Even though this year’s monsoon is now in the past, there’s still a slimy and toxic threat to your pets that may be hopping around in areas that used to have a wash or standing water.
Sonoran Desert Toads have been out and about in some people’s yards lately all thanks to an incredibly active monsoon season.
Jeremy Johnson and his family have sometimes seen a dozen a night by their front door.
“My daughter and I, we pick them up and we put them in a bucket, and we bring them down to the wash,” said Johnson. “Our Amazon deliveries are getting picked up by our 6-year-old and not my wife right now.”
Joking aside, they can be deadly to your pets due to the toxic substance they secrete through glands on their neck and legs.
Phoenix Zoo Senior Reptile Keeper James Hall told ABC15 that all the record rain we’ve had this year means the Sonoran Desert Toad population could still be going strong well into the fall. They’re appealing to your pets because of the way they move around, he said.
“They look like a bouncing rubber ball,” Hall said. “It’s like half of a rubber ball moving through your yard or across the street.”
If your pet does come across one of these toads and ingests its toxins, some telltale signs of trouble may be drooling or foaming at the mouth and rapid breathing.
Experts say to immediately rinse their mouth and call your vet to figure out the next steps. Always wash your hands and don’t touch your face if you touch a Sonoran Desert Toad, as well.
