toad torn.....

[Darlene]

Help. I'm not sure what to do. My children are loving their new country home. Catching bugs, frogs, etc. is such fun & I want to encourage them as much as possible. They have been great about releasing their catches after a while of observation.....until Timmy. Timmy is a wee little baby toad, plain old brown with black spots, except for a blue blotchy stripe on his right side. He hung around our yard for a couple days , never far from the doorstep. The kids worked overtime to keep him safe from our dogs/cats/etc. but he just wouldn't leave. He came in the house to an empty 5g. I thought he wouldn't make it due to whatever marked his side but after a couple days rest he came to life in pursuit of 'light chasing' moths. My kids are in love & I'm having trouble (tears from a 3 & a 5 year old) getting this one released. I've never kept wild-caught before. What should I do ? Is his blue spot a real problem defect that may hinder his survival in the wild ? I really want my kids to keep their nature/animal interest. They think that his 'spot' is a problem & that he'll die if we let him go.
In doubt,please help!
Dar.