toad-ily safe

I continue to wonder, how do we have toads and frogs on our ranch? We live in sand country. I thought they needed water to survive and reproduce. I finally googled to learn that Wisconsin has twelve varieties of toads/frogs. Not all of them require bodies of water to survive. Our land continues to be very interesting, and different. It makes this nature girl happy to learn about variables!

If you wondering why these warmer weather critters are still on my mind, it is because we have toads living in our barn. 

Doesn't everyone have barn toads as pets??

The toads are fun to watch. They can be found seasonally in various sizes in our yard, on our driveway and many other places. The cats really love playing with them in the barn, especially Purr.

The cats don't seem to hurt the toads. I think they have an understanding. Not sure, I don't speak toad or cat for that matter. Their understanding is likely due to the fact that toads don't taste good. They are poisonous.

We keep a watchful eye on our dogs when they get interested. Dogs don't seem as selective with wild food. However, our cats have it figured out.

This is the first year we noticed toads taking residence in our aisle drain. We thought they were coming in/out of the long drain pipe, but they seem to be coming in from the arena doors. Maybe both.

We have at least two toads, one is greener than the other. Both are about the same size. Big. There was a smaller one, but I haven't seen that one for a while. I wonder if our toads will stay inside the barn all Winter?

I saw the brown American Toad hopping around the barn aisle a couple days ago. I saved him from being batted around, not that he needed it. They take cover under the stall doors, until the cats get tired of waiting. After watching him get batted once and drop his head to the floor as if to play dead, I scooped my toad friend up and placed him near the drain. Wondering how on earth he was going to fit. He did. Head first, back feet in the air. Wiggle, wiggle, PLOP!! He was toadily safe!

green toad

brown toad

A few different kinds of toads/frogs have found me to date on our property, mostly during warmer months. One overly friendly water lovin' guy thought we set my cowgirl pool up just for him. I wasn't sharing and he had to be removed more than once.

I can't help but wonder, how do they know/find water??

At first I thought my pool friend was a young Bullfrog that ventured away from the creek down the road. We used to have them in our pond. I do remember thinking he was smoother, like a frog. Hard to tell from the photos I took. I don't see the classic bullfrog ridge, and therefore think the pool lover was a green younger American Toad.  

This frog was spotted in July:

These little green guys are sooo cute!

They are small and can be found hanging out literally anywhere. I have found them on plants, doorknobs and as seen above on siding. I am pretty sure this frog is a Copes Gray Tree frog although, he is um very vibrant green! I learned their color can change to adapt to surroundings. This siding is behind my barn garden, with a lot of green.  

I was sitting in front of the barn chatting with Brad early October, when a very loud sound came from over by my shade planter. I believe it was followed by a "what the h-e-double-toothpick was THAT"??!!

I found this white-ish tiny guy looking at me as if to say "whaaaat". He didn't move and I don't like to disturb nature. I left him alone and went back to my conversation. 

Spring Peeper

Look at those cute little webbed toes! 

This post has been swirling around in my head. I can cross it off my list, now I toad you so 😂