Common toad

Stocky and robust body . Skin covered with warts. Two large glands in the sides of the neck: the parotoids. The color of the back is very variable, mostly reddish-brown, rarely tending to gray, to black, olive green or yellowish, almost always uniform. The stomach is white. The eardrum is small. The eye, yellow in color, has a horizontal pupil.
The male, a little smaller, reaches 12 cm and bearing wedding presents on the fingers of the front legs that are more robust. The female is up to 20 cm long.

The common toad feeds on invertebrates, mainly annelids, snails and insects.

Europe, except for some islands and the Nordic countries. Part of northern Africa and Asia (IUCN map).

He lives in a variety of settings. It 'also well adapted to dry environments and humanized: it is also a normal inhabitant of gardens and villas in the city. Although it is a great walker, usually takes refuge in the same burrow every day for long periods to avoid disappointment. In the mountains it is found up to over 2000 m.

The common toad is one of amphibian species better adapted to human presence. Active mainly after dark, wet evenings from March to October. It con't disturb human activity but is useful because it feeds on invertebrates harmful to crops. As with many other animals, however, the crossing of a road is a critical moment for his existence. In late winter or early spring in fact many toads, who have strayed too far from the pond where they were born, they have to make a dangerous journey into a world of man-made and often end up under a car or blocked by a wall.
This pet is not dangerous to humans. If disturbed swells to increase its size ( to scare a predator or to avoid being swallowed up ) and releases his own urine . Moreover its warts and paratoidi contegono bufonina , a substance toxic if ingested , which causes itching on contact with human skin . It seems that it can release the drops when it is heavily molested , but perhaps the substance is released only if injured , for example by a bite . So , despite some urban legends that the opposite , to do harm to a human being a toad should first be crushed and then touched or ingested (raw )!