Often seen in backyards, gardens and fields, the American toad is a common and adaptable species found all across the state, limited only by access to water for breeding. Solitary and mainly nocturnal, they are most active during warm, humid weather.
Description:
The American toad is 2 to 3.5 inches long, has short legs, a stout body and thick warty skin. Brown skin color is most common, but this is highly variable and it can also be red, olive or gray. What's more, the skin color of American toads can change depending on temperature and humidity as well as physical stress. Their bellies are white or yellow. Males, which are smaller than females, have black or brown throats while females have white throats.
Similar Species:
Distinguished from the Fowler's toad by the space between the cranial crest and the parotoid glands; these features abut in the Fowler's toad. Also, the American toad has 1 or 2 warts in each of the largest spots on its back-the similar Fowler's toad has 3 or more.
Voice:
A long trill lasting between 4 and 20 seconds. Male American toads use this call to attract females, their calls becoming insistent, loud and frequent during mating season.
Habitat:
As long as they have access to water for breeding and cover for hiding during the day, American toads are found in a variety of habitats. They readily adapt to human encroachment.
Diet:
American toads are carnivores as adults, herbivores as tadpoles. Adults are generalists, consuming insects, snails, slugs and earthworms. Toads do not drink water. Instead, they absorb it through their skin.
Breeding information:
Breeding typically takes place in March or April though it may continue into July. Females lay spiral strands of 4,000 to 8,000 eggs that hatch in about a week. Metamorphosis of tadpoles takes around 2 months; American toads become mature in 2 to 3 years.
Status in Tennessee:
Abundant.
Fun Facts:
•Most American toads don't survive more than a year in the wild, but some have lived to 10 years old. One captive individual reached 36 years of age
•Like many toads, the American toad produces a milky poison from its skin. This can be toxic to humans if it comes into contact with the eyes, nose or skin
•The Eastern hognose snake, which is immune to toad toxin, specializes in eating American toads
Best places to see in Tennessee:
Found statewide.
For more information:
LEAPS Consulting web site on frogs and toads
FAQs
Males, which are smaller than females, have black or brown throats while females have white throats. Similar Species: Distinguished from the Fowler's toad by the space between the cranial crest and the parotoid glands; these features abut in the Fowler's toad.
What is the status of the American Toad? ›
Conservation Status: The American Toad is not federally- or state-listed as endangered or threatened. This species has a NatureServe conservation ranking of G5-Secure and IUCN Red List category as Least Concern.
Is the American Toad poisonous to dogs? ›
The Eastern American toad is the most common, and both this species and the Fowler's toad have glands on their heads that secrete a toxin that has a bitter taste. While not deadly, it can cause drooling, vomiting and sometimes pawing at the face or eyes if a dog or cat licks or picks up a toad in his mouth.
How do you get a pet American Toad? ›
Your toad's enclosure should be large enough for them to move around and exercise. The recommended minimum enclosure size for juvenile toads is five to ten gallons. You may choose from a front-opening enclosure, such as an Exo Terra or a glass aquarium. As an adult, your toad should live in a 20+ gallon enclosure.
Do American toads need a friend? ›
American Toads can Co-Habitate
They don't need company, but as long as they have enough room and food, they can easily accommodate others of their own kind. Some experienced keepers have large and complex enclosures that house not only multiple toads, but large land snails, skinks, anoles, and salamanders as well.
Do female American toads make noise? ›
Over recent decades a range of vocalisations have been identified in males from advertising calls to territorial and mating calls (Duellman & Trueb, 1986). Female frogs and toads are generally considered to be silent, although an increasing number of research studies have shown that females use calls in a range of ...
How can you tell how old an American toad is? ›
In hematoxylin-stained cross-sections of the phalanges, suspected year rings are formed which can be used to age individuals. This method allows for aging without destructive sampling of toad populations.
Can you touch an American toad? ›
American toads have glands that produce a poisonous fluid that tastes bad to many predators. The poison is not lethal to humans, but it is important to wash your hands after touching a toad. Toads will inflate their lungs and lift their bodies to appear bigger to a potential predator.
What is the lifespan of an American toad? ›
Lifespan: Toads in the wild only survive for 1-2 years however they may live to be 10 years old. There are accounts of toads living to be 30 years old in captivity. A toad's main predators are snakes, such as the Eastern Hognose Snake.
What happens if my dog sniffs a toad? ›
However, because toad toxin is very irritating, your dog will almost immediately show signs of discomfort, including frothing at the mouth, shaking the head, and pawing at the mouth. 1 Your dog might vomit, whine, or whimper. Depending on the severity of the poisoning, you may see some or all of the following symptoms.
With their amazing brains, toads have been able to follow a maze in lab settings, but when you hang out with them, more mysteries unravel about their brain capacity. Last summer I had two frogs become daily swimming pals with my toads.
What to feed my American toad? ›
These toads eat a variety of foods such as worms, ants, spiders, mealworms, crickets, slugs and more. American toads hibernate during the winter. They will usually dig backwards and bury themselves in the dirt of their summer home, but they may also overwinter in another area nearby.
How to tell the difference between male and female frogs and toads? ›
Body size: In most species, females are on average larger than males. Nuptial pads: Males in many species have rough patches of skin on their hands. Loose skin on throat: Males in some species have loose skin on their throat. Enlarged ears: In just a few species, male frogs have larger ears than small frogs.
Which toad croaks the male or female? ›
Male frogs are the ones you hear croaking away all night from your backyard pond or local stream. Male frogs call from potential breeding sites to attract female frogs- females decide which calling male of her species sounds the most attractive and then approaches him.
Do female American toads croak? ›
The croakers were all adult males--female toads are essentially voiceless--who inflated their masculine throat sacs (above), shut their nostrils, and squeezed air across their vocal cords to make musical trills five to 30 seconds long.
What color are female toads? ›
Color varies but they are usually brown, brick red, or olive-colored. They have lighter colored patterns on their bodies along with brown spots. All American toads have warts and some have a light stripe down the back. Both male and female toads have light colored, spotted bellies but males have darker throats.
