toad with T pic

[Galapoheros]

I'm just getting around to posting this pic. I took it while hiking a few weeks ago. I see A. henzi with toads under rocks sometimes, also with Narrowmouth toads. I have no reason to collect the Ts, they in my neighborhood so I keep my yard kind of natural for them.

 

[micheldied]

Thats really cool!
I wonder what kind of relation they have with each other.

 

[Marvin]

Oh my god. I wonder what it would be like to have Ts living naturally in your back yard.. Here in Denmark, we don't even have tarantulas. Im so jealous!

 

[harmroelf]

Why do toads want to live together with a T and vice versa?

 

[seanbond]

very awesome! toad is protected and im not sure what the toad does for the t tho.

 

[Galapoheros]

I personally think it's just a place they both like to be, steadyish temperature and moisture. So my guess it that they're just sharing a home and really don't do much for each other but who knows.

 

[ZergFront]

I personally think it's just a place they both like to be, steadyish temperature and moisture. So my guess it that they're just sharing a home and really don't do much for each other but who knows.

Some articles on the internet suggest that the toads perhaps rid the burrow of marauding ants, which could make even the best T Moms flee from their nest.

I'd love to keep narrow-mouthed toads but I think in some states they're threatened? :?

 

[Galapoheros]

Hmm, yeah, could be. "but", from my own personal observations, toads tend to avoid ants and Narrowmouth toads really like termites and also avoid ants. I added with an edit after thinking about it ...

I wonder if "ants" avoid toads, maybe there is some kind of chemical from the parotid glands, alkaloids from toads and chemicals from Narrowmouth toads that ants avoid? So maybe frogs rid burrows of ants chemically rather than by eating them(?) Or is that the content of the articles you came across?

 

[ZergFront]

Hmm, yeah, could be. "but", from my own personal observations, toads tend to avoid ants and Narrowmouth toads really like termites and also avoid ants. I added with an edit after thinking about it ...

I wonder if "ants" avoid toads, maybe there is some kind of chemical from the parotid glands, alkaloids from toads and chemicals from Narrowmouth toads that ants avoid? So maybe frogs rid burrows of ants chemically rather than by eating them(?) Or is that the content of the articles you came across?

They have chemincals in their skin to keep te T at bay but most of the articles had the theory that they ate them. Back to the drawing board.

Here are just a few articles mentioning the toads and spiders.

http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2008/Natural-Inquiries-Animal-Enemies-Helping-Each-Other.aspx

This one mentions that the toads might discourage mites with toxins
http://www.sibleynaturecenter.org/essays/wildontheprairie/invertebrates/000000_tarantula.html

 

[Galapoheros]

Interesting articles, I just looked in a book I have and it did say Narrowmouth toads do eat ants, I'd just never seen them eat ants. It could come down to some ant species, a lot to consider. Almost everything avoids Fire ants. I remember catching some Narrowmouth toads when I was around 10 or 11 and getting mad at my dad because he wouldn't let me keep termites to feed them lol, he was afraid they'd get the house. I found termites in a bathroom later, but they didn't come from me lol.

 

[robd]

That seems like a pretty big sized toad to me. Very interesting to find them in the same general habitat, but I imagine if you put them in a fabricated habitat like an enclosure, I bet the toad would try to eat it eventually.

I used to have one and that thing would eat anything that moved, or try to, that's for sure.