purchasing an american toad.

[pachoulzy]

i've been searching the internet for a couple of months now, looking for a captive bred american toad to buy and keep. all of the 'big name' sites i've looked into have been "sold out" for months, every time i check. is there a certain time of year that more of these little ones come out on the market? does anyone know of any reputable breeders that ship? it seems like such a common little critter but i'm having no luck in my searches, haha. i'm guessing more websites will have greater availability in the spring, but i just want to be sure i'm not missing something.

[MatthewM1]

In many states it is illegal to breed/sell native species so thats why its often alot easier to find exotic species. If you want an american toad your best bet is to collect it as a tadpole/froglet.

[pachoulzy]

i'm considering that, now. generally online sellers will ship anywhere regardless of state laws on certain species because it's technically the buyer at fault. a friend of mine informed me of this after purchasing a young alligator for educational purposes (she has a permit, etc). it is, however, illegal to sell them in brick and mortar shops like petsmart, etc. i just assumed they were a seasonal sell online because all of the websites simply say 'out of stock' with no extra information on this type of toad.
i live about 30 feet from a cranberry bog, so perhaps in early spring i'll make my first venture into collecting a wild tadpole. (:

[MatthewM1]

Its a really awesome process to watch. And when collecting them that young you aren't likely taking one that would have made it to adulthood to breed anyways.