Sonoran Desert Toad / Colorado River Toad, Bufo alvarius aka Ollotis alvaria - Care Information and Breeding

[T0ADMAN]

Looks like this thread has been out of use for awhile.
But, I'm new to the site and am looking for more info of this type.

The care guide was great, and I really liked the mention of how to breed them. I would love more details in this regard.
I have a few B. alvarius and have been trying to look into breeding them. Any more info I can find on proper temps and humidity for hibernation, temps and size of rain chamber, water quality and filtration for the eggs and tadpoles, feeding of the tadpoles, etc. would be great.
I have kept mine successfully for years, but have never hibernated them or attempting breeding in any way. I would really hate to risk their health in my attempts.

Since CB individuals are so rare, I would like to be able to breed mine and provide these wonderful toads to some other interested herp enthusiasts.

[toadgal]

Toadman, I am also new to this forum and am looking for the same info you are! If you come up with anything will you let me know? I will do the same for you.

[cre3pyCrawl33]

Since CB individuals are so rare, I would like to be able to breed mine and provide these wonderful toads to some other interested herp enthusiasts.

That would be amazing. I've wanted one of these toads for years. They are unique and interesting animals. I wish you the best of luck. Maybe talk to John. He had some posted not long ago.
-B

[SonoranDesertRat]

Excellent care article. I live in Tucson area and have a keen interest in the ubiquitous Sonoran Desert Toad. A couple of personal observations:

(1) To the poster inquiring how to keep toads out of one's backyard: I have a pool and was removing at least one or two toads daily (have toad-prone dogs) in early summer from yard and pool until I realized they were seeking breeding environment -- so I created a better and much more easily accessible "Toad Resort" 20 feet outside my fenced yard. Small wading pool with sandy bottom, rocks and hides, rock ramp for easy entry/exit, solar light to attract bugs. Immediately the presence of toads inside my fenced yard dropped by 99%, and every night I can watch plenty of toad action just outside my fence without undue worries.

(2) To the poster who mentioned keeping Benadryl on hand in case their dog/s mixes it up with a toad -- the appropriate treatment for Sonoran Toad venomation of canine mucosal membranes is to thoroughly and copiously flush with water; scrub the tongue/palate/gums with rough washcloth. Be sure to hold the dog's nose DOWNward as you are flushing the mouth so the water is running out of the mouth, not down the throat. Then take your dog to the vet ASAP. If the dog actually injests the toad or any part thereof, drive even faster and say a prayer.

(3) I did a fair bit of research hoping to identify the natural enemies of the Sonoran Desert Toad, and didn't find anything. Then a few weeks ago I witnessed with mine own eyeballs one of the larger resident toads initiating prey attack toward the movement of a tarantula approx 6-8 feet away -- and the instant the toad landed within an inch or two of the tarantula and identified it was a tarantula, the toad immediately hopped backwards and then rapidly hopped 10-15 feet away and turned to warily keep an eye on the tarantula. The tarantula began moving in the toad's direction and the toad beat feet out of sight. Hmmmm! Might be one thing the Sonoran Desert Toad will not mess with in its pursuit to fill the endless pie hole.

(4) A few weeks prior to that, I observed a young adult toad who typically hangs around under one of the backyard lights grab a blister beetle; the beetle put up a fight, and it could be presumed the blister beetle gave the toad a good bite on the nose, because simultaneously the toad (1) immediately released the beetle, (2) inflated in defensive mode, (3) exuded copious amount of venom, (4) squinched its eyes shut, and then to my utter surprise, the toad (5) used both its front feet to vigorously scrub and paw at the area around the front of its mouth and nostrils in what appeared to be an effort to either diminish the beetle's blistering agent and/or remove its own toad venom that had dripped down onto its face.

(5) Just tonight I heard toad-ish rustlings from an area of the poolside garden and upon investigating saw that it was a recent Sonoran Desert Toad hatchling, about 2 inches long. I caught it in a tupperware bowl and took the little guy outside the fenced area to release him by the Toad Resort. Just as I let him go, I saw movement in the shadows, and the Big Boy (huuuuuge) who lurks in that area nightly made a mad dash toward the movement of the little guy. I presumed I was going to observe a toadlet snack. To my surprise, the Big Boy diverted its attack just as contact was made, and then turned on a dime, looked up at me, and came charging at ME. I am not making this up. Hop hop straight at me and quite aggressively I might add. I took a step or two backward, and the adult toad held position between me and the hatchling who was now hunkered down motionless. The adult took one more definitive hop toward me, and I backed off. I thought perhaps the adult was simply challenging me in competition for the tasty little toadlet snack, but then the little guy hopped forward well within visual and striking range of the adult, and the adult never wavered in staring straight at me. Could be a one in a million coincidence, but I have to say, the behaviors reminded me of protective behaviors I've seen in all manner of other creatures putting themselves between offspring and predators. Dunno.......

Anyways just some toadish thoughts and observations on another sublimely balmy late summer evening in the Sonoran Desert.

SDR

[SonoranDesertRat]

Also meant to add -- to those inquiring about appropriate temps, light, humidity, etc. -- that's easy. Go to NOAA website at

http://www.weather.gov/

Type in the city,st [ie "tucson,az" without a space between city and state] closest to where your specimen/s originated, and you will find hourly weather, including humidity and precipitation. NOAA retains 3-day history, so you can easily emulate the prior day's climatological conditions. I know NOAA also keeps annual records, you can dig further on their site to find conditions for extended periods. Spring/Summer 2010 was very good for Arizona desert flora and fauna, with some record rainfalls and outstanding conditions for amphibians, so I would use that data period as a good benchmark for emulation of optimal breeding conditions. You can also easily find online the annual per diem sunrise/sunset for any location on the planet, which will dictate optimal artificial light sourcing.

SDR