Help - toad screaming in the sofa! AIBU to call DH to come home?

[Aquablu]

I know this sounds dramatic, but AIBU? I have a phobia of frogs and toads. I can and have dealt with the odd stray mouse but amphibians - no.

On Friday, I was on the house in my own and I heard what I thought was the kitchen back door creaking on its hinges, but it was a weird noise. I went in there, only to find a massive toad in the middle of the floor. I just froze - I can't even bring myself to look the things! It was making this unearthly squeaking noise and the cat seemed scared of it.

I was late for a wax appt, so I just went and shut it in the kitchen, leaving the back door open and put the cat in the front part of the house so he couldn't get to it.

I also thought I heard a kind of croaking like an echo coming from the living room, but I had to go.

When I came back the thing had gone thank god. There is nowhere it can hide in the kitchen. The dishwasher and cupboards were shut, so it must have hopped outside. DD's Nintendo DS sometimes makes weird noises, so I thought the other noise in the living room must have been that vibrating or some kind of alarm.

We've been away for the weekend, but today, to my horror, there is the same screaming sound coming from the sofa in the living room! There must be a toad in there that was calling to the one on Friday in the way they do across ponds. I can't bring myself to pull the cushions off in case it jumps! It could have been lying flat for god knows how long.

AIBU to call DH to come back from work asap to get the toad out? He's meant to be going to the airport at 4pm, then he's away until Fri. I can't live like this until then! AIBU or is that too ridiculous? I can't ask the neighbours.

[humblesims]

You poor thing. Toads make a horrid noise dont they. Luckily I'm not scared of toads and the cats do bring them in sometimes. My fear is spiders. If they screamed like toads scream ........

[Elipsical]

Vix I'm phobic of frogs and toads but am wondering about your little one. Tell me where it lives, is it slimy? What does it eat? Does it jump much? {shudders}

[Spangles63]

Ooh love that sofa! completely misses point of thread

[kali110]

SirVixofVixHall yes, having a fear of snakes and spiders and probably frogs/ toads isn't really irrational

[Spangles63]

I must admit that when I saw the title of this thread,I thought you were having problems with a guest outstaying their welcome!

[Urglewurgle]

Glad you've got it under control, thank God for DH!


A toad wouldn't bother me (unless it was a surinam toad, no need for that business with the eggs) but I once saw a real live snake in Italy and have never screamed so loud or run so fast.

Ah yes, and sharks bother me that much I have to pick my feet up off the floor when watching them (or even now I've thought about them) just in case. Dsis will randomly text me to watch out for carpet sharks and I'll feel uneasy for a while...

[MsHooliesCardigan]

Glad it got sorted. Why does everyone seem to be assuming that it's a 'Mr toad'.
Could it not be a Ms toad? I'm assuming you get female toads?

[LakieLady]

So glad your lovely DH sorted out your toad, OP.

I am phobic about birds, but totally ok with any creepy crawlies, so had a reciprocal arrangement with a mate who used to live along the road. I love the idea of a phobia swap, as she's now moved away!

On one occasion when Evil Cat had graced my home with a live starling, my mate wasn't home and none of the neighbours were in. However, there were 2 policemen along the road knocking at someone's door, so I went and accosted them and they were totally fine about dealing with the starling for me.

The worst thing I ever found in the house was the tip of a slowworm's tail. They can release them when they're scared, but I had no idea if the rest of the slowworm was in the house or out in the garden.

Most disturbing.

[spankhurst]

Huge sympathy OP, glad it's OK. One of the scariest experiences of my life was realising there was A FROG jumping around in my car whilst on a dual carriageway. I was so scared it would jump up my skirt, man can they jump! DS was in the back screaming like a steam train. Bleeurghh!

[BrexitSucks]

what a shame... I like toads. They're great.

[user1492970817]

OP I think your husband is my hero of the day,I too detest frogs or toads, along with spiders and may bugs ugh!!!

[Rufus27]

Madison Luckily this one escaped before the cat brought it into the house (unlike the whopping great one he left in the kitchen for me a few months later).

[Justaboy]

This is quite simple. Toady has driven there he was returning to his Toad hall but his Satnav is playing up and is taking him to the wrong gaff.

Best call out the AA else this is going the happen again and again!

Actually our office opens out onto a lawn and in wet weather we do get the odd toad, there're no bother we just wave a machine gun and they sod off quite quickly:)

[LorelaiLeighGilmore]

This thread deserves to be in Classics! Pomme I need that T shirt in my life! First actual, legitimate "crying with laughter" moment on MN in 4 years!

[hellohellohellooooooooo]

Glad Toad has made it back outside.

Now pics of the rest of your house please?

[daisygirlmac]

go DH! Well done him. I have actually left the house before as there was a spider and I wouldn't go back in until DH gave the all clear.

[Aquablu]

Thankyou for all the lovely and hillarious comments.
Rufus - What a stunning ginger cat - beautiful!
Hellooo - I can't start posting house pics - what if anyone recognises? The shame!
Re - the Sarah Lancashire t-shirt, I can reveal I've met the lady herself quite a few times as she's a mum at the DC school She is lovely and super-talented. What she'd say about Pomme's t-shirt, I really couldn't say

[Aquablu]

Has that cat got a snake though?

[Elfieselfie]

The frogging/dogging comment just cracked me up!

[Rufus27]

This was a baby grass snake. When he brought in a fully grown adult grass snake, I was too busy screaming/running away to take a photo. Was convinced it was an adder!

[AnathemaPulsifer]

I don't have a husband so I'd better not get a cat!! Your husband is true hero.

[echt]

Carpet sharks. Priceless, Urglewurgle

:o

[Beerwench]

Reading this has cheered me right up. A happy outcome - toad 'secured', gorgeous sofa intact, cat undisturbed, OP relieved and DH a hero! It's better than TV!
I'm not a fan of toads and frogs but if that'd been me, and a snake, I'd be on my way out the door. Sometimes my phobia of snakes gets so ridiculous I can't walk through long grass in case I disturb one. I've never even seen a wild one but I'll start walking through long grass and ping, it's in my mind and I freeze, and panic, cry etc. Have no idea why. I know it's silly but I can't control it. Can't even look a pics. So I know how scared you were!

[PommePoire]

Aquablu what?! You've met Raquel? I mean, the wonderfully talented Ms Lancashire? You have great taste in sofas, an animal rescuing hero DH and you are acquainted with a BAFTA winning actress? I'm beginning to wonder where it all went wrong for me...

Anyhow, should you ever meet her again and don't fancy chatting about toads, or grass snakes, or naughty cats; you could see if she was aware that the 'Je suis une supermodel' over size t-shirt, was official Corrie merchandise? She might be glad to know I wore it until her face went patchy in the wash. That was a sad day.

[CesareBorgiasUnicornMask]

Very glad the toad has been freed and OP is no longer living in fear! My dad (6ft4) is very phobic of frogs and toads, and when my Dsis and I were little we used to catch them deliberately and leave them round the house for him to find. We put one in his briefcase once . We thought it was hilarious at the time but I now feel thoroughly guilty!!