Psychoactive toads
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Psychoactive toads is a name used for toads from which psychoactive substances from the family of bufotoxins can be derived. The skin and venom of Colorado River toad (Bufo alvarius) contain 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin. Other species contain only bufotenin. 5-MeO-DMT and bufotenin both belong to the family of hallucinogenic tryptamines. Due to these substances the skin or venom of the toads may produce psychoactive effects when smoked.
To obtain the psychoactive substances the venom of psychoactive toads is commonly milked from the toad's venom glands. The milking procedure does not harm the toad — it consists of stroking it under its chin to initiate the defensive venom response. Once the liquid venom has been collected and dried, it can be used for its psychedelic effects. The toad takes about a month to refill its venom glands following the milking procedure, during which time the toad will not produce venom. Some vendors sell dried toad skins, which is needless as the venom can be collected without harming the toad.
The slang term 'toad licking' is dangerously misleading by virtue of sounding harmless; the practice of 'toad licking' can lead to death or permanent damage. Smoking or vaporizing the toad's skin or products thereof protects one from being poisoned by the large number of additional toxins present in the secretions that are not volatile on heating or that will decompose at elevated temperatures. Many of these other toxins are peptides and large molecules.
External links
- Erowid's Psychoactive Toads Vault (http://www.erowid.org/animals/toads/toads.shtml)