Context:
I've owned beardies for six years and wanted to get into owning amphibians. I've looked into getting cane toads but am skeptical if I should get some. Upon my research, I've encountered a number of problems. One, I'm having trouble finding a good place to get them; I've looked online and the only sellers I've found are backwater reptiles, underground reptiles, and reptile city. I have heard bad reviews about all three and am reluctant to buy from them. I do have a family friend who has a pond full of them in Hawaii (She didn't put them there) however I'm not sure customs are cool about shipping the invasive species (even if they are leaving the islands). Another problem is their poison; I know it's not that bad for humans (i don't plan to lick them) but I'm concerned about my cats. I don't want a $400 vet bill when I accidentally forget to wash my hands or if one hops out of my hands.
Question:
Does anyone have information on where to get cane toads or if it is legal to import them from Hawaii? Should I be concerned about other pets ingesting their poison? Is there another large amphibian species that would make a better pet?
Thank You for reading
Hello and welcome to FrogForum! Cane Toads are wonderful animals but they do have some major drawbacks. First off there aren’t many good breeders out there, since they are so abundant and invasive elsewhere. I’d really only recommend buying captive bred animals. Second, the toad’s toxin can be deadly to your cat AND to you. Only get a cane toad if you are ready to deal with the possibility of a dead cat or serious illness for you. Overall cane toads are great but should only be kept by keepers with decades of experience and in a place completely away from other pets. The colorado river toad has similar problems. If you’re looking for a large toad species the smooth sided toad has no deadly toxin (at least i don’t think so someone feel free to correct me) and joshs frogs has them and other toads captive bred. I would look into something like that. But my main point is male bo mistake the cane toad’s toxin IS that bad for humans
Litoria caerulea 1.1.0 (White's Tree Frog)
Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis 0.1.0 (Anerythristic Honduran Milk Snake) Tliltocatl albopilosus 0.0.2 (Curly Hair Tarantula)
Aphonopelma hentzi 0.0.1 (Texas Brown Tarantula)
Avicularia avicularia 0.0.2 (Pinktoe Tarantula)
Brachypelma smithi ex. annitha 0.0.1 (Mexican Giant Red Knee Tarantula) Monocentropus balfouri 0.0.2 (Socotra Island Blue Baboon Tarantula)
Harpactira pulchripes 0.0.1 (Golden Blue Leg Baboon Tarantula)
Thank you for your suggestion. Just to clarify when I meant not that bad I was referring to skin contact not being dangerous. I know Wikipedia is not always the most reputable source but "The smooth-sided toad secretes a toxin from a gland behind their eyes known as a bufotoxin, it has been known to cause heart failure in humans if ingested. This toxin is the toad's main line of defense against predators." As much as I've loved playing with wild toads in the past I feel like amphibians aren't the right pets for my household. I'm probably going to get something that would do better with handling and other pets. Probably a tortoise.
I second what Eli said above. Please be aware that they are DEADLY to your pets if ingested. They are amazing animals to keep as pets and will eat almost anything you put in front of them. They. Also are fairly easy to keep. Good luck.
The issue is if you or your cat are going to bite the toad. But I also don't believe in buying wild caught if it can be avoided (this species is only available commercially as wild caught). You might consider an African Bullfrog. Captive bred babies are always available, and while they might bite you if you're not careful, they are not toxic.
Founder of Frogforum.net (2008) and Caudata.org (2001)
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