NORTHERN TERRITORY NEWS (Darwin, Australia) 13 January 07 Super survivor refuses to croak (Greg McLean)

Jimmy the supertoad is off to the detention centre after surviving being frozen solid, whacked with a rock and doused in salt.

The stubborn cane toad had a Lazarus-like comeback on Thursday after Palmerston tiler Rod Colbert had discarded him in the bin the previous night.

``We found him on Wednesday and a mate from Queensland who was at our place told me to whack him on the head with a rock and then cover him in salt and throw him in the freezer,'' Mr Colbert said.

``I did that and went away for about four hours before checking on him and he was stuffed, his eyes were all white and he was dead for sure so I chucked him in the bin.

``The next morning I was walking past the bin and I heard this thump, thump, thump.

``I opened it up and couldn't believe my eyes, there he was jumping around all covered in this black stuff which I assume must have been from the salt.

``I got him out and gave him a wash with some shampoo and threw him in the bathtub.''

Mr Colbert said his family had caught six or seven toads in their yard before and they had all gone to the big pond in the sky after being put in the freezer. Daughters Tahlia, 5, and two-year-old Hannah christened the supertoad Jimmy after a monster toad Mr Colbert brought back to show them last year when working in a remote area.

But his wife Anneliese has laid down the law and Jimmy will not become a permanent addition to the family.

``The girls love frogs but Jimmy will more than likely be sent out to the detention centre unless we put him up for adoption,'' he said.

``His skin's turned a bright colour and he shakes a lot when you pick him up _ I'm amazed he survived what he did.''
Super survivor refuses to croak

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