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.

[ThatItBe]

Oh lord you poor thing. And poor toad.
No advice I'm afraid unless maybe you get a recording of toad sounds and use that to entice it outside.

[VestalVirgin]

Another thought; is there an environmentalist group nearby you can call?

Phrase it as "SOS; Toad in Distress", and they might send someone.

[Sugarpiehoneyeye]

You can call a local pet shop, local vets, RSPCA, just get someone, or it will die ☹️

[DartmoorDoughnut]

Oh I hope you find someone to come and help you!

[MrsOverTheRoad]

Blech...I don't blame you for freaking. I would remove the cushions one by one...stand well back/.

Or put a bowl of water out....maybe it will smell it and come out or something?

I wonder if it's trapped inside the couch?

[rizlett]

Op - you managed to get one out already successfully. You've had a quick look underneath and can't see it. You need to get it out though it will eventually die and shrivel up if left.
Any chance you could pull up your big girl pants and whip off the cushions - leaving a speedy exit point for yourself?

[CycleHire]

The toad is screaming??!

I don't mind toads or frogs usually but the thought of one screaming IS quite frightening.

🐸 😱

[Aquablu]

Thankyou Hero. I'm prob about 15 miles from Heathrow though. All the neighbours oppisite are elderly. Trying to contact my friend's DH if he's around as he's often quite helpful.

[Redsippycup]

Toads can't jump - does that help? They move quite slowly, so wouldn't be able to 'get' you iyswim.

Get a neighbour is probably the best thing.

Can you figure out roughly where it is from listening to it croak?

Poor thing will die if you don't get it out - and even if you are so scared of them you don't care about that - you will have a toad corpse to deal with.

[maggiso]

Would your child be fascinated and able to search for the owner of the croak? My DS is very phobic of spiders (our whole street would hear the screams) but would love to rescue a frog or toad.

[LizB62A]

Can the cat find it for you? (then put on washing up gloves, pick it up and put it outside - the poor thing is probably starving !)

[HateSummer]

So the toad is constantly croaking? I hate that sound, I once saw a couple of frogs mating and they made that sound when I poked them.

I also love your sofa

[Aquablu]

I think it's in the far corner. The noise is vile. On google it says they can go flat as a pancake due to no bones and live for 6 months with no water!!!

[LizB62A]

OP - I'm near Uxbridge if that's any help?

[reuset]

Well that thread title got my attention

Put on some rubber gloves if you can't bear to touch it. Pop it into a cardboard box to take outside. Poor toad, it's probably quite distressed.

[Radishal]

If you were my partner and obviously phobic, I would come home for you.
Internally and aloud to colleagues, I might take a small amount of piss but I would be sympathetic.

Everyone has something. Even indestructible people like me.

[MissDollyMix]

Oh my goodness. I also hae a phobia of toads and frogs and just reading this has made me feel all funny. You poor thing! Faced with this situation, if I had exhausted all friends, my mum, and my poor DS who is only 6 (but already pretty good at fielding random amphibians that happen upon our garden) then yes, I would definitely call my DH - even though he works 30 miles away. To be honest, he'd probably be able to hear me screaming from there anyway.

[LizB62A]

If you use Facebook, try posting in your local Lost and Found pets group - I'm sure there would be someone there who would help
(we have people in our group who go and collect poor dead cats and dogs to get them scanned so that their owners can be found - a live toad wouldn't scare of these wonderful people off !!)

[user1492958275]

I had no idea so many people were scared of frogs/toads.

Ah well the thing with fear is it's nearly always totally irrational.

On the VERY odd occasion I've had to catch a spider myself (glass or hoover) because my OH is on nights. I basically spend about 30 minutes rallying myself up, getting everything I need around me and prepared, I'll grab a smoke for afterwards and if I'm not driving I'll have a quick drink, nothing like a vodka to get you feeling brave!

Can you do a glass of something, grab a brush and push the cushions off and have old towels to throw over it if it does jump? I'd probably push your sofa out first as it may be underneath it.

Any patio doors you can shoo it out of or must it go through the house first?

Good luck!!

[SpuriouserAndSpuriouser]

Can confirm that frogs/toads scream, especially if they are being eaten by a cat

I would put out a bowl of water, shut all the doors and call for back-up.

[HappyLabrador]

You have my sympathy OP. I was just in the garden and a bloody great frog jumped out of the bushes at me. It scared the crap out of me, so I legged it inside. Bleugh!

It's now on the path and can't jump back onto the garden. It may get mauled by cats if I leave it. But I can't bring myself to help it .

I hope you manage to get hold of your Dh.

[BigDamnHero]

Well, if you're North of Heathrow, I might be able to make it there. I need to take DS2 to nursery at 1pm. If he actually stays okay (he's being assessed for autism and isn't really staying well at nursery at the moment!) I'll have two hours between that and having to leave to get DS1 from school so I'll check back then and if you're still desperate I could look into buses to you (I don't drive, annoyingly).

Hope you get something sorted before then, though. I'm okayish with frogs and toads but not good with spiders so you have my sympathies.

[AmyBrookheimer]

You poor thing, that's awful.

I love your herringbone floor and please can you tell me what the paint shades are on your walls?

[Morphene]

op can your children help you? My DD would be totally excited to track down a toad in the house...

Assuming your kids don't share your phobia they can sort if for you in a jiffy.

[TwigTheWonderKid]

Where are you OP? There must be a non-toad-phobic Mumsnetter close to you.