Bufo bufo baby!
jax
Registered Users Posts: 143 Major grins
Q: How many wifes does it take to pick up a toad and keep it in her hand until she has walked home?
A: Just one. Mine. :-)
A feat not many women will copy I'm sure. But this particular toad was going to cross a busy road and she felt he'd stand a better chance at life if repositioned. But first it had to pose for me. :-)
The Common toads scientific name is Bufo bufo, and this double name basically says: 'this is the standard toad, the leading toad for all other toads'...
Sounds rather special to me, so it is likely called the Common toad because of it being widespread through the whole of Europe (except Ireland), part of northern Africa and even up to Siberia.
A common misconception for toads is the belief that they need water in order to survive. They don't. Toads only seek water in to find a mate and to lay eggs. The rest of their 10+ years of life takes place on land.
The one my wife took home had only recently started life on land. This small they feed mainly on smaller insects and ants, but the grown toads may also take small reptiles and rodents, which are swallowed alive. They hunt at night and keep a low profile during the day. This and their camouflaged coloring is the reason why they are not seen often.
We tried feeding the toad a fly, but the toad did little more then eyeballing it for a while.
(note the small size of the toad compared to the fly. Click for large)
When threatened the toad secretes a toxic substance from a gland behind the eye (see next image) which is bitter tasting and irritates the mucous of it's predators. The predator is then likely to spit out the toad. Unless a hedgehog or a grass snake comes along because they seem to be immune to the poison.
(note the slightly raised glands behind the eye that secrete toxic. Click for large)
A: Just one. Mine. :-)
A feat not many women will copy I'm sure. But this particular toad was going to cross a busy road and she felt he'd stand a better chance at life if repositioned. But first it had to pose for me. :-)
The Common toads scientific name is Bufo bufo, and this double name basically says: 'this is the standard toad, the leading toad for all other toads'...
Sounds rather special to me, so it is likely called the Common toad because of it being widespread through the whole of Europe (except Ireland), part of northern Africa and even up to Siberia.
A common misconception for toads is the belief that they need water in order to survive. They don't. Toads only seek water in to find a mate and to lay eggs. The rest of their 10+ years of life takes place on land.
The one my wife took home had only recently started life on land. This small they feed mainly on smaller insects and ants, but the grown toads may also take small reptiles and rodents, which are swallowed alive. They hunt at night and keep a low profile during the day. This and their camouflaged coloring is the reason why they are not seen often.
We tried feeding the toad a fly, but the toad did little more then eyeballing it for a while.
(note the small size of the toad compared to the fly. Click for large)
When threatened the toad secretes a toxic substance from a gland behind the eye (see next image) which is bitter tasting and irritates the mucous of it's predators. The predator is then likely to spit out the toad. Unless a hedgehog or a grass snake comes along because they seem to be immune to the poison.
(note the slightly raised glands behind the eye that secrete toxic. Click for large)
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Comments
good detail on the skin, well done
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