Amphibian

CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Anura
FAMILY: Bufonidae

SIZE:
1.75 to over 4 inches.

RANGE:
Southeastern United States, lowlands from Virginia south over Florida and west to the Mississippi River in Louisiana.

HABITAT:
Burrows in pine and other forests and near homes in loose, usually sandy soils. Needs relatively little moisture in the soil.

DIET:

• Wild - Insects, spiders, worms.
• Zoo - Large crickets.

DESCRIPTION:
A stout, rough-skinned, dry frog with high bony crests running back between the eyes. At the back end of each crest is a high, horn-like knob. Typically some shade of brown, but may be reddish or black, the belly whitish.

FACTS:

• Skin secretions are mildly toxic; wash hands after handling.
• Recognizes only living food, which it stuffs into its mouth or picks up with its long tongue. Almost anything of the right size will be tried as food.

YOUNG:
Males sing from February to August when temperatures are above 70 degrees F. Eggs may be laid in any shallow water, from ditches and temporary ponds to flooded fields. The hundreds of dark eggs are laid in strings. Tadpoles take one to two months to mature.

STATUS:

REFERENCES:

• The Amphibians and Reptiles of Louisiana. Harold A. Dundee & Douglas A. Rossman.
• A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians. Eastern and Central North America. Roger Conant & Joseph T. Collins.