Scaphiopus couchii

[Niels D]

I've kept them cold and dry last winter. When it got hotter I made the tank more moist. I prepared a rainchamber and when a storm came I put them in it hoping I could trick them into amplexus. I didn't hear any calls though and they were all about the same size. I'm affraid they were all females. With my new youngster I hope to have a male. I'm going to try the same thing next year. I'm also trying to get more animals.

Isn't there anyone who has bred them?

[John]

Not many people keep them because they are a rare find (they only come out in tropical storms) and they have a (deserved) reputation as being poor pets.

[Niels D]

I know. Most of the time they're burrowed in the soil. Only in spring and summer do they appear.... at night. It's pretty amazing to watch them eat though and I find them really beautifull. Look at these foxy ladies!

[Niels D]

Last autumn there was a fellow keeper who didn't want his animals anymore so we bought them from him. We fed them well and they stayed in the newt and salamander room this winter, where they experienced temperatures of 10C. This week we put all of them in a tank with a terrestrial area and a aquatic area. It's standing outside and rain can fall into the pool area. It's pretty hot right now and we've had some rain. After they spent a couple of hours in the tank I could here the males call (what a sound!). This is what the tank looks like:


Yesterday we witnessed the following:

It's no guarantee, but it's a better sighn that I've seen so far!

[Kristen]

Goodluck! I hope your efforts are successful

[Tropicok]

Nice to see an article on spadefoots. I acquired a rescue spadefoot after a youngster captured one and then couldn't get it to eat. He took it to the local reptile store and the owner called me. I think it's a Plains spadefoot and I've never had a problem getting it to eat. Darling little critter. I do have to get it a bigger tank.
Alice

[lindsayshocking]

I have four Couch's (1 male, 3 females). I've never been able to get them to breed. The only spadefoots I've had that seem to even be remotely interested in breeding in captivity are my New Mexico Spadefoots. My male always knows when it's summer time and he comes out and serenades me all night. My female never lays eggs, though. They just end up having "fun".

The main problem I think you will find trying to breed them is that they need to follow their natural cues. Since spadefoots spend 10+ months in aestivation, I'm assuming you would need to get them to stay in their burrows for that length of time where they wouldn't eat and basically be in a cocoon. I'm not certain how you would artificially create that in captivity. My main worry would be that they wouldn't get enough water in their burrows and they'd dry out. I've had spadefoots for years, and they never go into aestivation. It might be because they have a steady supply of water and food.

I'd do a little research on how to force them into aestivation. That might be a good place to start.

Good luck! Let me know how it goes.