amphibians will fascinate you

Frogs are amphibious creatures that do not have a tail. They have long legs and hop from place to place. Tadpoles, which are what frogs are after they are first born, do have tails. As they get older the tail falls off and they switch from living in the water to living on the land. They also have webbed feet and eyes that stick out from their faces. It is this appearance that gives frogs the reputation of being a little ugly.



But if you think about it, frogs are an essential creature to the food chain and in this way they should be respected. It can be difficult to tell the difference between a frog and a toad because they are such similar creatures. But if you think about it, they are pretty much the same animal. The two terms are used loosely. Frogs are informally described as being "of the water" or living near the water and toads are described as living on the land. But, both of these are technically considered frogs.

Frogs are also the subject of a lot of stress to certain people in either junior high or high school. That is because frogs are often dissecting in biology class. Biology is the study of life. It is a good learning tool to teach about life by studying its interrelated parts. Besides, dissecting frogs is a good exercise, especially if the individual aspires to being a doctor.

If you want to learn more about frogs there are several ways to go about doing this. First, you can do a search online to look for information. Or you can read books and magazines on the subject of frogs. Or if you are really curious, you can sit in on a dissection class and watch the students take them apart. That activity may be a little extreme, especially if you do not know the teacher. If you do not want to dissect frogs during class, there are some options for you. Discuss your concerns with the teacher and see what he or she can do for you. They may be able to give you an alternate assignment that will still help you learn about frogs without cutting into one.

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Salamanders are types of amphibians that are characterized by their body shape and long tail. There are over 500 types of salamanders in the world. They don't have scales and they also have a neat feature where if they lose one of their limbs, they can regenerate it. When studying salamanders, it is important to note that each of the 500 species has their own characteristics but the basic qualities remain the same throughout all the species.



Some people feel that salamanders are gross and scary. But really, they are fascinating creatures. The fact that they can blend in with their surroundings and also regenerate a missing body part is something that we as human beings don't quite understand. If we lose a finger or an arm or foot, that's it. We can't grow any more. But the fact that the salamander can do that means that they are better able to adapt and survive if they get hurt by a predator.

They are also interesting creatures because they can both swim and walk. This means that even though they are not that large, they can navigate through different kinds of terrain and escape various types of predators. So between the growth of lost limbs and the ability to both swim and walk, it is clear that salamanders are designed for survival.

Some people devote their lives to studying salamanders. And with 500 species to observe, one can easily spend their lives observing them and not get to look at every species there is. It is interesting to study all aspects of salamanders such as their habitat, their mobility, what they eat, who hunts them, and how they can adapt and escape predators.

There is some interesting lore surrounding salamanders and most of it originated in the East. Most of the lore surrounding salamanders associate the creature with fire. They were often grouped with dragons. Some believe that the salamander was actually the basis for the dragon mythology. The way the creature is depicted in ancient Chinese pictures, it makes them look a lot fiercer than they are. But the truth is, the lore is just that. Salamanders do not breathe fire. They are just creatures that have a unique way of adapting. They can swim and walk and are adept at surviving in their environment.

Many people choose to keep amphibians as pets, because of their exotic qualities and varied colors. When deciding to keep amphibians as pets, it is very important to first research the many types of amphibians before deciding which one will make the best pet for your home.

Amphibians are in the class of vertebrates called "Amphibia", which includes frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. The characterization of amphibians (verses other vertebrates) is that amphibian eggs and larvae live primarily in water and amphibian adults live primarily on land. (There are a few species of amphibians, however, that do not match this characterization because the species neither lives in water as young nor lays eggs.)

Amphibians have "naked" bodies without hair, scales, or feathers. Frogs are tailless amphibians that have moist and smooth skin, long hind legs and short front legs, and webbed feet. The name "toad" is a common name for frogs that have dry, rough skin and have shorter hind legs when compared to frogs. Salamanders have soft, wet skin, four legs of similar length, and tails that are longer than their main bodies. "Newt" is the common name for the smaller salamanders. Salamanders are often called "sallies" by people who raise them or keep them as pets.

Keeping a frog or toad as a pet is a serious commitment because they can live a long time, averaging 4-15 year life-spans depending on the species. Frogs and toads require clean enclosures because they can easily become ill from a dirty environment. Keeping frogs and toads also requires keeping insects for food. Many people enjoy keeping frogs and toads because of their varied colors and vocalizations, but frogs are usually not very energetic and can be considered by some to be a bore. The most popular frogs and toad to keep as pets for beginners are: White's Tree Frogs, Dwarf Frogs, American Green Tree Frogs, Pacman Frogs, and Oriental Fire-Bellied Toads.

Much like frogs and toads, salamanders and newts should be kept clean and well-fed, but they must also be kept cool. Both salamanders and newts can become ill if their environments reach temperatures at or above 72 oF and keeping them cool can be the most expensive part of housing them. These amphibians are good to keep as pets as long as the keeper wishes to observe them rather than interact with them. Salamanders and newts do not keep well when frequently handled (because of stress) and are often poisonous. The most widely-available salamanders are Tiger Salamanders and Fire Salamanders. The most widely-available newts are the Chinese Firebelly Newts.



When keeping amphibians as pets, it is important to follow recommendations made by veterinarians, breeders or pet stores to keep your amphibian healthy and happy.

Toads belong to an order of amphibians called Anura, an order which also includes frogs. The name "toad" is a non-scientific name for frogs that have dry, rough skin (rather than the frog's smooth, moist skin) and have shorter hind legs when compared to frogs. Toads are also more fat and squat than frogs. Both adult frogs and toads are tailless when they reach maturity.


Because of their warty appearance, it is a common misconception that touching toads can cause warts. People cannot contract warts from toads. Touching some toads can make people sick, however, because of toxins that they secrete through glands in their skin.

Most toads begin life as eggs (living in water) and then hatch into tadpoles. These swimming tadpoles resemble fish with large heads and skinny tails. As the toad grows, the tadpole tail is absorbed into the body. Legs grow and gills are lost so that toads can eventually hop, walk and breathe on land.

Toads exhibit several defense techniques that they use to confuse or ward off predators. Most toads produce a nasty tasting toxin from the glands behind their eyes to keep their predators from swallowing them. Toads can also puff themselves up to look much bigger than they really are in order to keep predators from attacking. Most toads have coloring that allows them to blend into their leafy and/or muddy surroundings so that they are unseen by those who might wish to eat them. Still other toads have bright, vibrant colors that signal to predators that the toads themselves are poisonous.

Toads are carnivorous (which means they eat meat). A toad's menu usually includes insects, spiders, grubs, slugs, worms and crickets. Toads are great tenants to keep in the garden because they eat garden pests. Some toads even eat other amphibians, snakes, various reptiles and small mammals (such as rodents).

One of the hardiest toads to keep as a pet is the Oriental Fire Bellied Toad. This toad is widely recommended for beginners. The Oriental Fire Bellied Toad has a vibrant, exotic coloring and thrives in housing which provides both land and water. It does secrete a toxin, so immediate washing of hands after handling is recommended.