Natural Behaviors - Toad Study - Part 3

This is just a quick update on our Toad Study...

We've been having fun watching our Toad's natural behaviors. Eating, soaking in his water dish, kicking the ground cover around...

Feeding time is always a fun experience. Yesterday we picked up another bag of Crickets for him as well as a container of Wax Worms. He seems to like the Waxies! At feeding time today Tyler threw a couple of Wax Worms in for him and then I put in some Crickets... and a funny thing happened. One of the Crickets ran over and started eating a Wax Worm!

A peek around the aquarium found quite a few of the other Crickets chowing on pieces of leaves in the chipped bedding that we spread on the bottom of the tank. These Crickets are quite a bit bigger than the first batch were, and they seem a bit more active as well. And aggressive. And hungry.

AND

Did you know that Toads don't have ribs?

"The toad has no ribs by which to inflate the chest, and thus draw air into the lungs, as we do when we breathe; it is obliged to swallow the air instead and thus force it into the lungs. This movement is shown in the constant pulsation, in and out, of the membrane of the throat."

Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock - Page 174

This is another natural behavior we have been able to witness. The constant in and out pulsation of the throat swallowing air. Pretty neat... although it looks tiring!!

The one natural behavior that we would love to witness, and haven't gotten to yet, is the Toad's call. This guy is a silent one. We're hoping to hear his voice before we release him.

AND

Tyler read Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel yesterday. Of the five stories in the book he liked The Story the best. He laughed out loud at all of the things that Toad tried to help him think of a story to tell Frog. Standing on his head, pouring water on his head, banging his head against the wall, and all sorts of silliness.

I hope you are enjoying our Toad Study and that you are learning some things along with us. I'm not sure how long our friend, Toad, will be with us, but we will keep you posted!!

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Not really Toad related, but also in the feeding department...
When we first researched what Toads eat we also came across a fun tidbit of info. Hamsters will, and like, to eat Crickets! A Cricket each week is actually good for them, adding protein to their diet. Well, we just happen to have a pet Hamster named Killer who got to enjoy a fun treat last night!