Hi, so I was driving my car at night in my neighborhood and a saw a toad in the middle of the road, so I tried to escort it across but when I picked it up I underestimated its strength and it kicked itself out of my grasp and feel about 5 feet onto the paved road and I’m really worried I hurt it?? It didn’t look hurt but what if the fall broke a bone or something? Do you know if a fall like that would hurt it? I know I should not have picked it up I’m sorry.

toadschooled:

Don’t feel bad anon, you saved them from potentially being squished by a car. While a fall like that could be pretty ouch-y, toads are evolved to handle the impact of the ground after jumping, and are quite bouncy, which displaces a lot of energy that could otherwise hurt them. They may be sore but I’m certain they were fine, and in a lot of situations it’s much better to relocate them out of the street if you can than it is to leave them somewhere they could get run over. Don’t feel bad!

If it happens again and you need to move them, you could try shoo-ing them off the road by nudging them with your boot, if you’re worried about picking them up. Otherwise making a ‘cage’ with your hands and holding them gently is usually enough to keep them contained long enough to move them to safety.

You shouldn’t grab toads and handle them for no reason, but picking up a toad to rescue it is a very good reason, and nothing to be sorry for. 

Note that caging a toad in with your hands will probably get you peed on, but toad pee is harmless, just a bit gross. 

Toads don’t have all that many bones, and what they do have are quite sturdy. They’re pretty tough little critters. They also don’t have any ribs, so landing on their stomachs won’t break any bones.