# There an exact name for people who can pick up things with their toes? And can you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 24, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176 "2005-09-24T04:33:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/21 "2005-09-24T18:33:33Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Okay, but where is the picture of you actually brushing with them? > > -foxy [Fine, here you go.](http://upl.silentwhisper.net/uplfolders/upload8/toebrushing.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Poonther](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Poonther](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poonther)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/22 "2005-09-24T18:44:41Z")
> [@StuffLikeThatThere](#): > > I can. > > My old roommate called me “Monkey Toes.” Somehow, though, I don’t think that’ll catch on as an offical name. I have the ability to pick up just about anything I want with my toes. I can pinch you pretty good too with them. I can spread all my toes far apart and many people I know can’t do that. I’ve always called them “Monkey Toes” since I was little and I see many here do the same thing. So I nominated \*“Monkey Toes” \* as the official name. ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/23 "2005-09-25T01:40:02Z")
I never have to cut my sons’ toenails - they bite them. Except the little toes, they can’t reach those ones. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/24 "2005-09-25T02:38:50Z")
I don’t know about the rest of you monkey toed types but I feel happy knowing I’m not alone. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/25 "2005-09-25T02:46:57Z")
I can, but I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/26 "2005-09-25T05:03:36Z")
I pick things up with my toes all the time. It’s like two extra hands. \*\* Ritzy Rae\*\* has a word for it: “creepy” ---
**Author:** ![onesyphorus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9de0a6/32.png) [@onesyphorus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/onesyphorus)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/27 "2018-09-18T05:56:15Z")
Pedactyloids sounds more like a dino(saur) or something… anyways… ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/28 "2018-09-18T06:02:19Z")
According to an old short story I read once, people with such skills in circus/sideshow acts were called “armless wonders.” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/29 "2018-09-18T13:29:39Z")
I have very long, agile toes, so I can pick up most things with them. It came in handy when my arm was in the cast. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/30 "2018-09-18T13:47:23Z")
If I’ve missed the wastebasket with a crumpled piece of paper, I’m much more likely to pick it up with my toes and put it in, than to bother leaning over and picking it up by hand. I don’t usually use my big toe. I clench stuff between the other four toes and the ball of the foot. ---
**Author:** ![Ashtura](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ashtura/32/2963_2.png) [@Ashtura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashtura)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/31 "2018-09-18T14:11:01Z")
Yes, however it’s not my preferred method of picking something up. Probably because I’m generally only completely barefoot in bed and I’m not going to bother taking off my socks and shoes to pick up a dropped pair of keys, for example. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/32 "2018-09-18T14:17:35Z")
I’m kind of surprised I didn’t answer this the first time around… But yeah, I have the “monkey toes” as my family calls them (and apparently everyone else). I can pick stuff up between my big toe and index-toe, or between my little toe and ring-toe. I can also move my big toes and little toes independently from the rest of my foot and from each other, and I can somewhat move my index toes by themselves as well. I have very little control over my middle toes and ring toes except to contract and extend them as a unit though. I can also drum my toes in sequence like an impatient person drums their fingers. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/33 "2018-09-18T16:30:32Z")
I have a slight ability in this department but even that amazes people. Try it, you’ll like it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/34 "2018-09-18T16:40:22Z")
I used to use the term “pedidextrous”…until someone replied “You molest children with _both_ hands?” ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/35 "2018-09-18T16:52:57Z")
> [@onesyphorus](#): > > Pedactyloids sounds more like a dino(saur) or something… anyways… Well this thread _is_ old enough to qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/36 "2018-09-18T20:10:34Z")
The correct word is probably not “handy”, but the skill is. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/37 "2018-09-18T20:29:41Z")
Well when I was growing up, we called it ‘toe-bidextrous’ cause…well it sounded right lol ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/38 "2018-09-18T21:57:30Z")
So I’m both a pedacytloid and a heterochrome. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/39 "2018-09-18T22:51:43Z")
Why yes, I do have prehensile toes. And when I sidle up to women at the supermarket and inform them of my dexterity, they are suitably impressed. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2018, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176/40 "2018-09-19T00:49:58Z")
I can pick up things with my _feet._ Tacks, broken glass, bits of wire… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/there-an-exact-name-for-people-who-can-pick-up-things-with-their-toes-and-can-you/323176.md?page=3)