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Thread: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

  1. #1
    Aris Sokratov
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    Default Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    First post.

    I was wondering if my 3 toads (not sure if American or Southern but they look like Southern) are sick or hibernating for winter and how that process goes? I caught them here in Florida during the end of summer and the last few months they've been constantly hungry, eating a few times a week all the bugs I could throw at them. About 3 weeks ago, they began digging in their trenches pretty much all day and barely coming out. They will not eat anything which is what concerns me and are losing quite a bit of weight. I've even tried to manually give them food or wait until they surfaced to feed them, but no go, the worms/crickets/cockroaches all end up in the water bowl.

    My substrate is natural dirt from where I found them mixed with finely ground walnut shells that were purchased at the pet store. After a few weeks, I took tank temperature at 68 degrees and bought a heat pad that covers half the tank which brought temperature directly above the pad to 81 degrees.

    How should I proceed and care for them during these months? I have a lot of experience with African Clawed Frogs, but this is my first adventure with toads.

    Thanks
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  3. #2
    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
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    Default Re: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    Quote Originally Posted by Aris Sokratov View Post
    First post.

    I was wondering if my 3 toads (not sure if American or Southern but they look like Southern) are sick or hibernating for winter and how that process goes? I caught them here in Florida during the end of summer and the last few months they've been constantly hungry, eating a few times a week all the bugs I could throw at them. About 3 weeks ago, they began digging in their trenches pretty much all day and barely coming out. They will not eat anything which is what concerns me and are losing quite a bit of weight. I've even tried to manually give them food or wait until they surfaced to feed them, but no go, the worms/crickets/cockroaches all end up in the water bowl.

    My substrate is natural dirt from where I found them mixed with finely ground walnut shells that were purchased at the pet store. After a few weeks, I took tank temperature at 68 degrees and bought a heat pad that covers half the tank which brought temperature directly above the pad to 81 degrees.

    How should I proceed and care for them during these months? I have a lot of experience with African Clawed Frogs, but this is my first adventure with toads.

    Thanks
    Hi,
    Cute- They look so gentle

    The question as to Southern or Americans should probably be solved first. Just in the case there are any ( even slightly) different needs. There territories overlap in the wild . Since they were ‘caught ‘ in Fla, I suppose you could assume they are Southern?
    I'm sure you know that there is a specific way to prepare them for this. Adding the heat ??? Just don't know. It could be confusing their biological clock since they are recently wild caught.

    Are they digging backwards in the dirt?
    Are they coming back out ,at all at night? Have you gotten up to peak?

    Southern Toad ( Bufo terristris)
    As far as I know (I have never cared for this species of toads) In the wild, it will burrow during the day, eat at night, and needs a constant water source.

    American toad (Bufo americanus)
    So similar, will also want cover in burrows etc, in the wild as well..on a regular basis.. I played with these as a child in the NY Catskills. We used to have contests as to who could find the most in one day. They always chose a spot to burrow during the day. They would be in the same spots all summer...a burrow.. and then likely ‘dig in for the winter’. Always around a body of water , naturally. They used to pick spots I could hardly believe they could even squeeze their chubby bodies into ! The were not out during the day, we use to flip big shale pieces and fallen logs to find them.... commonly near a bog on the property.

    Maybe put a photo of the rest of their enclosure up?
    Could they simply be in need of more vegetation, places to burrow naturally and access to a different kind of water set-up?

    Other FF members keeping these species can help more if you could describe their enclosure and care more specifically.

    Have you found much research information regarding their care in captivity. Perhaps a zoo? Check out Atlanta Botanical Gardens. There may be a person there you could actually contact; as they are so passionate about what they do !


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  4. #3
    Aris Sokratov
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    Default Re: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    "Adding the heat ??? Just don't know. It could be confusing their biological clock since they are recently wild caught."

    Yeah I woke up this morning to them all crowded in the dirt on the side of the tank where the heat pad is not, making me think the pet store advice to get the heat pad wasn't accurate. After all, it is Florida, and 70-75 during the day but down to 60 at night.

    Interesting thing to note is that they all stopped eating simultaneously as the temperature dropped so it may be a hibernation thing.

    "Are they digging backwards in the dirt?
    Are they coming back out ,at all at night? Have you gotten up to peak?"


    They dig backwards when they burrow in. They blend in and turn camouflage a little bit with surroundings too, so it's easy to lose them. Sometimes they come out at night and can be found in the morning when I wake up, and sometimes they roam during the day but not often and they never eat. Food is always in the tank's water bowl in the morning.

