Toad species/mixing need clarification

[Kurt]

Hopefully, I can clarify things for you. Only house toads together that are very close in size and are of the same species. Doesn't matter where they came from. Stick to singular species enclosures and keep them similar in size, and you should be ok.

[stickytoes]

John said the same thing, but I'm one of those people who likes to know why. I understand the bit about not wanting to stress the animals by housing them with different species, but I'd like to know more about cross-species disease transfer. Like I said before, if each toad is quarantined and treated before interacting with other toads, is it possible for disease to spread? Also, isn't it possible to see how two species from the same geographical location interact for some time? I keep a close eye on my guys and I make each move very carefully. I haven't had any problems with this in the past and I'm wondering what the big hype is about.

[stickytoes]

Just in case this comes up, I also understand that if I housed 2 similar sized toads together for some time and one grows bigger than the other in the end, they'd need to be housed separately from that point on. So specifically, my question isn't about size (I comprehend that aspect) but about species, similar species even. I just want to know if there's an exception to the "rule," because there usually is.

[SludgeMunkey]

Here is just a few of the plethora of "whys" for you:

Toads are poisonous. While the level of toxicity varies greatly by species, mixing different species of these animals runs the risk of them poisoning each other.

Growth rates vary from animal to animal and species to species. An enclosure that may be suitable in size for a few juveniles of two species will quickly become a buffet for the larger specimens.

Toads are not social animals. Too many in one enclosure with have detrimental health effects in the long term due to crowding stress.

Different environmental requirements. For example: I live in a place where Bufo woodhousii, Bufo cognatus and Bufo americanus all exist in the same biome. Well, if you look at the map you would assume the same biome. Truth be told, the americanus prefer the edges of gallery forests away from the other two species. The cognatus like open grassland areas near river bluffs and generally will not share breeding pools with the other species. The woodhousii prefer various terrains and elevations, but are never found in areas where americanus is.

Hybridization. While it is highly unlikely they would breed at all in captivity without careful environmental manipulation by the keeper, the risk does exist in many captive Bufonidae. Hybridization should be avoided in captivity at all costs in the interest of responsible husbandry.

[Kurt]

Ok. Most amphibians and all Bufonids (true toads) have skin toxins, while at the same time they possess porous skin that absorbs just about everything through it. So if you are keeping two amphibians of different species, you are not only risking cross-infection, but cross-contamination. In other words they would be poisoning each other. You can't quarantine against that.

Now if you have two toads of the same species and one ends up growing significantly larger than the other, then most likely you have a male and female. In most Anuran species the female grows larger than the male.

[SludgeMunkey]

<laughing>
Kurt we posted in stereo. You owe me a Coke...

[stickytoes]

Thank you! Both of you. :-) That's what I needed to know. I considered that, but never knew for sure. It has now been explained to my satisfaction. I'm the one who owes the coke. ;-) Hopefully a simple thank you will do.

[stickytoes]

Maybe I uttered the words "to my satisfaction" too soon. Is it about the amount of toxin/poison or the type? (Consider this a P.S.)