My Animal Collection: How a Herpetologist Keeps American Toads, Bufo (Anaxyrus) americanus and Related Species, Part II

Hello Bill, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog.

The condition you describe is quite common, especially among newly transformed American toads. I’ve run across it myself when raising large batches for a release program in NYC.

There may be 2 things going on. Difficulty in using the rear legs is sometimes linked to a calcium or other deficiency, but efforts to reverse it, at least in small toads, have proven unsuccessful. Using supplements helps, but in actuality we really do not know what most species, especially North American natives, need. Tadpole nutrition is another area that needs investigation. Poorly nourished tads may transform, but then die several weeks later…I’ve had this happen on a number of occasions over the years, with several species, even the relatively indestructible African clawed frogs.

Bloating is, as you suspect, usually a by product of a bacterial infection…frogs already weakened by a nutritional deficiency may be more likely to become infected with bacteria that healthier clutch mates fight off – hence both symptoms in 1 toad. This is based mainly on anecdotal evidence, but does seem to happen time and time again, and with several species.

Another point to bear in mind is that, among species that lay huge clutches, a great many tadpoles will not survive even under the best of circumstances. Some turtle species lay infertile eggs, apparently to satiate predators and take attention away from viable ones…I have no hard evidence, but I would not be surprised to learn that weaker tadpoles serve a similar function (someday someone will publish this, and I’ll say….”I thought so, but….!”.

I would suggest providing the tads and metamorphs with as much variety as possible; I’ve had good luck with Tetramin Food Flakes and kale pre-soaked in hot water for tads. Metamorphs probably consume dozens of leaf litter invertebrate species in the wild, complicating our job in raising them. If time permits, you might try collecting leaf litter inverts – please see my article on Leaf Litter Invertebrate Use for more details.

You and your partner have undertaken an admirable task…Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Laurie, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog and the welfare of your unfortunate patient!

Bacterial/fungal infections are the main problems, but the steps you are taking should take care of that. Damp paper towels are good in that regard…the toad will be stressed if unable to burrow, however, so be sure to provide a small cave or broken clay flowerpot. I’d suggest a small bowl of water and daily spraying of the enclosure and animal, rather than removal for soaking, as such may stress it. Use an instant de-chlorinator in the water.

Many native species do go off feed even if kept warm in the winter, although toads tend not to be as strictly controlled by “internal clocks”. It may just be stress or the effects of the injury, so try feeding from time to time. At average room temps., it’s caloric needs will be quite small. Hibernating toads in captivity is a bit risky, especially as regards sick animals.

Toads have a nictitating membrane that can be moved back and forth across the eye – this may be the film you are seeing. If it is stuck, veterinary assistance would be needed to set it back in place. It may allow for some vision, however, so keep trying for awhile. Toads hunt by sight, but will snap at insects that bang up against them (not easy to arrange, however).

As you may know, ingesting a toad can be fatal for a dog…most spit them out due to the foul taste, however.

Good luck with the toad and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Laurie, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for the feedback and kind words.

I would use small crickets (sold as “½ inch size” usually) as adults may chew on the toad if it is debilitated. Once it starts to feed we can talk about a balanced diet.

Well water may be very hard…which tends not to be good for amphibians (although not in all cases)…and it’s difficult to judge tap water without knowing what sort of conditioners, type of softener etc. Since the toad will not require much water, you might be better off using bottled water – Poland Springs or such (but not distilled, this leaches body salts/minerals).

A visit to the vet you mention would be a very good idea, perhaps the one eye can be saved if it is indeed a membrane problem.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Laurie, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for the feedback.

It’s very difficult to medicate amphibians; even in zoos losses are high. You did the best you could.

I’ve definitely seen tortoises that have taken time to adjust to new surroundings, they are very aware of changes; also the beak trimming, while necessary, would be an additional source of stress.

Some Russian tortoises cease to feed in the winter, even if kept warm…this is particularly common re individuals whose wild-caught ancestors originated the northern portions of their range. However, given that that animal was not well cared for, it may very well have some health problems – a person feeding it lettuce only was undoubtedly making other serious mistakes. A vet visit, blood tests, cloacal wash and such would be advisable. Calcium, Vit D/B levels are no doubt low; your vet will have other thoughts/recommendations as well.

