Cane Toad Control: How To Get Rid of Cane Toads

This page is a general cane toad control guide. Using the suggested products and methods will reduce the likelihood of cane toads. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee a great reduction in the appearance of cane toads.

If you live in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, or Hawaii, you might encounter a cane toad. Also called “bufo toads,” cane toads are the largest toads of the family Bufonidae and are an invasive species. They can be identified by their size (often larger than 3 inches) and large triangle-shaped glands behind their eyes (on their shoulders).

They can be found in various habitats but are mainly found close to bodies of water and have preselection for disturbed places close to human activity. This includes golf courses, school campuses, and even lawns. A homeowner or business owner might notice the sudden appearance of cane toads on their properties after heavy rains.

Cane toads are dangerous because they are extremely toxic. They carry enough toxins in their bodies to injure your pets and kill them. On humans, their toxins will irritate the eyes and skin, especially on open wounds. If your pet encounters a cane toad and is showing adverse symptoms, you should visit a veterinarian immediately.

If you are noticing cane toads or any other toad species on your property, the following guide can help. Follow along with our DIY cane toad treatment guide to learn how to get rid of toads using our expert advice and product recommendations.

Identification

Identification of cane toads is extremely important for treatment. Misidentification can lead to the use of the wrong treatment methods, which can be a waste of time and money.

In Florida alone, five species of native toads are very similar to cane toads. However, they have specific traits that set them apart. Below, we will describe some traits unique to cane toads:

• Unlike other toads, the cane toad will have large triangle-shaped glands behind its eyes on top of its shoulders (shaped like muscles). These glands produce toxins when the cane toad is disturbed or threatened.
• Adult cane toads will be bigger than 3 inches (3 to 9 inches wide) and weigh about 4 lbs.
• They will also not have crests or knobs on top of their eyes or between their eyes. The top of the head will be flat.
• They also have ridges around their eyes and over their nose.
• They are usually gray to brown, with male cane toads having a more yellowish tone than females, who have a darker tone.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are dealing with cane toads, you should inspect your property next. Before you can treat them, you need to know the areas that cane toads frequent. Since cane toads are nocturnal, it is best to carry out the inspection during the evening or at night when they will be most active. 

Where To Look

Start your inspection outdoors near moist environments. Search in your yard, near bodies of water, and close to patio lights. If your yard does not contain any water sources such as puddles, then examine parts of your lawn that are known for retaining excessive moisture after past rainfall or irrigation. 

Other water sources that may not be so obvious on turf include water collected in plant pots and containers or unused swimming pools.

What To Look For

You're looking for cane toads and areas that they are attracted to. In your yard, inspect close to pet food (if you leave it overnight) in yard debris, leaf litter, woodpiles, and equipment that might be sheltering them. Do your best to eliminate these hiding spots for cane toads.

Look in your fence for any holes or openings that might allow them inside your yard. Look close to bodies of water, which they need to survive. Also, look closely at the patio lights, which will provide them with insects at night. If you have found any cane toads in your yard, this is where you will apply treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed cane toad activity, it is time to begin treatment.  Remember to read all product labels, follow their application instructions, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment.

Since most cane toads appear in the yard, this is where we will apply treatment. You will use two products, Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, and Supreme IT. Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules will kill all the insects that cane toads eat on the ground. 

Supreme IT will protect your property from insects near your home, reducing their population and repelling them, leaving cane toads without another food source. 

Step 1: Outdoor Treatment with Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules

To use Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules, you will need a granular spreader. Depending on your preference, either a handheld or a push spreader will do the job.

First, calculate the square footage of the treatment area. Do this by measuring the length and width of the treatment area in feet, then multiplying them together (length x width = square footage).

Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules should be applied at the rate of 2.3 lbs per 1,000 square feet. 

Load your spreader with the appropriate amount of granules. Start your application at the back of the lawn and go to the front, spreading Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules all over your yard as a broadcast treatment.

Two grid-like pass-throughs are recommended to ensure the granules are evenly distributed.  Apply all over the yard, contacting ornamentals, mulch beds, and areas where you have noticed cane toads.

Step 2: Perimeter Application with Supreme IT

Mix 1 ounce of Supreme IT with a gallon of water in a handheld pump sprayer. This application rate will treat 1,000 square feet.

Spray 3 feet up and 3 feet out from the foundation of your structure to create a perimeter treatment.

Spray in this manner until you spray all around your property. While making this application, also spray window frames, door frames, eaves, soffits, rain gutters, and electrical/plumbing penetrations. Do not let people or pets enter areas treated until the solution is dry.

Prevention

Once you prevent cane toads from entering your property, you want to ensure they do not make a return. Here are some preventative measures to take to keep toads away.

• Start by adding a fence or barrier of fine or plastic mesh around your property, or reinforce your fence with fine mesh at the bottom so cane toads can't get through. This will prevent cane toads from entering your property and block the existing openings in your fence. If you have obvious openings around your fence, fix them.
• Keep the lights off at night. Since cane toads are most active at night, they will visit your home looking for a meal, which often means insects. Keeping the lights off at night will deter insects from coming to your property. If this is not possible, switch to bug light bulbs, which attract fewer insects. 
• Do not leave pet food or water bowls outside your home, especially overnight. Cane Toads will eat this pet food and even soak it in the water bowls.
• Also, clear your yard of any yard debris to lessen their daytime hiding spots.
• Finally, apply Supreme IT every 3 months and Valar Plus every 3 months to maintain the protective barrier that will keep insects out of your property.

Key Takeaways

What are Cane Toads?

• Cane toads are a larger-sized species of toad that can be a hazard to encounter in your home because of their toxicity when touched.

How To Get Rid of Cane Toads

• Apply a combination of Supreme IT and Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules to get rid of cane toads. Valar Plus Bifenthrin Granules will address the cane toad's food sources of small insects, and Supreme IT will serve as a repellent to keep them away from the home or structure.

Preventing Cane Toad Reinfestation

• Remember to control cane toads fully; you must enact preventative measures such as building a barrier around your property, turning off outside lights at night, and not leaving pet food and water bowls outside.
• Apply Supreme IT as a preventative treatment quarterly to ward off insects that may attract cane toads to your property.