Thursday, September 3, 2009

This little toad was cute

At the sanctuary, we have about 100 chickens. First, let me state, I love chickens. After cattle, they are my second favorite farmed animal species. I love their language, their furtive and excited movements, and I adore trying to photograph them. They have friendships and arguments and are as quick to forgive as they are to squabble.

That being said, their less appealing behavior (for me) involves their murderous tendencies when lizards, frogs, toads and snakes get near them. Our biggest rooster (seen here with Olivia, the potbellied pig) is Matt - he killed a 4' gopher snake. Scary stuff, if you're a reptile.

So when one of the staff found this little toad in the chicken enclosure, we just had to move him to safer ground. And I had to take a picture. Egad, they are cute little buggers.

6 comments:

PoochesForPeace said...

sounds like such a cool place. And i'm happy to see i'm not the only person who cares about toads...

Unknown said...

I have a soft spot for the amphibians and reptiles. But frogs and toads are especially precious - they're just so strangely adorable. ;)

Daisy Dog said...

wow, what a cool place. Lovely toad :)

Unknown said...

Thanks, Daisy, I love working there and it's made more fun by all the wildlife who I sometimes get to photograph. :)

happypitbull said...

I love toads! We have toads that live under our back porch where the chickens can't get them; they only come out at night when the chickens are sleeping. :)

Unknown said...

Those are smart toads! They're poisonous, apparently, so I don't think the chickens would bother them too much...but better safe under the porch until the "beaky" ones are snoozing!