You may want to provide a basking site warmed by an overhead lamp – floor heat can be useful, but it will not usually warm the air very much above ambient, and basking under a light will likely be more familiar to the tortoise.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Amanda, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog. Very interesting to hear that the toad is calling – perhaps he senses the increased day-length, and the warmth of the house has pushed forward his “internal clock” – first instance of such that I can recall.

It would be best to keep him indoors for a time. They are very territorial, gravitate to the same hibernation areas each year (may reach 20 yrs of age in wild). They also need to burrow down below the soil when cold weather hits – this would likely be impossible right now in the frigid land you hearty folks call home! Getting caught in a cold snap might also be a problem, especially if he is disoriented from his time indoors. In southern NY, I use mid-April as a safe release time, I’d say at least then or later in Chicago.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Kyrie, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog.

A film as you describe is usually mucus, and may be released when the toad is too dry or in preparation for hibernation. Unfortunately, it can also be in reaction to any number of parasites or illnesses (as a skin protectant), but it is almost impossible to know if this is the case without a veterinary exam/fecal tests etc.

Please send in some additional info on its feeding history, temperature, humidity and such and I’ll try to offer some specific advice,

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Kyrie,

Thanks for the feedback. Toads do consume their skin when shedding, but unshed skin would be recognizable as such – sort of like damp tissue paper; if this is what you may have seen, it could be that the toad is too weak to finish.

It’s tricky to tell hibernation/slowdown from illness. Toads usually keep feeding indoors in winter, even at 65F or so, but adults may go off feed, due to an “internal clock”. Yours may just be slowing down, but not in true winter mode as he is feeding – this can throw off his behavior – his body clock says “winter”, but temps are high. Usually they do okay and perk up in spring.

However, limpness etc can indicate a number of problems…most common is a calcium deficiency, but only a vet exam can tell you for sure. If you are not doing so, begin powdering all meals with supplements, alternate between Reptivite w/D3 and Reptocal. Best to feed several small meals each week, otherwise the uneaten crickets lose their supplement coating. Please see this article on Cricket Diets as well. Try to vary his diet – waxworms, earthworms, sow bugs can all be ordered via internet; collect wild insects as well as mentioned in the article. Toads are good at adjusting their metabolisms to suit diet – 15 small crickets /week may be fine assuming the toad is not obese – young ones rarely get too heavy, they have large appetites.

Good luck and please let me know if you need anything further.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Kyrie, Frank Indiviglio here.

My pleasure, thanks for the kind words.

Waxworms are best kept in a bowl sunk into the substrate, otherwise they burrow down. You can do either with sow bugs, they will come out at night and also are good scavengers. No need to powder them – they are crustaceans, related to crabs, and high in Calcium. You can also breed them – please see Raising Sowbugs. Mealworms are not great, unless newly molted (white) but mealworm beetles are a good food source, please see Raising Mealworms for more info.

Good luck and please let me know how the toad makes out,

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Jonathan, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks and same to you; nice to hear from you again.

The first frogs to call in your area (early/mid March on) are spring peepers (high peep) and wood frogs (like ducks/clacking). Spotted salamanders often use the same pools at the same time. Leopard and Pickerel frogs may be mixed in, populations localized. Click Here for recordings of these and some other frogs native to NJ (not all shown are native, and wood frog is not recorded).
Bull, Green and Gray Tree Frogs breed later, sometimes through early summer.

American toads will be roused by the rains also, but do not usually breed until April. Size depends largely upon diet, but 1-2 yearlings could likely fit on a quarter.

A small child’s pool or similar container sunk into the ground works well, aeration/ filtration may not be needed, but will give better results..predators can be a problem, however – raccoons, herons, etc. Or you can raise them indoors and then transfer to a sunken pool just before they transform. Pond water works well, as it will have lots of infusoria, algae, etc. If filtering aerating, you can up their food intake, provide lots of algae-based tablets, kale, etc. I can send product samples (filters, etc for indoor/outdoor use if you’d like).

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hi Johnathan,

Sorry for the news – I would suspect the algae, but the tadpoles could have been carrying a parasite/disease that took some time to incubate – unfortunately hard to tell, they are likely wild caught.

I hope the next batch does fine, please let me know,

Best, Frank

Hello Kyrie, Frank Indiviglio here.

The arm problem may be related to calcium/Vit D; the slime is more difficult to figure – at this point a vet exam would be the only way of diagnosing the problems. I can try to provide a reference to a herp-experienced vet if that might be helpful.

Good luck and please let me know if you need further information.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello James, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog and your comment.

