Don't put your hand in the puddle...

[into]

Once the male toads saw another one mounting something, they would be alerted and come over to knock the other one off. That's why there was always two over by my hand.

[John]

This happens all the time. They will embrace almost anything. I have a photograph of toads with bullfrogs and toads with inanimate objects. I have a photo of British toads in a toad ball (8 or more toads all around the same thing).

[Malduroque]

I have to correct a previous assertion of mine: those toads do indeed seem happy.

[BEETLE]

Down at our local pond today there were dozens of Bufo bufo, all male, the females will turn up later. It reminded me that as kids we would catch the males by gently shaking a stick in the water, they would grab hold and could be lifted out. If you use two fingers to gently hold them just infront of their back legs they croak a call that is supposed to let other males know they have made a mistake! I would love to know if the American species do the same.

[firefly]

Brilliant photos !! The goldfish in my pond have to watch out as the frogs grab hold of them too. Unfortunately, if we don't spot it and intervene, the fish don't make it.

[Jenste]

Brilliant photos !! The goldfish in my pond have to watch out as the frogs grab hold of them too. Unfortunately, if we don't spot it and intervene, the fish don't make it.

that must be some shock to the fish!!! sorry, just noticed this thread (yea i know its a few months old) and could not help commenting - - it was just so amusing!

[Kurt]

Down at our local pond today there were dozens of Bufo bufo, all male, the females will turn up later. It reminded me that as kids we would catch the males by gently shaking a stick in the water, they would grab hold and could be lifted out. If you use two fingers to gently hold them just infront of their back legs they croak a call that is supposed to let other males know they have made a mistake! I would love to know if the American species do the same.

They do. I have had quite a few Anaxyrus americanus release call when I picked up.

[GRATIOSA]

Awsome, i wish my barking tree frogs was like that.