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Alytes obstetricians
Common name: Midwife Toad
Description: Coloration is grey or olive brown with small black warts and a white or grey belly. Body shape is robust. Eyes are large round and gold in color. Fingers and toes are not webbed.
Size: Adults grow to 1" - 3"
Lifespan: Five years
Habitat: Midwife toads make their home in a variety of habitats from sand dunes to mountains, but they are most often found in moderate climates.
Home: Southwestern Europe and Northwestern Africa.
Lifestyle: Solitary or in small groups. Terrestrial. Nocturnal. Hides during the day under the ground, rocks, or logs. Will always return to the same hiding spot. Hibernates during the winter.
Food: Hunts many types of insects using its long sticky tongue. Tadpoles eat vegetation.
Breeding: Occurs during the spring. The male calls to the female. She lays 20 - 80 large yellow eggs. The male carries the eggs. The eggs are attached to the male's hind legs by a string like substance. After about 8 months, the male travels to a pond where the tadpoles hatch.
Defenses: Adults have warts which contain strong poison. Adults have few predators. Tadpoles are relatively defenseless and often fall prey to fish and insects.
Special Concerns: The number of Midwife Toads in the wild is declining due to loss of habitat. Efforts are being made to breed them in captivity for release into new wilderness habitats.
In Captivity: Vivarium must contain many hiding areas. It must be moderately damp. Breeding is difficult but is usually more successful when a very spacious outdoor enclosure is used.