As you say, there are a great many factors to consider – excess mucus/frequent shedding is a disease response common to many conditions, the leg issue may be related to diet but again there is much we do not yet understand. Proper environment is “health care” with all animals, although a diagnosis is important in cases such as this.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Jackie, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog. Nice of you to consider the toads before planting…

There’s not really any concerns with toxic plants; however, new plantings can change the environment which the toads no find satisfactory. Attracting different insect species, encouraging more/less leaf fall or shade/sun can render the area less suitable and perhaps cause them to move off. Hard to say, however, unless one were to do a careful survey of the area.

I would avoid major digging, as you might disturb their hibernation sites (toads tend to use the same areas each year. Evergreens should not be planted, as the needles change the leaf-litter community drastically. Also beware of grasses, bamboo or other plants that send out dense root networks –m these would prevent the toads from burrowing below the soil during the day and for extended dry periods.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Angelina, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog.

Although the problem could be vision related, what is more commonly seen is an inability to properly contract the muscles and “aim” at the insect; this may be related to a nutritional problem – most often a calcium deficiency. It often occurs in frogs and toads, more so that with other herps.

Try powdering all foods with supplements – alternate between Reptivite with D3 and Reptocal. If you pinch the crickets’ rear legs at the “knee”, the cricket will shed the leg, making it easier to catch (this doesn’t seem to bother the cricket, as it is a normal defense reaction – they will feed right after shedding legs as if all is fine).

Force-feeding is also possible, but try above first – please write back if you need force-feeding info.

Experienced vets can also administer calcium Gluconate injections.

Good luck and please keep me posted,

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio

Hello Jonathan, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for the update. Pond water is a good idea; kale has more nutrition than lettuce, and is a very good basic diet – soak in hot water for 10 min or so, best not to boil as nutrients are lost. Dandelion is also a good choice.

The tadpoles could be Am Toads, in the wild they eat 24/7, and take in a greater variety of foods than we can provide in captivity. Also, decreasing water levels in vernal pools stimulates appetite/growth, so that they can transform rapidly (tiger salamander larvae actually develop different teeth and mouth structures at such time, and begin to eat each other). One inch is getting near the upper size limit for toads..in vernal ponds in Essex the tads could also be gray treefrog or woodfrog, check for extern al gills, this would indicate salamander larvae – marbled, spotted and several others occur there , and reach 2-3 inches.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Michael, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog. It would be best if you wrote back with a few more details – type of terrarium (substrate, moisture level, hiding spot, size, etc) and type of insects being offered.

However, in general it is best to leave the toad alone (not try to get its attention, not handle it) at first and to be sure it has a cave to hide in or moss to burrow below. Crickets are the best food to start off with, as you can leave them in overnight – the toad is more likely to eat at night, or when all is quiet.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog. I’m a great fan of rambling – actually, I think your note shows deep interest and a great deal of thought regarding the care of your recued pets, keep it up!

That was indeed a mating embrace, known as “amplexus” in amphibians. Male toads sometimes latch onto females that are not carrying eggs (or even tennis balls, fish!) – so the female may not necessarily have been gravid (carrying eggs). If she was, she likely re-absorbed the eggs. But sometimes they can become egg-bound if there is not sufficient water in which to deposit the eggs. If you notice her swollen or not-feeding, please write back. They do need water in order to lay – usually a fairly large volume. Next time you might try moving them to a plastic garbage can or similar container with 4-5 inches of dechlorinated water and some plastic plants on which to rest. A drop in temperature in winter (normal household temp change may be enough) may stimulate breeding.

Sphagnum/peat is fine, but I wouldn’t change since you’ve been doing well for years – some substrates are easy to swallow, and can cause blockages. Leaves are a great idea as long as no pesticides are used, – keeps toads “busy” searching for bugs.

Newly-molted (white) mealworms are best, don’t use too many yellow ones, high chitin levels in exoskeleton; very good that you feed all and use wild caught insects. Earthworms are one of the most nutritious foods.

During times when you rely mainly on crickets, best to use supplements. In winter I powder most meals with supplements, alternating among Reptivite with D3, ReptiCalcium and ReptoCal.
Good question on the aquatic bug – toads will likely avoid them die to the odor; many species have a nasty bite as well, so best not to use.

