# Giant Toad (*Rhinella horribilis*) The Giant Toad is a big, bumpy frog that loves to hop around! It can be found in warm places and is known for its loud croaks at night. - **Category:** [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/amphibian) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Giant Toad](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rhinella_horribilis_%28Soberania%29_-_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: DarTar, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhinella_horribilis_%28Soberania%29_-_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Giant Toad has rough, warty skin that is usually olive-brown, grey, or reddish-brown, often with darker spots. It has prominent bony ridges above its eyes and large, triangular poison glands behind its ears, making its head look broad. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Amphibia - **Order:** Anura - **Family:** Bufonidae - **Genus:** Rhinella ## Interesting facts - Female Giant Toads can lay tens of thousands of eggs in a single string! - Giant Toads drink by absorbing water through special skin patches on their bellies! - Their loud, rumbling calls sound like a purring motor or a distant engine. - These amazing amphibians can live in both damp forests and dry grasslands! ## Special abilities - **Toxic Shield:** Giant Toad can ooze a milky poison from glands behind its ears that makes predators very sick. - **Camouflage Master:** Giant Toad has bumpy, earth-toned skin that helps it blend perfectly into leaf litter and muddy environments. - **Big Appetites:** Giant Toad has an enormous appetite, allowing it to eat almost anything that fits into its wide mouth. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-24 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-1.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 2 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 8000-35000 - **Metamorphosis:** 14-49 days ## Diet & Feeding This toad is a hungry hunter, eating insects, small animals, and even pet food left outside! - **Age differences:** Tadpoles are detritivores, eating algae and tiny bits of plants; adults become carnivores. - **Primary Foods:** beetles, ants, cockroaches, snails, small rodents, lizards - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Spectacled Caiman](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spectacled-caiman) (*Caiman crocodilus*) — Younger toads are prey for these large, wetland reptiles. - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Indigo Snake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-indigo-snake) (*Drymarchon corais*) — These snakes are often immune to toad toxins and eat them. - **Hunts:** [American Cockroach](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-cockroach) (*Periplaneta americana*) — Toads frequently ambush and consume a variety of large insects. - **Hunts:** [House Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-mouse) (*Mus musculus*) — Giant Toads will opportunistically catch and eat small rodents. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Toxic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/toxic): Toxic organisms contain substances that are poisonous and can cause adverse effects upon exposure. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate Do not touch toads without asking an adult, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Giant Toad? Check the toe pads, leg length, eye markings, back pattern and body shape. Don't lean on color: some frogs change shade to match their surroundings. Frog Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Giant Toad? 10-24 cm ### How much does Giant Toad weigh? 0.5-1.5 kg ### How long does Giant Toad live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Giant Toad move? 2 km/h ### What does Giant Toad eat? This toad is a hungry hunter, eating insects, small animals, and even pet food left outside! ### Where is Giant Toad usually found? Wetlands ### How does Giant Toad hunt? Ambush ## More Amphibians - [Eastern Red-backed Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-red-backed-salamander) (*Plethodon cinereus*) - [California Slender Salamander](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-slender-salamander) (*Batrachoseps attenuatus*) - [Cuban Tree Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cuban-tree-frog) (*Osteopilus septentrionalis*) - [European Toad](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-toad) (*Bufo bufo*) --- Source: [Giant Toad: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/giant-toad)