    As for the type of toad, I'm thinking southern judging from photos looked up online, but the two are hard to tell apart. I'm also assuming the same species as they successfully have mated for about 6 days (They got the life).

    "Maybe put a photo of the rest of their enclosure up?
    Could they simply be in need of more vegetation, places to burrow naturally and access to a different kind of water set-up?"

    Photos attached but they're hard to see. I don't have any vegetation as their tank is about 2ftx1ft or so and I don't want them too enclosed, but there's a small concrete slab for easy eating before the worms get into the soil and don't come out. Water bowl changed every other day or so and big enough to fit all three. Since substrate is dirt and almond, they can burrow no problem.

    "Oh ! Welcome to Frog Forum !
    Lynn"

    Thank you for all your help. I just dont' want them to starve.
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    Super Moderator flybyferns's Avatar
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    Default Re: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    Current Collection
    Dendrobates leucomelas - standard morph
    Dendrobates auratus “Costa Rican Green Black"
    Dendrobates auratus "Pena Blanca"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “New River”
    Dendrobates tinctorius "Green Sipaliwini"
    Dendrobates tinctorius “Powder Blue"
    Dendrobates tinctorius "French Guiana Dwarf Cobalt"

    Phyllobates terribilis “Mint”
    Phyllobates terribilis "Orange"
    Phyllobates bicolor "Uraba"

    Oophaga pumilio "Black Jeans"
    Oophaga pumilio "Isla Popa"
    Oophaga pumilio "Bastimentos"
    Oophaga pumilio “Mimbitimbi”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Colubre"
    Oophaga pumilio "Red Frog Beach”
    Oophaga pumilio "Rio Branco"
    Oophaga pumilio “Valle del Rey”
    Oophaga pumilio "BriBri"
    Oophaga pumilio "El Dorado"
    Oophaga pumilio "Cristobal"
    Oophaga pumilio "Rambala"

    Oophaga “Vicentei” (blue)

    Oophaga sylvatica "Paru"
    Oophaga sylvatica "Pata Blanca"
    Oophaga histrionica “Redhead”
    Oophaga histrionica "Blue"
    Oophaga lehmanni "Red"
    Oophaga histrionica "Tado"

    Ranitomeya variabilis "Southern"
    Ranitomeya imitator "Varadero"
    Ranitomeya sirensis "Lower Ucayali"
    Ranitomeya vanzolinii

    http://www.fernsfrogs.com
    https://www.facebook.com/ferns.frogs

  6. #5

    Default Re: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    Quote Originally Posted by Aris Sokratov View Post
    As for the type of toad, I'm thinking southern judging from photos looked up online, but the two are hard to tell apart.
    Here's a list of Florida inhabitants Florida Wildlife Extension at UF/IFAS

    You shouldn't have American toads that far south.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aris Sokratov View Post
    I'm also assuming the same species as they successfully have mated for about 6 days (They got the life).
    That's no guarantee they're the same species as toads will often try to mate with anything, including human limbs that get too close to the breeding pool.

    I'm not much help on their care, so I'll just say good luck.

  7. #6
    100+ Post Member kueluck's Avatar
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    Default Re: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    I have Fowlers, Southern & American together in a 40 gallon breeder tank. They have 4 to 6 inch of organic soil mixed with eco earth, topped with leaves and moss to help hold some moisture in the soil. Some of them will stay underground for several months at a time, others several weeks. When they are ready, they come up to soak, eat and then go back underground until spring. I change the water every day and put fresh roaches in just in case someone shows up. They also prefer temps 62 to 76 (cooler temps at night), I would be afraid the UTH would dry out the substrate and make the tank to hot. I'm no expert, but this is what works for me and my toads. Once they go underground they do move around, so I keep one end a little moister than the other one.

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  8. #7
    Wormwood
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    Default Re: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    If you don't them to dig so much fill that tank with wooden hides, logs they can semi burry under, plants. Toads love to dig to feel safe and if there isn't anything for them to dig under they will most often fully bury under the substrate.

  9. #8
    Locascio
    Guest

    Default Re: Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

    your going to need a bigger cage for them i own/find so meany of them in my back yard in fla ive even gone so far as to put a pond in my back yard thay rome far and wide at night and some times i wont see some of my big ones for weeks and on e day thay show uup at the pond to get food and breed thay look really good tho keep up the good job i would just suggest useing a 55gl

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