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

[into]

unless you want toad amplexus on your hand! This sequence of images shows one male American Toad on my hand in amplexus and another still in the pond noticing the action. He swims up to my hand and lets out his call. He jumps onto my hand and continues calling until he too, is in amplexus with my hand. I had 3 males fighting for the right to mate with my hand!

Total there were 12 males and only 2 females. There was a toad trying to "get it on" with a small chunk of wood and one of the toads chased after my girlfreind for 20 feet before I picked him up and put him back in the puddle. I guess once they get into mating mode, anything's game.

[bellk]

oh my gosh- the 4th picture is halarious!! well done!!

[Kurt]

I have never witnessed anything like this. Wild frogs have a tencency to shut when I approach them, never mind them approaching me in any way.

[into]

I have never witnessed anything like this. Wild frogs have a tencency to shut when I approach them, never mind them approaching me in any way.

I know this was crazy. I showed other people this as they came to watch and the toads jumped up on them as well. I have a lot more pictures of this. What is even more amazing is that they would leave the puddle to come up to humans... Like I said, one followed my girlfreind and another left the puddle to visit my son.

[Ebony]

Maybe you are turning froggy.

That's just hilarious. maybe females are so scares in the area and so they are looking for any sort of companions.

I am interested to know how easy it was to get them off your hand? Those nuptial pads work?

[into]

Maybe you are turning froggy.

That's just hilarious. maybe females are so scares in the area and so they are looking for any sort of companions.

I am interested to know how easy it was to get them off your hand? Those nuptial pads work?

I think it was the lack of females (only 2) but they were in a small 5 foot x 5 foot puddle. They had quite a good grip on my fingers. you could feel them squeezing and pulsing. When you try to pry one arm off, they clench up and hold on tighter. Once separated from my fingers they would quickly swim away and jump on other males.

[into]

Here are a few more pictures. As you can see, the one on my thumb would not let go. I had to shake him off.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[Eel Noob]

Amazing series of photos.


Would love to be able to photograph frog/toads croaking like that some day.

[Greg M]

I love the photos! I think my wife can relate to being chased by toads - they are inescapable in our house .

[RikoAustria]

lol... that's great