The Toad Less Traveled Trivia Quiz

Answer: Both

Both frogs and toads are amphibians. They lay their eggs in the water, and both breathe with gills when young and with lungs as adults.

Answer: Frogs

Frogs generally stay close to the water once they have grown past their tadpole stage and move to land. On the other hand, toads usually make their way towards land and head for gardens and wood lots.

Answer: Neither

Some people have been told not to touch toads because that causes warts to form on the hands. This is a myth. Picking up toads does not cause warts. However, handling toads should be avoided because toads have sensitive skin.

Answer: Toads

Toads have something called a "parotoid gland" on the back of their heads. The gland is used to create a poison that is secreted if the toad is feeling threatened or stressed. The poison has different effects on other animals. Some animals may simply find it irritating, while it is fatal to others.

Answer: Frogs

Frog tadpoles have small gold flecks in their skin, while toad tadpoles are plain black or dark brown with no gold flecks. Another way to tell the tadpoles apart is their shape. Frog tadpoles are slimmer while toad tadpoles are chunkier, similar to the shape differences in the adults.

Answer: Frogs

Frogs generally use their eyeballs to help move their meal from their mouth to their stomach. With the insect in their mouth, the eyeballs are pulled downwards, helping to force the insect into the frog's stomach. Toads typically do not use their eyeballs in this way.

Answer: Frogs

In general, frogs tend to prefer moist environments. This includes their skin. The sliminess helps them to remain moist even when they are not swimming.

Answer: Toads

Toads tend to lay their eggs in long chains in the water that hatch into tadpoles where they spend the first part of their lives. Frogs also lay their eggs in the water, but they are typically laid in rounded clumps. It should be noted that that not all toads lay eggs. There are some toads in the genera Nectophrynoides that do bear live young.

Answer: Frogs

Frogs from in the Ranidae family can be found on every continent except Antarctica. However, toads in the Bufonidae family can be found in native habitats worldwide except in Australasia, polar regions, Madagascar, and Polynesia. Of note, the cane toad, native to South America, has been introduced to Australia and other areas on the twentieth century.

Answer: Frogs

Frogs generally hop when they are on land. They have longer and more muscular hind legs than a toad, so it is easier for them to hop. They are also more timid than toads, so resort to hopping away when disturbed. On the other hand, toads have shorter hind legs and stouter bodies. For this reason, they tend to walk about. Toads tend to remain still when discovered in their habitat because they are not able to make a quick getaway by hopping.