Difference Between Frogs and Toads

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REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN STUDY

 3c.

Imagine crossing a swampy area in your canoe and you hear the distance rib-it rib-its.  Do you know if it is a frog or a toad?... The hint is in the area where you hear the croaking. Since you are in a swampy area, the chances are extremely high that you just heard a frog.  Even though frogs and toads are of the same animal group they are very different animals.  Below are some ways to identify between a frog and a toad.

Frogs:

  • Narrow Bodies
  • Eyes are large, round, and high on the head
  • Skin is smooth and moist
  • Habitat is near water
  • Longer hind legs
  • Able to jump high and long distances
  • Many predators

Toads:

  • Do not require their home to be near water
  • Wider / flatter bodies
  • Hind legs are shorter and less powerful
  • Will take small hops and sometimes will run rather than jump
  • Skin is dry, bumpy, and rough
  • Eyes are lower on the head and almost "football" shaped
  • Not many predators. Their skin lets out a bitter taste and smell that burns the eyes and nostrils of its predators.

Awesome Critter Video posted on YouTube by NatureNorth of the 7 week hatching and growth cycle of a frog.

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