Have you ever seen a toad jumping into your garden and wondered where it comes from, where it lives, and what it eats? There must be a reason why it comes to your garden. It may find for food. So, “what do toads eat?”
Before we find the answer to this question, let’s take a look at some information about this animal. As you may know, toads have the same appearance with frogs and so, how can we figure it out which is toad or frog. Here is the information for you.
Are toads and frogs the same?
The answer is NO. Although toads and frogs have a familiar shape as they belong to Anura order, they have some different specific features.
Toads mostly live on land, but near humid and warm condition such as a lake, pond, or swamp. Meanwhile, frogs prefer living under or on the water. Most toads have harsh, rough, grey skin with larger bumps; frogs have brighter, smooth, and slimy ones. The surface of most frogs can secrete the toxin, which can even kill an adult man. Toads, however, secrete the milky toxin through glands behind their eyes.
So are toads and frog dangerous? Yes, they are, but only the poisonous kinds. How to know if they have a toxin or not? Do they attack humans and other animals? Let’s find out more in this following part.
Which is more poisonous, toad or frog?
Most of the toads have poison glands behind their eyes and even on their body, too. When they feel threatened, they will exude the milky toxin out and all around their skin. However, they do not actively attack human or animals by using this poison; they do this for self-protection only.
What about frogs? Don’t let them fool you by their small sizes and you think they are harmless. Some of them are used to make “deadly weapon” such as blowgun and darts. Their toxin beneath the skin can even kill an adult human or animals once they get wounded by it.
They are called “Poison dart frogs” with bright coloration. They may be white, black, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, or mixed of two or three colors. The more colorful frogs are, the more toxic they become. However, they often live in the rainforest; we don’t usually see them in the city or suburban.
Now you have some ideas about the difference between toads and frogs. But do they eat the same things? Let’s find out “what do toads eat?” to know more about the “meals” of this species.
What do toads eat?
As you may know, toads go through three growing stages before being adult toads: tadpole, juvenile toad, adult toad. At each stage, they eat different kinds of food.
Tadpoles love small plants, vegetable, and algae. They are so tiny that they can eat only small things. Juvenile toads prefer tiny bugs like ants, flies, and pinhead crickets. Adult toads have more options for their meal and eat anything they can swallow. They eat bugs, snails, slugs, and many kinds of insects.
In this article, we go more details about “what do toads eat?” and it means the diet of adult ones. Below is the list of what they can eat:
- Insects: worms, flies, beetles, bugs, cockroaches, spiders…
- Reptile: small snake, lizard
- Mammals: mice
- Fish: small fish
- Other toads and frogs
Wait! Did I say something wrong? “A toad can eat other toads and frogs” No, I did not. A toad surely can eat their kinds if they are smaller. People call this “Cane toad”.
As I said before, toads eat anything they can absorb, even snake, mice, and other frogs. As long as a living creature fits their mouth, it will be their meal. However, when you find the answer to “what do toads eat?”, you know about their benefit for people, especially farmers. Here is the reason why.
Most species that toads eat are harmful insects. Crickets, bugs, worms… can even cause poor crop and other damages to farmers. Toads are here to help people on the farm eliminate harmful insects, eat pests, and protect the plants for farmers.
So what do toads eat? They eat almost everything they can.
Do toads eat human food?
Yes, they do, and no, they don’t. Most of the toads prefer living and moving preys such as flies, bugs, spiders. Meanwhile, human food, such as meat, is cooked and “not moving”. Therefore, toads do not like human food.
On the other hand, toads can eat fruit or vegetables sometimes but only when you capture them into a cage and then feed them. Although they do not prefer, small fruit or vegetable is eatable.
Conclusion
“What do toads eat?” “What are the differences between toads and frogs?” “Are toads helpful or not?” Now I guess you all know the answers to these questions.
Toads eat everything that fits their mouth. They prefer living, moving, or flying prey. Their targets vary widely from insects, reptiles, and fish to mammals. Cane toads can even have other toads and frogs for meals.
In short, toads are helpful for farmers because they eliminate many insects. It also helps you eject snails, slugs, and other bugs in your garden. Therefore, please don’t worry if toads come to your garden; it may be a good thing.
