My students collected and brought to school several gulf coast toads over the fall semester. I have taken them home in an attempt to hibernate/brumate them, as we would love to host a successful breeding this spring here in South Texas.
The 5 toads are being housed in a 40 gallon long tank with plenty of space to burrow and hide. I fed them very well until it began to get below 40F outside, when I stopped feeding and moved the tank to a room in our house that is usually pretty cool (probably low 60s) and turned the light off. The tank is next to a window, so I'm hoping the natural light cycles will help them decide to slow down.
The toads dug down and hid for a few weeks, but now they're back up, huddling together, and looking at me! They've been this way for a couple days now. We still have another month of "winter," if you can call it that in Texas. Should I continue to withhold food and warm temps?
Bump. Looking for love (in all the wrong places).
My 2 Fowler's toads that I've have since this past July as toadlets, go underground for a few weeks, come up, pee, eat and soak then go back down. I'm in NC and we're having a real mild winter, yet they still go back underground. I run the lights 12 on 12 off, night temps around 65, day temps around 76. I suggest offering them something to eat, make sure they have water to soak in and see what they choose to do.
Love me some Texas Toadies ! San Antonio Zoo has an albino Gulf Coast on display, quiet the specimen.
Ok, quick update here. I returned the lights to their 12/12 cycle and offered dusted crickets, which were readily accepted by all but one toad.
Activity levels in the tank have increased. Several toads have been observed soaking in the water, and at least one has begun to call once the lights go out. My wife thinks they sound like velociraptors from JP.
What a cutie! Hope to hear ALL are eating soon and that all are doing well.
More photos soon. Here's an audio clip for now. They are calling!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prr5mjIRgLw
I love it!!
Please keep us updated. Toads (of any kind) are not bred very often in captivity.
Yes, please do keep this thread updated, there are several toad lovers here on this forum.
Great news! There was a wild raucous in the tank last night. When my wife and I got home from a concert at 11:30, the loudest male was calling, and this continued until 3 am easily.
We awoke this morning to a tank full of eggs, so I guess it was worth it!
That is just TOO COOL!!! Love it.
Your Grandparents now!!! Captive bred toads, you don't see that often, and I know, I've been looking for a couple more Fowler's or American toads. You know you have to raise them ALL to a safe size to either sell to potential people who will tend to all their very needs or restock the wild community. I'm soooo excited for you!
I hope you will post lots of pics!!
My goal has always been to educate the children in my class about life cycles, to encourage a conservation mindset, and to help the wild community when possible. If I depart with any, they will all be freebies. I never did this for the money. If anyone lives in San Antonio, TX or the surrounding areas, send me a PM.
My concern would be that if you give them away they wouldn’t be cared for as well as if someone paid for them, or even used as feeder food (makes me shudder to think about that). I would do a background check and inspect the potential keeper’s home before letting them go. ;O) I live in NC, but I’ll be in Ft Worth the first week in May for a wedding!!
Thursday update: the eggs have already started to grow and transform, which is faster than I predicted. I moved approximately 50 to my outdoor pond in hopes of cultivating a population there as well.
Soon you'll be spending your income on romaine lettuce and spending your evenings cooking it for them...................oh how I remember the days of raising tadpoles.
Almost time for the weekly update!?!
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