Over the last several weeks, we’ve been finding poop on our patio. And on the driveway, in the garage and even on the mat just outside our back door.
Based on the fact we discovered most of the poop in the morning and because of its size and shape, I figured a skunk was our culprit. In my mind, that skunk sure had a lot of nerve pooping in our garage and right smack on our back door step.
When Don suggested that it was toad poop, I scoffed at him. The idea that a toad could poop something a quarter of its body length was ludicrous.
With a little help from The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, we were able to identify our pooper. Let me just tell you, I’m simply amazed. We salute you, Mr. Toad.
By the way, if you’re wondering what The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management is, check them out here. They’re a non-profit, grant funded site that provides research-based information on how to responsibly handle wildlife damage problems. They happen to have a great scat ID section.
July 15, 2010 at 3:59 am
What would we all do without the internet giving us everything we wanted to know and more!?!?! LOL
July 15, 2010 at 4:10 am
I knew this one! This time of year, we have a ton of them. I have to check the dogs’ water bucket each morning since the stoopie toads often decide to take a dip, then can’t get out again. Usually they make it after I dump the water out and they can rest after swimming all night.
July 15, 2010 at 5:07 am
What? Those poor toads……..lol.
July 15, 2010 at 5:13 am
Your post today made me LOL.
Just think of all the bugs it took to make that poop!
He’s great bug patrol!
July 15, 2010 at 5:33 am
Perhaps he needs more fiber.
July 15, 2010 at 5:40 am
Lol. Poop lessons from MorningBray, perforated lizards on 7MSN, maybe my reading my favourite blogs during breakfast is not such a great idea after all…
July 15, 2010 at 6:18 am
I loved this post! (Okay, not as much as I love the posts about the boyz,) and I’m happy to know that I am not the only one fascinated by and investigating scat!
July 15, 2010 at 6:41 am
Not knowing the origin of that impressive specimen would have kept me awake at night. How did we survive before the internet…
July 15, 2010 at 6:46 am
Yep. Looks like toad poop. We have a toad living just off our front porch and once in a while he deems it necessary to use our front porch as his bathroom.. Grrrr.
Di
July 15, 2010 at 7:09 am
I was sooo wrong – I was thinking a raccoon. I would have never thought it was from a toad!
July 15, 2010 at 7:29 am
I knew it was toad poop right away; my husband was sitting in his shop one day, and a toad hopped in, headed straight for him, looked him in the eye, pooped, and hopped out! Guess Ted scared the crap out of him!
July 15, 2010 at 7:39 am
WOW! I would have NEVER guessed toad poop..do some more poop quiz’s!!
July 15, 2010 at 7:44 am
I used to find large toad poo every morning in our dog’s water bowl on the back porch. Mrs. Toad (they are the larger of the two sexes) would hop in each night, have a spa treatment and then leave a ‘present’ before heading on to eat snails and slugs and june bugs.
July 15, 2010 at 7:46 am
That toad’s got one healthy digestive system! I’m with Carson, however did we learn life’s interesting trivia before the Internet? Oh, I remember….we looked things up at the library!
July 15, 2010 at 7:47 am
WOW! We have poop like that around our place and I always assumed it was a raccoon or some such critter. A toad? Never would I have guessed that. Mr. Toad must eat quite a lot during the day to poop so much at night.
July 15, 2010 at 8:31 am
Did you know that some time ago I found a poop like this one on my porch and I found a toad around too? Lol!
July 15, 2010 at 8:43 am
Oh my!!!!! Way to ‘go’ Mr. Toad!!
July 15, 2010 at 9:07 am
Wow. Very impressive, indeed.
You know you’re an animal lover when you don’t bat an eye at conversations about poop, complete with photographs, over breakfast. *grin*
July 15, 2010 at 10:03 am
I shoulda known.
You can look up EVERYTHING on the internet.
lolllllllllllllllllll
[snort!] 
I just signed a petition to the FCC to keep Big Business from messing with our ability to do what we want on the internet, and I didn’t even mention this very important aspect of internet use!
Next time…….
July 15, 2010 at 4:46 pm
That is cool! Solving little mysteries like this is so rewarding.
I’ve enjoyed looking at all the nature pictures on your blog.
July 15, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Well, you have enlightened me. A week ago I saw two little poopies that looked sort of like poodle poopies, but they were absolutely smooth and sort of wet/slimy looking. It was in among the hosta. I’ll bet it was toad poop!
