Can Pacific Tree Frog & California Toad live together?

[busytiredmom4]

I have 1 frog & 3 toads. Male Pacific Tree Frog (raised since tadpole), possible female California toad (caught as juvenile in wild), and 2 fire belly toads (1 female and 1 possible male) from pet store. Right now, I have FBTs in own tank, while I have kept the tree frog and California toad in same tank. They've lived this way since they were both juveniles (both same age) and they don't bother each other. I've had many people on here say that's not good because the toad will attack my tree frog. I can never see her doing this because they were raised together and are well fed. They stay to themselves and neither one is agressive towards the other. One thing, however, is my male tree frog calls ALL the time and it seems like he does it when toadie tries to climb on his tree branch or invading his personal space. But my toad just likes to climb (he thinks he's a tree frog too!), he's not climbing after him to bother him.

I know these kind of toads aren't really social meaning they don't have to be grouped or paired like my fire bellied toads. I think toadie would get lonely and possibly stressed if I seperate these two because that's all he knows. I know he has the paratoid gland and there is a risk of the toxins, but I've heard that they only use it when being attacked or freaked out. Also, if I do need to seperate them, is there another type of toad that would be good for him to be paired with? What about my tree frog? He's very social and actually likes to be handled and carried around. I think he'd be more unhappy if seperated than the toad. What are some good pairings for a pacific tree frog? I've heard that any tree frog would be good. Any input would be appreciated.

[ViperJr]

I have 1 frog & 3 toads. Male Pacific Tree Frog (raised since tadpole), possible female California toad (caught as juvenile in wild), and 2 fire belly toads (1 female and 1 possible male) from pet store. Right now, I have FBTs in own tank, while I have kept the tree frog and California toad in same tank. They've lived this way since they were both juveniles (both same age) and they don't bother each other. I've had many people on here say that's not good because the toad will attack my tree frog. I can never see her doing this because they were raised together and are well fed. They stay to themselves and neither one is agressive towards the other. One thing, however, is my male tree frog calls ALL the time and it seems like he does it when toadie tries to climb on his tree branch or invading his personal space. But my toad just likes to climb (he thinks he's a tree frog too!), he's not climbing after him to bother him.

I know these kind of toads aren't really social meaning they don't have to be grouped or paired like my fire bellied toads. I think toadie would get lonely and possibly stressed if I seperate these two because that's all he knows. I know he has the paratoid gland and there is a risk of the toxins, but I've heard that they only use it when being attacked or freaked out. Also, if I do need to seperate them, is there another type of toad that would be good for him to be paired with? What about my tree frog? He's very social and actually likes to be handled and carried around. I think he'd be more unhappy if seperated than the toad. What are some good pairings for a pacific tree frog? I've heard that any tree frog would be good. Any input would be appreciated.

First of all, like I said in your other thread, no need to spam the forum by creating a lot of identical threads. One is enough.


You should keep the two species separated. There are several reasons for this:

1. The parotoids gland, like you said yourself, are a danger.

2. Each frog species creates a secrete from their skin that is potentially harmful to other species, even if they do not touch each other. Since they live in the same terrarium, the animals get in touch with the secrete via the interior, the water etc. Basically, it can be consider as they are slowly poisoning each other.

3. Both of species can be very stressed by this, which is very dangerous when dealing with amphibians. Stress makes them more likely to get a disease of some sort.

Moreover, there are some things to clear out. Neither of your frogs can be describe with words like:
Unhappy, lonely, likes to be handled (or carried around)
These are human feelings that you are using to describe reactions in a very simple animal that simply can not feel these things as we can. Therefore, you frog will not be unhappy if you separate them. You toad will not be lonely. However, it's likely that they'll live a healthier life.

Lastly, I strongly believe that you should not use any other frog to house with them. Amphibians are simply not good community animals, therefore put one species of animal per tank, and you'll get the healthiest animal. If you want more "friends" (once again, the frogs will not consider them as friends), add more frogs of the same species (as long as the terrarium is suitable for more frogs, and the species can be house with more than one animal of the same species).

Best of luck!