Toad

It wasn't in a pond but I think they are classed as pondlife.

3 times this week I've opened the door of a brick outbuilding and come across a toad. The first time I saw it I thought it must have followed me in so I took it outside and put it in some long grass. But the next 2 times it was definitely inside when I opened the door and I wondered how it got there and why as it is not damp and there is nothing for it to eat.
I suppose it is possible that 3 toads followed me the once but, if so they were all the same size.
I do occasionally get mice in there but I have assumed they climbed up the walls as we often get them in the attic.
How big a hole would they be able to get through I wonder and can they climb?

I've seen a toad climbing steps in the garden - took a while and a lot of stretching but it did it.

I’ve seen toads climb steps & over my raised bed edges. There’s usually at least one spends a lot of time in the polytunnel.

How much of a gap under the door? Half an inch and the toad can get in, same as a mouse.

The toad is back. No gap under door but it could have jumped in when I entered. May be there are plenty of spiders or whatever it eats in there:

   

The doorway looks like it needs a bit of  clean.

That gap by the toad's head between the wood and the stone (?) is plenty big enough for it to get through. It's probably sleeping in the outbuilding during the day and going out in the nighttime cool to eat your slugs. I should leave it be. I had one for several years used to spend the day under a broken flowerpot, and hibernate over winter buried in the soil under a large planter. I only found that out when I nearly skewered it forking over the ground in early spring!