828]

Now I am torn Eel!! I have a board set up like a ramp in the window well that is about 2 ft deep and built stones like steps for them to hop out...but only one did. I can see maybe one jumping down there and getting stuck but 5?? Yet the other window well there is none...but now they just hide and play with the stone steps but don't hop out...I even put them on the board (like a ramp) and they don't hop out....so does anyone have any thoughts about this? The bottom is small stones and they have plenty of food...I watch them at night eating all the bugs and slugs...I am torn, should I just pick them up and let them all go?