useful medicines to treat heart and nervous disorders in humans. Contribution The Houston toad contains toxins that are vital in the pharmaceutical realm. A variety of medical treatments are derived from the active ingredients found in the Houston Toad's toxins. The Houston toad secretes valtrex online serotonin which humans use in order to treat certain neurological and heart diseases. The toad also has alkaloids which have the ability to relieve pain and may even be stronger than morphine. These toads also help stabilize the ecosystems by ensuring that the insect population is low. They are also a food source for animals such as spiders, raccoons, turtles, snakes, owls, as well as fire ants. Unfortunately, due to the low population size of the Houston toad it is difficult for scientists to be unsure of the effects that the Houston toad has on the ecosystem. Food habits Adult Houston toads main food source is insects and small invertebrates. Their diet consists of ground beetles as well as a variety of small toads and ants. In order to capture their prey they either sit-and-wait or they utilize active search. The toad will create a little depression in the ground using its hind legs to conduct the first method. The toad will then wait in the divet for movement in the surrounding areas and then will attack and jump at the prey when movement is detected. These depressions are left and new ones are created many times a day. Tadpoles are unable to hunt like adult Houston toads so they feed on pollen and the jelly enveloped left behind by freshly hatched tadpoles. They also tend to feed on algae which can be found on leaves. When the weather is hot in the summer or it is brittle and cold in the winter, toads can bury themselves in and under sand in order to hibernate for protection from extreme temperatures. Reproduction These toads are active during the daytime throughout the majority of the year. During breeding season Houston toads are active throughout the day and the night, but primarily at night. Reproduction most commonly occurs during late February but can begin as early as the end of January up until the end of June. Small isolated pools and ponds are the toad's main breeding ground. The early breeding period starts when the 24 hour period the day before has not gotten below 14 degrees