Frogs

Within the group of anurans, the toad is one of the animals that has spread throughout the planet, and can be found More than 5.000 species. It is a big-eyed, small-bodied amphibian, usually in gray, green or brown color.

Knowing its characteristics, where it lives, and the care it needs will increase its life expectancy, especially in captivity.

How is the toad

The toad, scientific name Jester, is a small amphibian of a size not exceeding 14 centimeters in length (10 in the case of males). It has a round body and wide legs, with four fingers in the front; and five in the rear.

With a broad and short head, what stands out the most about it is its snout and a long sticky tongue that it uses to easily catch food. Some do not have this and use their jaws to keep their prey until they die deprived of oxygen. Depending on the species of toad it is, its skin can secrete poison, although it is not usual.

Is able to live 10 and 30 years between, more if it is well cared for and in captivity.

How to tell a toad from a frog

One of the most common confusions between these two amphibians is confuse a toad with a frog. However, the truth is that there are clear differences.

To start, the toad has a rougher and rougher skin, unlike the frog, which is soft and is usually always moist. In addition, this one is thinner and more stylized, the other way around, wide and chubby.

A toad's legs are shorter and they prefer to walk rather than jump (because they're not very good at it). And the color of their skin is another distinguishing indicator, since has a darker color and brown, unlike the frog, whose hue is brighter.

where the toad lives

The toad can be found on every continent on Earth except Australia and Antarctica. Its natural habitat is that of a humid environment and near areas of water. Although they survive in any ecosystem, when it comes to reproducing they need an aquatic environment.

They are from animals more adaptive to the ecosystem where they live, being able to control their own internal temperature thanks to the body's regulation mechanisms. Their activity can be carried out at any time of the day, even if it is raining.

types of toad

In the animal kingdom there are more than 5000 different species (between frogs and toads). Because the toad can be found on almost every continent, a total of 52 different genera are recognized, plus some toads that are included in other amphibian families.

Among them, the best known are the common toad, the Arabian toad, the eastern fire-bellied toad, the Asian common toad, the green toad, the spadefoot toad, etc.

care of a toad

A toad is not the usual animal to have in a home, although there are many who choose to take care of it at home. To do so, you need to know your needs.

Terrarium

To have a toad as a pet, it is important to have a large terrarium, with a minimum of 50 liters (it will depend on the species it is), where you can distinguish two different areas, one aquatic and the other on land, with easy access to both. .

It must be decorated setting it to its natural habitat, with rocks, plants and moss, in addition to sand or earth, but that this does not end up dirtying the water. You do not need a heater or control the temperature, unless you live in a cold area. A toad tolerates temperatures from 15 to 24 degrees.

feeding of the toad

The toad is a carnivorous animal and eats insects, worms, larvae, slugs, spiders... both in the wild and as pets. There are occasions, when the species are larger, when they can eat rodents, lizards or snakes.

Their way of feeding is different from that of other animals. Because instead of going hunting, they stay immobile in one place waiting for their food to come to launch its tongue and catch food.

toad reproduction

The reproduction of the toad occurs ovuliparously, that is, through eggs deposited in a humid environment (mainly water) for the larvae to hatch. Then a transformation called metamorphosis takes place where they go from larvae to tadpoles and from there to toads.

Due to the evolution of its species, the toad, as with the frog, depending on where it lives, can reproduce or not, since an aqueous medium is necessary, if it is not found it can take years to reproduce.

The male toads get into the water to defend their territory, using deep sounds, which drive away other males. At the same time they attract females. These, depending on the song of the toad, opt for one or the other and the mating, termed amplexus. The male, in the water itself, mounts the female by grabbing her, either by the armpits or by her groin.

At that time, the female releases the eggs that are fertilized at the same time by the male. These are characterized by being united in cords and having a dark color, as well as a size and shape that, depending on the type of toad, may differ. Each egg has a gelatinous coating that, when in contact with water, grows larger to protect the life inside.

The time for them to hatch is usually between five and 40 days, depending on the species and also on the weather conditions. On average, the larvae appear within two weeks. But they cannot move because of the gelatinous protection and also because of the cords of the eggs. After a few days, they will be released, while they develop while feeding on the reserves they find in that area.

At first, the larvae do not have a mouth, nor is it easy to tell which part of the head is. But in a matter of days that changes, being able to develop a mouth, horny beak, and anal and nasal openings. Physically, they are oval and with a long tail that they use to swim through the aquatic environment. At that time, they are considered tadpoles.

The next step it goes through is the appearance of the hind and forelimbs, thus losing its tail. When the gills stop acting and pulmonary respiration begins, metamorphosis occurs. This can last a week, where the eardrum, inner and middle ear, vision develop, the eyes are repositioned in the head and its physique is more similar to that of a toad.