A toad with a secure home is a happy toad indeed. A first simple step any family can take to help amphibians is to invite toads to move into their backyard by supplying them with cozy toad houses. A friendly toad will gobble up many harmful bugs that come into your garden. Toads are most active at night feasting on those pesky pests, but during the day need a dark, cool place to hide from predators and the hot sun. If a toad feels at home in your garden he could live there for up to ten years!
Easy Steps: Use environmentally-safe paint to decorate the outside of a four-inch clay pot. Locate a damp, shady location on your property with preferably soggy soil.
After the paint has dried, place the clay pot on the ground, upside down, and prop up one side with a small rock. Make sure the propped-up flower pot is sturdy, dug in well and supported with a little packed soil in the back, to make sure it doesn't drop down and trap the toad inside.
A layer of leaf litter or sand on the ground inside helps keep the soil moist and inviting, and a saucer or pan of water placed nearby is what your toad will sit in to soak and take a drink.
Now wait for a toad to move in! With a small amount of planning and effort, you can turn your backyard into a haven for many different forms of wildlife, including amphibians. Digging a frog pond, installing a few toad abodes, or creating suitable winter quarters for hibernating amphibians can be very satisfying projects.
Kids Coloring Sheets
