Frogs are amphibians that are known for their jumping abilities, croaking sounds, bulging eyes and slimy skin. They live all over the world and are among the most diverse animals in the world, with more than 6,000 species.
Fun Facts about Toads
1. Common toad can reach 4 to 7 inches in length and 0.7 to 2.8 ounces of weight. Females are larger than males.
2. Common toad has warty skin that can be olive-green, grey, reddish or dark brown and covered with dark spots. Belly is white to grey in color. Colour of the skin matches with the colors of habitat and it provides camouflage.
3. Frogs and toads are carnivores. They eat worms, spiders, slugs and snails. Larger frogs eat mice and lizards.
4. Common toad sits and waits for the prey to appear and catches it using the factor of surprise (an ambush predator). It swallows the prey in one piece.
5. Like frogs, toads also start out life in water as fish-like tadpoles. Adult toad spends most of its life on the solid ground. It migrates toward the pond or some other habitat associated with water only to mate.
6. A group of toads is often called a knot.
7. Contrary to popular believe you will not get warts by touching the bumpy wart-like skin or glands of a toad. The poison does not usually affect humans, however you should always wash your hands after touching a toad .
8. Toads may also play dead, or puff themselves up to appear bigger if they feel threatened by predators.
9. Female lays several thousand eggs on the vegetation near water and in the water itself. Eggs look like a jelly string. Metamorphosis (transformation of a tadpole into adult toad) lasts 8 to 12 weeks. Young common toads reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 to 3 years.
10. Common toad can survive 20-40 years in the wild and over 50 years in captivity.