Perhaps you would enjoy the following articles on toad learning ability and hermit crabs:
Amphibian Learning Abilities

Hermit Crab Social Behavior
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio

Hello Ookami, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for the feedback. We certainly need more people studying hermit crabs and other such creatures that don’t get nearly enough attention. I had the good fortune of working with Coconut crabs for awhile (captivity) – still much to be learned about them as well. I wish you well.

Sounds like you’re giving the toads a varied diet; supplements are most useful during the cooler seasons, when people tend to feed crickets/mealworms and little else. Also critical for young, growing toads.

Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog and sorry for your troubles.

The symptoms you describe are typical of a Calcium deficiency, which is often coupled with other nutritional disorders; Calcium Gluconate injections are the treatment of choice. A diet heavy in mealworms may also cause problems, i.e. an intestinal blockage that prevents the animal from feeding. The lump may be coincidental (a cyst or tumor perhaps) or also can be at the root of the problem.

Please check this list of Reptile/Amphibian Experienced Veterinarians in PA; if none are conveniently located, ask for a referral. If the toad recovers, please be in touch and we can discuss diet and supplements.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Kelley, Frank Indiviglio here.

My pleasure; I can refer you to a vet who consults via phone, but he would need to call a prescription in to a local vet, and the injection would need be done there; please let me know if you need that info.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Pattie, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog. Interesting question, I applaud your concern. Toads are well known for finding there way in and out of garages, basements, etc….have they been there over time, or can you find out if you are new to the home? It may just be part of their normal pattern; perhaps they enter and exit via unseen cracks in the walls, etc. toads have a natural antifreeze that allows them to survive the winter – in the wild, they go below ground but are still exposed to sub-freezing temps; the garage may be fine for overwintering. Dessication is another concern – is there a source of moisture?

If they have recently been trapped there, via an open door, then the only sure way to ensure survival would be to capture and remove them. Spraying the garage with a house after dark on a warm night and returning in a few hours, or leaving out pans of water, will encourage them to move about.

Please write back with a bit more info,

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Pattie, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for the feedback. I’d suggest a pile moist of dead leaves – this will attract them and make removal easier, and may help any that are trapped. Pans of water as well. They usually burrow deep (2 feet or so) and this would be hard to accommodate, but a leaf pile plus buffering effect of walls may help.

Hard to say if they would leave on their own, but very possible – toads live 20+ years and seem to have distinct home ranges and may use the same hibernation sites for years.

Since you need aeration, I urge you to work out a system where a screen could be left in –place somehow; rodents (deer mice, Norway rats if present, chipmunks, voles, etc.) will, without question, establish themselves and can present a significant health risk – fleas, ticks, lyme disease, etc. It would be a good idea to set traps and poison as well.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Pattie, Frank Indiviglio here.

My pleasure…and thanks so much for the kind words. I think they’ll be fine; toads are quite tough. I know of 2 Colorado River Toads that were trapped in a space under a concrete pool for at least 10 years, and emerged fat and healthy when the pool was removed; have also found American toads apparently frozen solid but which thawed out and hopped away in spring.

Please keep an eye on my articles when you can (3 new ones posted each week) and write in anytime.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Lauren, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for the interesting story; toads are very interesting to have around, aren’t they? I’ve run into a few similar cases recently. Difficult to say for sure – toads produce a natural antifreeze that helps protect them, but in your region they probably would go below 6” when it gets cold. So I think the safest course would be to relocate them – choose a warm day so that they will be active when moved. They are very territorial and so might remain in the pots even if it is not the ideal winter retreat. In spring they may return if you have the same sort of conditions available for them.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

Hello Ookami, Frank Indiviglio here.

Sorry to hear the bad news; it’s difficult to diagnose via email (or, for toads, even upon an exam) but the symptoms you describe usually indicate a bacterial infection (bloating is caused by gasses released by the bacteria). This can arise from any number of sources – perhaps a fouled water bowl or substrate; please write back with your cleaning schedule and we can talk a bit more about possibilities.

Another problem involves parasites – most wild caught toads harbor some, which in the wild may cause no problems. However, in close confines large populations can build up, leading to a severe problem.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do without medication. Please check your state in this listing of Herp Vets; if none are nearby call any within state and ask for a reference. Sadly, even with treatment most do not survive once an infection has progressed to the degree you describe. The toad will not likely soak, so it’s a good idea to spray it so that it does not dehydrate.

Sorry I cannot provide better news; please let me know how all foes and write back concerning cleaning, etc. as well.

Good luck and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.