If you’re exploring the deserts and grasslands of the southwestern United States during or after a warm rain, you might just bump into the Texas Toad (Anaxyrus speciosus). These sturdy little toads are known for their surprisingly loud trills and their ability to thrive in hot, dry environments. Despite their somewhat plain appearance, they play an important role in the local ecosystem and have a few cool tricks up their sleeves—like lying low for months at a time during dry spells.
Size & Physical Appearance
Texas Toads are considered medium-sized toads, averaging about 2 to 3.5 inches in length. They have a stocky, squat body typical of many toad species, with short limbs and thick skin that helps retain moisture.
Their coloring is usually a dusty brown or grayish-tan, which helps them blend into sandy or rocky environments. You’ll often see dark blotches or spots on their back, sometimes outlined in lighter shades. Unlike some other toads, their skin isn’t extremely warty—just slightly textured.
Males and females look pretty similar, but males tend to be smaller, and during the breeding season, the males develop a dark throat patch and can be heard calling from temporary ponds and puddles with a loud, vibrating trill.
Juvenile Texas Toads are like miniature versions of the adults, though they may have a slightly smoother skin texture and more contrasting patterns when they first emerge.
Habitat and Range
Despite the name, the Texas Toad isn’t only found in Texas—though it definitely loves its home state. Their range stretches through most of Texas and into parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico, and northern Mexico.
These toads are highly adapted to warm, dry environments and are often found in:
- Open grasslands
- Scrublands
- Deserts with sandy or loose soils
- Farmlands and pastures
They prefer low elevation areas with loose soil for burrowing, but they won’t say no to a roadside ditch or backyard if it stays moist after rain.
Because Texas Toads rely on temporary pools to breed, you’re most likely to see them after a summer thunderstorm when the ground is muddy and puddles are fresh.
Diet
Like most toads, the Texas Toad is an opportunistic feeder. Its diet includes a wide variety of small invertebrates, but its favorites are:
- Ants
- Beetles
- Moths
- Spiders
- Crickets
- Caterpillars
They’re not picky, which is a smart survival tactic in arid regions where food isn’t always abundant.
One cool thing: Texas Toads are ambush predators. That means they’ll often just sit quietly and wait for an unsuspecting insect to wander by, then zap it with their sticky tongue in the blink of an eye.
Lifespan
In the wild, Texas Toads typically live around 2 to 4 years, but they can live up to 6 years or longer in captivity if they’re well cared for and kept in a suitable habitat.
A big part of their survival strategy is estivation—a kind of hibernation they do during dry months by burrowing underground and waiting out the heat.
Identification Tips
Texas Toads can be confused with other toads in the genus Anaxyrus, like the Gulf Coast Toad and Woodhouse’s Toad, especially since their ranges overlap. Here are some key features that can help set them apart:
- Size: Texas Toads are medium-sized—not as big as Woodhouse’s Toad, which can be almost 5 inches long.
- Color: Look for that dusty, earth-tone color with dark blotchy spots on the back.
- Parotoid Glands: Those are the oval-shaped bumps behind the eyes. On Texas Toads, they’re somewhat small and don’t touch the cranial crests (the ridged lines on the head).
- Call: If you hear a loud, high-pitched trill near a rain-filled pond in summer, it’s likely a Texas Toad male calling for a mate. Their call is faster and higher-pitched than Woodhouse’s Toad.
If you’re in doubt, location and timing can also help. See one in a Texas pasture hopping around right after a summer storm? There’s a decent chance it’s a Texas Toad.
Fun Fact
Texas Toads are masters of dryland survival. During droughts or extreme heat, they’ll dig down into the soil and enter a deep sleep-like state. They can stay hidden underground this way for months—sometimes more than half the year—until conditions improve. It’s like their version of pressing pause on life.
This is why you’ll sometimes think, “Where did all the toads go?” and then suddenly they’re everywhere after it rains. They’ve been there all along, just waiting underground for the right moment.
In Summary
The Texas Toad may not be flashy, but it’s one of the toughest amphibians in the southwestern US. It’s a great example of how animals adapt to their environments, from their diet and coloration to their underground survival tactics.
Next time it rains in the Texas Hill Country or the Oklahoma panhandle, keep an ear out for that trilling call—you might just find one of these little survivors hopping nearby.
Let us know if you’ve spotted one, or share your own toad encounter in the comments!