What are Amphibians?

@DylanB -- I also love the tree frogs. Once they attach themselves to the window, they don't move much, but they are fascinating to look at.

I had a tree frog that got inside the house once. I discovered him down in the basement and he was alive but looked pretty dry and shriveled up. He wasn't moving around so I put him in a jar with a little bit of water in it. Once he was revived, I placed him back outside where I hope he lived for a long time.

I have always wondered what is the lifespan of a frog or toad? Do they live for just one season or longer than that?

We have toads that like to hang out around our basement steps. I don't really mind them since I know they eat a lot of bugs. If they start hopping around, my dogs like to chase them, but they found out they don't taste very good. Once one of my dogs tried to eat one and must not have cared for the taste at all. It doesn't seem like you see nearly as many toads and frogs as you used to, but I know they are good for the overall ecological system.

I grew up in the city and have lived there my whole life. I feel just the opposite when it comes to the sounds of the frogs at night. When I visited a friend in the country, I wondered what could cause such a loud ruckus at night.

I was surprised to find out it was from all the frogs. Since I wasn't used to this sound I found it to be loud and annoying. If I had kept my window open, I think they would have kept me up all night.

@seag47 -- Even as a young girl I loved the summer night sounds. For me this is a soothing, comforting sound and because of that, I love to sleep with my windows open in the summer. Nothing puts me to sleep better than listening to the sounds of the frogs. We have a large pond in our yard, so I get to listen to this chorus all summer long.

I also enjoy watching the transformation of the tadpoles into frogs throughout the summer. When you look into the pond in the spring or early summer, you see all sorts of tiny tadpoles swimming around.

Gradually as the season progresses they get bigger and bigger, and start to resemble a full grown frog. I have always been fascinated by this and enjoy watching this happen every year.

@DylanB – I know what you mean. I live next to a pond, and the frogs really take over the atmosphere at twilight!

The loudest amphibian in my yard is the bullfrog. It has this really low bellow that is quite scary if you don't know where it's coming from.

So, I have a mixture of deep-voiced bullfrogs and cute little high-pitched tree frog sounds filling the air. It's cool how they all start at about the same time of day, right after sunset.

The tree frog is the most fascinating amphibian to me. I love it when one of these frogs attaches itself to my window by the little suction cups on its feet, and I can watch its neck skin moving rapidly as it breathes.

These frogs can blend into their environment really well. I once saw one on concrete, and I thought it was just a lump! When I touched it, it felt slimy and squishy, and I screamed.

Tree frogs sure do make a lot of noise, though. I am glad that they simmer down by the time I go to bed, or I would have trouble sleeping.

@shell4life – Snakes are reptiles, not amphibians. They do spend time in water, but so do other reptiles like alligators.

They don't lay their eggs in water like amphibians do. Different snakes reproduce different ways. Some have nests on land, and some give live birth.

Are snakes amphibians or reptiles? I've seen several that spend a lot of time in water, and I believe that they are cold-blooded. I don't know anything about how they reproduce, so I'm unsure of how they should be classified.

@oceanswimmer: The turtle is a reptile. There are ways to distinguish between reptiles and amphibians. The first thing is to determine whether or not there are scales. Reptiles have scales. They can be smooth or rough, large or small. Reptiles also have a tough outer covering. That helps them to conserve water and has allowed the animal to spread across terrestrial habitats in a way in which amphibians would not be able to.

Amphibians generally have soft, smooth skin. It is very porous and several of the amphibians breathe through their skin.

Also, reptiles have claws and amphibians do not.

@oceanswimmer: First of all, no question is a crazy question. We only learn by asking questions. Now, to answer your question: Turtles are not amphibians. They are actually reptiles.

I know this might sound like a crazy question but are turtles amphibians?

Well done wisegeek, we were just wondering what a newt was and you have answered our queries perfectly, thank you