CautionNot food
American toad
Anaxyrus americanus
Warty garden ally. One or two big warts in each dark spot. Eats slugs.
- Marks
- Warts; kidney-shaped parotoids
- Size
- 2–4 in
- Habitat
- Gardens, woods, under boards.
- Season
- Trills March–May from ditches.
- Frequency
- abundant
Brown to rust toad with cranial crests. Parotoid glands behind the eyes secrete bufotoxin — wash hands after handling, keep away from dogs’ mouths.
If this is the one
If a dog mouths a toad: rinse the dog’s mouth, call a vet if drooling or staggering.