Fat Tick Walking

Things are not always what they appear to be. What first looked like a dung beetle scurrying across our veranda turned out to be a member of the reptile family. Our dog Two Socks was in hot pursuit of this leathery-looking critter. 

This frog's first defense mechanism had activated~he puffed himself up to look larger than life, giving it its tick-like, dung beetle-like appearance. Its second effect is just beginning in the first picture~a white substance leaking out of its skin. To get a better picture of him I picked it up with my forefinger and thumb and that's when I found out the liquid was sticky. Hmm, wonder if that's poisonous. Tracy jokingly told me it causes leprosy~normally that would've alarmed me, but I've learned I married into a

family of leg-pullers.
 
The second picture shows the reptile's anxiety has increased~it's also his frontal view. Tiny legs, eh?

After it settled down, he returned to its normal size and darted toward a hole in the wall. Not daunting at all. But it didn't take long for him to feel threatened again, and he blew himself up again. 

God's creation is amazing, isn't it? Fight or flight. Puff or leak. Fake or flaunt. Ways to survive, until someone figures it out. Thankfully, it worked for me. I hate ticks!