How can I keep my little frogs (or toads) happy?

A toad home should be made from a porous clay item (pot, upside down bowl, etc) because in the evenings it will absorb dew and thus give the toad a cool, moist place to hide during the day. Also, you might want to know a single toad can eat up to l50,000 insects in a season.

from national wildlife magazine -
About 21 different species of toads live in North America. The ones most at home in a backyard environment include the American toad (the Northeast and Canada), western toad (Pacific Coast states inland to the Rocky Mountains), Fowler’s toad (southern New England and Mid-Atlantic states south to Florida and west to eastern Texas), Woodhouse’s toad (Great Plains states south to central Texas), and southern toad (Florida and adjoining states).

Now, in case you’re wondering: How can you tell the difference between frogs and toads? At the most basic level, the animals we call frogs tend to have smooth skin and spend more time in water. The animals we call toads generally have bumpy skin and spend more time on land.

Toads do need a ready source of water—not to swim in, just for a daily soak. Your garden will be most appealing to toads if you put a mini-pool near a toad abode. At my house, we use a 16-inch terra-cotta saucer, but you could use a birdbath without a stand or even a garbage can lid. Choose a shady location, nestle the container in the dirt and fill it with water. A daily spray with the hose keeps the pond fresh; scrub with a wire brush if algae builds up.

Designer toad abodes can be pricey. If you’re on a budget, you can improvise. For instance, half-bury a large flowerpot on its side in a shady spot. Or take the same pot, drill holes at the rim in the shape of a door, tap gently with a hammer to remove the chip, invert and decorate to your heart’s content (nontoxic paints, please). Another option: Arrange flat rocks with a toad-sized space underneath. Situate your toad abode in the shade—say, under a bush—and in the dampest spot in your yard, near a gutter downspout, air-conditioner drip or in a low spot that collects rainwater.

Check that the door of the abode is large enough to actually admit a toad. American and Fowler’s toads can be 3 inches long and very plump. Also, don’t buy a toad abode with a floor; toads usually like to dig in the soil to customize their daytime retreat. Garden soil, well amended with compost, is especially attractive to toads; it’s easier for them to dig into and it supports plenty of sow bugs and earthworms. Pesticides and lawn chemicals are deadly to toads—their permeable skin takes up toxins all too readily. Avoid using them. With a garden toad on pest control, you’re less likely to need pesticides anyway.

Wow! Thanks, Cricket! Great information! I seem to have built a toad abode with rocks, there is shade and water source(s), no chemicals, so they should continue to hang around happily eating my bugs. The only pests I've spotted doing any damage (the slugs aren't bothering anything) are aphids on artichokes.

4 paws, I was picking things up on my deck one day and picked up a 6" plastic pot that had a 4 " pot inside of it and saw something move. There was a little frog in between them living in there. They had been lying on their side under a shelf I had my plants sitting on. I suppose it got the moisture when I watered the plants. And I am sure there are plenty of bugs out there.

So, I put them back where they were. I hope the frog is still out there. I had never seen him before that and haven't seen him since.

Cool, Jnette...I saw a tiny one yesterday and a big one a few evenings ago (it startled me, it was so big!). They blend with their surroundings very well.