July 15, 2010 at 7:51 pm
okay…not really sure how to react to the first 2 pics! But love the toad shot and have to admit, I would have been wanting to know who was leaving that poop as well. Thanks for enlightening us!
July 17, 2010 at 10:19 am
I knew the answer to this! Now, for those of you with weak stomachs, don’t read any further….my kids take sticks and smush the toad poo – it’s amazing because you can actually see pieces of bugs in it! I know, it’s disgusting, but quite the science project for two boys. Try it if you’re brave enough.
July 19, 2010 at 4:30 pm
I love reading your blog, I have learned alot of stuff from different entries you have made, never thought I’d learn about frog poop.
July 19, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Auntie Sharon,
That makes me happy, thank you.
Believe me, I never thought I’d be blogging about toad poop. 
July 22, 2010 at 7:05 am
Gross, yet amazing. What could he possibly be eating? Does he have a bowel movement once a year? I am intrigued by toad poop. Poor guy. Thank MBF! Smh & lol.
July 23, 2010 at 6:48 am
Tayloria,
He eats bugs… lots and lotsa bugs. I’m pretty sure he poops every day.
August 23, 2010 at 8:34 pm
I am so glad I found this! Thank you for posting about it. We just recently moved to Florida from California and I noticed the same exact poop. Not use to all this wildlife here in Florida so I was dumbfounded. A little later I discovered 2 toads living in our garage. I couldn’t believe such a small thing could pass such a huge poop but I just knew it was them and thanks to you I stand sure. BTW, we moved the toads about 8 houses down and in a little over a week they found our garage again. Crazy!
August 23, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Alison,
You’re so welcome. I’m smiling from ear to ear!!!
September 4, 2010 at 7:46 pm
OMG, I have been furious thinking my neighbors dog is shitting. I’ve been SCREAMING about it!! OK. Thanks to Mr. Toad for eating the bugs since in Florida we have more than the norm, but now the questions is how do I keep them away. Not poison… relax everyone. But, can some one come up with an answer for me?
SC
September 5, 2010 at 10:55 am
Debbie,
I laughed so hard when I read your comment. I felt very much the same way before I figured out it was Mr. Toad who was doing all the pooping.
Perhaps if you think of toad poop as one big mass of dead bugs, that’ll help. That’s basically what it boils down to!
July 11, 2011 at 6:43 am
One year later and your blog is still helping new Floridians Identify toad poo!
I keep finding it on the threshold of our backdoor. Have actually had conversations with the toad in the evening. He sits on the threshold and will not move even when we go in and out several times. I keep telling him/her that he’s not allowed in the house and to go find a new place to hang out
Initially I thought it might be snake poo, but putting two and two together….toad on the threshold and your pics….I’ve come to the conclusion it’s Mr./Mrs. toad leaving presents for us. Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I’m not a big snake fan!
July 11, 2011 at 7:14 am
Clara,
You’re so very welcome!
May 8, 2012 at 7:15 pm
Haha! Here for the last month or so I thought a possum was pooping on our patio. Then I noticed the toads living under some plants and enjoying our patio – amongst the dogs. I am glad it’s toad poop instead of possum poop!
May 10, 2012 at 6:58 am
Thanks for the post, found something like that in our kitchen and had no idea. Turns out 2 days later we found a toad in a bedroom up 3 flights of steps. Crazy
July 10, 2012 at 7:41 pm
Who’s pooping
On my patio ??
August 9, 2012 at 4:52 pm
I am so happy to have found this, it was driving me nuts trying to figure out what the heck it was. It is EXACTLY what it is !
August 10, 2012 at 5:31 pm
I knew that was toad poop immediately!! We see that all of the time around our house, especially each morning on the front walkway! Our dogs even take a roll on it occasionally! Ew!!
August 25, 2012 at 9:19 am
Southern new Hampshire , toad poop identified! Thank you
August 26, 2012 at 6:43 am
No wonder I didn’t catch anything in my live trap! I guess toads don’t like peanut butter!
September 28, 2012 at 3:36 pm
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Helping two years later and in California!!!! I have even taken pictures and texted to friends trying to figure out what critter was in my backyard!!!!!! Who knew he could poop so big!!!!!!!
October 11, 2012 at 5:17 pm
Well- I had a long comment re: the toad, etc. But one of my cats sat on the end of the key board and it all “went away.” Thanks for liking my Bloomers and Butterflies. There are toads that will poison dogs if eaten. These toads, I think, live in Florida. Might be wrong about that. Could you do a follow up post on that since you have a much larger audience than I? I am surprised that no one wrote about that problem.