My Animal Collection: How a Herpetologist Keeps American Toads and Related Species, Part III
Hello Frank Indiviglio here.Please see Parts I and 2 of this article for information on housing and diet. Today I’ll conclude with some thoughts on toads in community terrariums and the wild.
Tank mates
American toads are quite peaceful towards one another, but larger animals will nudge others from food, so keep an eye on them at feeding time. The conditions favored by toads are also suited to a number of other interesting creatures, and their diets and temperaments suit them ideally to community terrariums.
Compatible animals include spotted, tiger, marbled, slimy and other terrestrial salamanders (see photo), wood frogs (see photo), gray, barking, green and other native treefrogs and land snails. Assuming that space permits the establishment of a warm basking area (without over-heating the toads), you can also house a number of small reptiles with American toads. I have had kept them with 5-lined skinks, Italian wall lizards, green anoles, DeKay’s (brown) snakes, ring-necked snakes and smooth green snakes. There are other possible toad-companions as well – please write in if you would like more suggestions.
Free-Living Pets
American toads will utilize favored burrows for years on end, with wild individuals documented as remaining within the same territory for over 20 years. If you have a population living nearby, encourage the toads to stay nearby by providing a shallow, easily-exited pool and some retreats in the form of half-buried, inverted clay flower pots. Resident toads will learn to gather at an outdoor light in hopes of an insect meal, and will otherwise delight you with their comings and goings.
Please write in with your questions and thoughts on keeping native amphibians. Thanks, until next time, Frank Indiviglio.
We know little about the movements of adult amphibians, but it does seem that American toads are usually found within a limited home range, so one can become quite familiar with the individuals resident in a garden or similar area. An interesting article on the home ranges of American toads is posted at:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3845/is_/ai_n17183721
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about 1 month ago
Hi Mr. Indiviglio,
Haven’t written in a while as things have been going very well. We did release one more toad after he showed signs of trouble. We still have one toad and one gray tree frog. I was just reading your comment on RO water which I did not know would be bad. That is what we have been using. I feel silly that I did not ask about it. Would well water be ok? It does not have the red iron in it but it does have lime and calcium. Or you mention adding back trace elements, how is this done?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Sue
about 1 month ago
Hello Amanda,
My pleasure…. I’m assuming that you keep fish and make your own RO? If so, use the water as you would for fish (usually a packet of salts etc is provided). If you are buying the water, check that it is ready for use with fish. Stress coat is a good idea as well. Usually, tap water is fine unless very hard – just be sure to use an Instant DeChlorinating Product.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 month ago
Hello Sue, Frank Indiviglio here.
Nice to hear from you again. The trace elements are those that come with RO units, and which are added to the water before it is used for tropical fishes. It’s a real concern with aquatic amphibs, more of a precaution w/toads so probably no harm done. Hard water is not great for most amphibians, except those specifically adapted to it. Bottled spring water is a useful option if your tap water is hard – Deer Park & Poland Spring are safe, noit sure if any others are drawn from hard water sources.
Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 month ago
We have super hard water, so we have a water softener. For this reason, we have a RO system for drinking water. Probably over kill, but…We do have tropical fish- mainly discus. I just cleaned Sir Toad’s tank out, washed and rinsed well, and gave him some more RO water with stress coat and the trace minerals you add to the water for discus. He burrowed into the bedding stuff and looks happy. I’m going to the pet store tonight for some vitamins and such for him. Hopefully, he will perk up and slim down a bit. He looks absolutely pitiful with his puffy belly and one eye. I have yet to hear him make a peep. Thanks for the information.
about 1 month ago
Hello Amanda,
Thanks for the feedback; sounds like you’re doing everything right; Best to use a powdered vitamin mineral supplement once weekly to start off, so as not to shock/overload his system. Can go to 2-3 x week, then back to once weekly if you introduce other types of insects, esp. wild-caught.
Toads are generally fairly rotund – bloating if different, often related to a bacterial infection. However, he would not likely be feeding if this were the case.
Good luck with him and the discus also, wonderful fish…Please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.