Main Characteristics

Mexican Burrowing Toads are usually black or grey in colour with red spots along their sides and a stripe on their backs. They have short, powerful legs and their feet have shovel-like appendages to aid digging.

It has a small, pointed head and its eyes are relatively small. Unlike other frogs, its tongue is projected directly out the front of the mouth instead of being flipped out.

They grow between 6 and 8 cms (2.25 - 3.25 inches) in length and when they are calling or they are alarmed, their body becomes inflated.

Habitat

They are found in low lying areas of Southern USA and Central America. They burrow down into soft soil and they only emerge after heavy rain fall.

Diet

Their diet consists mainly of insects, primarily ants and termites.

Breeding

Mexican Burrowing Toads breed in ponds and they will travel up to 1.6 Kms (1 mile) to find a suitable location. Using their internal vocals sacs males call out to attract females.

They eggs only take a few days to hatch into tadpoles and they use the barbels around their mouth to filter food from the water. After 1 - 3 months the tadpoles become toads.

Interesting Facts