Southern Toad/American Toads hibernating or sick?

[Aris Sokratov]

"Adding the heat ??? Just don't know. It could be confusing their biological clock since they are recently wild caught."

Yeah I woke up this morning to them all crowded in the dirt on the side of the tank where the heat pad is not, making me think the pet store advice to get the heat pad wasn't accurate. After all, it is Florida, and 70-75 during the day but down to 60 at night.

Interesting thing to note is that they all stopped eating simultaneously as the temperature dropped so it may be a hibernation thing.

"Are they digging backwards in the dirt?
Are they coming back out ,at all at night? Have you gotten up to peak?"

They dig backwards when they burrow in. They blend in and turn camouflage a little bit with surroundings too, so it's easy to lose them. Sometimes they come out at night and can be found in the morning when I wake up, and sometimes they roam during the day but not often and they never eat. Food is always in the tank's water bowl in the morning.

As for the type of toad, I'm thinking southern judging from photos looked up online, but the two are hard to tell apart. I'm also assuming the same species as they successfully have mated for about 6 days (They got the life).

"Maybe put a photo of the rest of their enclosure up?
Could they simply be in need of more vegetation, places to burrow naturally and access to a different kind of water set-up?"

Photos attached but they're hard to see. I don't have any vegetation as their tank is about 2ftx1ft or so and I don't want them too enclosed, but there's a small concrete slab for easy eating before the worms get into the soil and don't come out. Water bowl changed every other day or so and big enough to fit all three. Since substrate is dirt and almond, they can burrow no problem.

"Oh ! Welcome to Frog Forum !
Lynn"

Thank you for all your help. I just dont' want them to starve.

[flybyferns]

Here's a little reading

CARESHEET FOR SOUTHERN TOAD BUFO TERRESTRIS Pollywogs World of Frogs

AmphibiaWeb - Anaxyrus terrestris

[UncleChester]

As for the type of toad, I'm thinking southern judging from photos looked up online, but the two are hard to tell apart.

Here's a list of Florida inhabitants Florida Wildlife Extension at UF/IFAS

You shouldn't have American toads that far south.

I'm also assuming the same species as they successfully have mated for about 6 days (They got the life).

That's no guarantee they're the same species as toads will often try to mate with anything, including human limbs that get too close to the breeding pool.

I'm not much help on their care, so I'll just say good luck.

[kueluck]

I have Fowlers, Southern & American together in a 40 gallon breeder tank. They have 4 to 6 inch of organic soil mixed with eco earth, topped with leaves and moss to help hold some moisture in the soil. Some of them will stay underground for several months at a time, others several weeks. When they are ready, they come up to soak, eat and then go back underground until spring. I change the water every day and put fresh roaches in just in case someone shows up. They also prefer temps 62 to 76 (cooler temps at night), I would be afraid the UTH would dry out the substrate and make the tank to hot. I'm no expert, but this is what works for me and my toads. Once they go underground they do move around, so I keep one end a little moister than the other one.

[Wormwood]

If you don't them to dig so much fill that tank with wooden hides, logs they can semi burry under, plants. Toads love to dig to feel safe and if there isn't anything for them to dig under they will most often fully bury under the substrate.

[Locascio]

your going to need a bigger cage for them i own/find so meany of them in my back yard in fla ive even gone so far as to put a pond in my back yard thay rome far and wide at night and some times i wont see some of my big ones for weeks and on e day thay show uup at the pond to get food and breed thay look really good tho keep up the good job i would just suggest useing a 55gl