All About Toads
|
|
Toads are ineresting amphibians and are related to frogs. Toads start life near a pond,but live farther away than most frogs. Toads protect themselves very strangly from enemies. They can adapt to life away from the pond quickly.
To protect themselves, toads cover their bodies in poisonous liquid from glands in their skin. However snakes eat toads even though they are poisonous. Adult toads can double their size by inflating by sucking in air, so it is harder for enemies to swallow them.
Female toads always lay their eggs in the spring. Toads eggs are laid in the water in two long strips. The strips are connected to plants in the water. In about three days the eggs hatch. Tadpoles form groups for protection because they are not very good swimmers. In several weeks the tadpoles start to change into a toad.
The tiny toads leave the water when they are only one centimeter. When they sit in the sun the sun helps them to grow. They are easy targets for predators,but there are so many little toads that some will survive.
Adult toads are carnivors. They hunt mostly in the night. They eat many insects.