My sister and I were looking for toads because we have just got a new puppy and we didn’t want her to eat them, but when we picked up a toad with tongs, it excreted a considerable amount of liquid. This happened on several different occasions – is it a sign of stress or did we just squeeze the toad too hard?
No, you didn’t squeeze too hard or anything, I learned as a kid that toads do that when you catch them. It is their normal response. I guess it makes them untasty for predators.
grasshoppers barf out a molasses looking goop when you catch them.
A lot of animals do this sort of thing. I wonder if that is why humans sometimes pee or poo themselves when they get really scared. (I have never been that scared, but I hear it happens).
This is a natural defense mechanism. Pee-pee. You are lucky it wasn’t the very large toad, Bufo Marinus. These secrete an acidic slime from their neck, which is poisonous to dogs…in the mouth.
Most snakes will POOP on you. And Armadillos poop out an especially smelly goo when they are attacked.
Thank God it was a little toad……:)
References :
read the second paragraph here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufo_marinus
I would have to say yes because it happens all too often when I hunt them. I guess they just get so scared they wet their pants
References :
I hunt them to stop my dogs eating them too
Yes. Many animals urinate, defecate, spray or vomit when stressed or threatened.
References :
me = biologist
No, you didn’t squeeze too hard or anything, I learned as a kid that toads do that when you catch them. It is their normal response. I guess it makes them untasty for predators.
grasshoppers barf out a molasses looking goop when you catch them.
A lot of animals do this sort of thing. I wonder if that is why humans sometimes pee or poo themselves when they get really scared. (I have never been that scared, but I hear it happens).
References :