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Thread: Incilius alvarius double check. Should I be concerned about gut parasites impeding weight gain?

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    Default Incilius alvarius double check. Should I be concerned about gut parasites impeding weight gain?

    Hi folks. New to posting here but I've done a fair bit of reading. Great stuff.

    A little background. I had a desert toad previously from 2006 until 2014 when I made a major move and had to re-home him. "Mesmer" was always super healthy and I think that qualifies me as knowing a bit about these toads and their care.

    About 2 and a half months ago I got two new toads. This time I went with a (captive-bred) pair and I'm glad I did. They are super used to each other and I think they find the toady company reassuring. The male "Rx McToadin"" (pronounced Rex) is about 4 1/2" and the female "Goldie Showers" is a little over 4".

    When I got them the male was way too thin and the female a little to thin. I have been pounding supplemented crickets into them and they are both looking pretty great now. Here's the thing: I can't remember how many crickets Mesmer ate when he was their size. It was over a decade ago and I lost my logs. I am now feeding them 48 crickets a week each to maintain their weight and it just seems like a lot.

    My working theory is that the loads of food and supplements have triggered rapid growth spurts in both toads and they are simply using the calories to grow instead of packing on weight. They are shedding every week or so which also seems like a lot. I know they are way more healthy after the supplements as it is evident by their far better hunting skills. They are now way more accurate and their tongues are sticky enough to grab bugs effectively.

    fyi I feed them three times a week. I alternate plain calcium dustings with vitamin dustings. When its vitamin day I rotate through Nekton Rep, Rep-Cal Herptivite and Zoo-Med Reptivite. This means three calcium dustings and 1 dusting of each brand of vitamins every two weeks.

    These toads do everything right as far as I can see to indicate they are healthy critters but I sure want whats best for them. Should I be concerned with them eating 48 a week each just to maintain the same visual "fatness"? Should I give them a de-worming or de-parasiting of some sort just to be sure they are not being prevented from gaining weight correctly? Am I just over-thinking this and fast growing toads need lots of crickets? Thanks for your replies!

    ps - they still haven't got the grasp of what to do with night crawlers but I will be adding them and rodents to their diet as well. I gave Mesmer worms once every 2 weeks or so and one rodent a month. As I mentioned, he was super extra healthy always.

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