Bufo nebulifer (Picture heavy)

[SludgeMunkey]

I am in awe of both your toads and your photography skills.

Thank you...not much skill there though....I use a cheapo Samsung SL102 camera...and spent weeks taking dark, murky pictures of very blurry critters.

But, after brushing up on digital photography on the web and at the magazine rack in the bookstore...well, the results are pretty good.

I found that the secret to using this type of camera is all about resolution. I set the camera manually to the highest resolution and largest file sizes possible. Then I take multiple pictures of the subject.
When I say multiple, these pictures are the best ones out of 30 or so!

Often, I use Google's Picassa to crop the pictures and/or brighten up the ambient lighting. This is where big picture files come in handy. My eyeball avatar is just a crop from one of the regular pictures.

[John]

Seeing as you are skipping sleeping, I hope there are no sharp implements at your job that you can have accidents with.

[SludgeMunkey]

Many! And lots of large crushing, rolling, cutting type things too!

This is actually a pretty normal Friday for me, I am usually awake for 30 or so hours straight. that way I can sleep Friday night and have all of Saturday for critter keeping time....and family time if they are lucky...

I just finished the "cage". It is 24 inches deep and buried to a depth of 18 inches. Used 1/2 inch hardware cloth. That keeps diggers out and diggers in. Now that it is in place, The enclosure pen can be placed on top of it. I have to be back at work in about an hour, so the remainder of the set up will have to wait until Saturday morning. Then pictures!

[coltiger]

Nice pics and nice toads!

[Jace]

Johnny, I just love reading your posts!! And you must have a very understanding wife!!

[SludgeMunkey]

LOL...actually, I wish I had a very understanding wife...

I have decided to wait until the next big thunderstorm to take pictures of the out door breeding set up. Might as well kill two birds with one stone I figure...

The indoor set up has been temporarily taken down as aforementioned wife suddenly wanted her laundry room back...

Good news is, I am placing my vote for these to be the finest of the American Bufo for keeping as pets. All of them are fully tame now. Both large females voluntarily climb into your hand at feeding time!

I also realized why their eyes are so beautiful. The Name Coastal Plains toad is a misnomer- These are Hypnotoads!

[John]

Good news is, I am placing my vote for these to be the finest of the American Bufo for keeping as pets. All of them are fully tame now. Both large females voluntarily climb into your hand at feeding time!

I'm impressed - how did you manage to tame them so well?

[SludgeMunkey]

Coercion and slow movements. I would only stick my hands in the enclosure during low lighting conditions. One hand always offers food, the other does the cleaning. The girls were pretty tame for toads to begin with so they were easy. The males took a bit more time, but all of them figured out where the food comes from very quickly.

I generally do not handle my herps, but in the case for the toads, I feel it is a necessary evil to maintain clean tanks while they are in quarantine.

On that note, when they are in their outdoor enclosure, I generally have to use a net to collect them up.