Colorado River toad

amphibian

Also known as: Bufo alvarius, Incilius alvarius, Sonoran Desert toad(Show More)

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June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The Colorado River toad (Bufo alvarius) is a species of toad known for the potent poison secreted from its skin. This milky fluid contains bufagin, which affects the heart, and bufotenine, a hallucinogen. While the poison can cause severe reactions, even death, in predators like dogs, it typically only irritates human skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. These toads are terrestrial and nocturnal, feeding on insects and small animals. They breed in water, laying numerous eggs that hatch into tadpoles.12

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6 Mind-Altering Animals
Sonoran Desert toad
>Incilius alvarius), also called the Colorado River toad and formerly classified as Bufo alvarius, has become the focus of a growing North American retreat industry that offers wellness treatments using the toad’s psychedelic toxins. Native to northern Mexico and parts of the southern United States,…
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>Incilius alvarius), also called the Colorado River toad and formerly classified as Bufo alvarius, has become the focus of a growing North American retreat industry that offers wellness treatments using the toad’s psychedelic toxins. Native to northern Mexico and parts of the southern United States,…
Read More

toad
The poisons of the Colorado River toad (B. alvarius) and the giant toad (B. marinus, also called the cane toad) affect animals as large as dogs, in some instances causing temporary paralysis or even death. The Chinese have long used dried toad poison to treat various ailments. Contrary to…
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The poisons of the Colorado River toad (B. alvarius) and the giant toad (B. marinus, also called the cane toad) affect animals as large as dogs, in some instances causing temporary paralysis or even death. The Chinese have long used dried toad poison to treat various ailments. Contrary to…
Read More