Eye Want Food

Have you ever heard the expression, “My eyes are bigger than my stomach”? Well, for many frogs, their large eyes help them fill their stomachs! When an Amazon milk frog has prey in its mouth, typically an insect of some kind, it will blink its eyes. The eyes close and are physically pulled down to aid in the swallowing of that yummy cricket.

Stick the Landing

The Amazon milk frog is more than just a jumper – it’s an Olympic-level gymnast! A type of tree frog, this species has adhesive toe pads covered in a sticky mucus that helps when climbing various surfaces. It can hold up to 14 times its body weight; that would be comparable to an average adult human holding a compact car – with their toes!

Got Milk?

While the name of this frog might have you thinking it drinks milk, the Amazon milk frog gets its name from the milk-colored poison it secrets through its skin. Many amphibians can use toxins in a defensive manner. Here in Arizona, Sonoran Desert toads are a native species that can release strong toxins through glands in their skin.