Leucistic Southern Toad found.

[CStillings82]

Found this (see attached) leucistic Southern (?) Toad yesterday in my yard. Recognized his vulnerability immediately and decided to save him. Can anyone tell me the rarity? I haven't seen much on the net about leucistic ones. If rare, what kind of value would a toad like this have? I plan to keep it though.

Also, I don't have any experience with frogs and toads. A critique of the habitat I set up would be really appreciated. I've got him (or her?) in a plastic hexagon shaped tank with about two inches of eco-earth, a half log, food dish and pond dish. He ate two small green grasshoppers from the yard yesterday and today I started feeding him store bought mealworms. He ate four of them...but how many SHOULD I feed him daily and when? Any other tips and recommendations would be helpful. I really don't want to risk losing him. Thanks!!!!

[Psychotic]

He is very rare. I've seen pictures of other toads like him. But not very many. Awesome find! You are very lucky. I would love to have a leucistic or albino toad.

Your set up sounds good. Toads like it dry. But they also like to sit in their water dishes sometimes. Room temp is fine. No special lights are needed.

I wouldn't recommend feeding mealworms though. They can cause impaction. If anything you can feed him crickets and/or roaches. Don't feed him anything bigger than the space between his eyes. Most toads also like chopped up earthworms if they can figure out how to eat them.

As to how much. Let him eat as much as he wants in a 15 minute sitting. I would only feed him every 3 days or so. You can also dust with calcium d3 once a week (phosphorus free). Some people also use a multivitamin too (though you can't use it at the same time as the calcium). Personally I don't dust at all. I gutload my feeders by feeding them a varied diet (fruits and veggies) and I feed calci-worms.

[Gerards]

I sent you a PM

[kueluck]

Are you sure it's not bleached out by the pool water?? I see the pool in the background. A friend of ours has a neighbor with bleached out toads. Give it LOTS of fresh clean declorinated water, spring, or fresh caught rain water (if in clean area). Frog Forum - Toad Basics - Keeping ground-dwelling Toads. A care sheet for Bufo, Anaxyrus, Spea, Scaphiopus, Ollotis, Alytes, Pelobates

[beyond colour]

The rarity of the hypomelanistic frog comes from the age of the frog. My Tarapoto Imitators produce them some make it to adults but most dont live past the frog-let stage. As far as the price its like anything, its worth what someone wants to pay. Thanks for sharing the photo.

[Heatheranne]

Very nice find! The eyes make me think he is leucistic. I hope he does well for you.

[CStillings82]

Its definitely not bleached out from the pool. I rescue critters from the pool on a daily basis but have never seen any bleached out. I keep my chlorine levels as low as safely possible anyway, just so I've got a better chance of rescuing the creatures that happen to get in their and "do their thing."

I'll work on finding other insects in the yard for the little guy and only give mealworms as backup.

I guess for the right price, I'd sell him...but I'm one of those people where fascination of rarity sometimes outweighs the potential financial gain so it would have to be worth it. Any ideas on what some have sold for in the past?

[Gerards]

I sent you another PM.

[beyond colour]

I said hypomelanistic because the eys looked pink. Leucism is a form of hypomelanism (a term referring to an absence or a reduction in melanin in the skin). Due to the lack of melanin production in both the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and iris, albinos typically have red eyes due to the underlying blood vessels showing through. In contrast, most leucistic animals have normally coloured eyes. As Heather mentioned.

[Heatheranne]

It's difficult to label due to the lack of pigment in the iris but yet some color in the sockets and a small amount at his axilla and his belly. Very cool!

[Mentat]

...As far as the price its like anything, its worth what someone wants to pay...

I said hypomelanistic because the eys looked pink. Leucism is a form of hypomelanism (a term referring to an absence or a reduction in melanin in the skin). ... In contrast, most leucistic animals have normally coloured eyes...

Hi and welcome to FF. Agree with Chris comments and would not call this toad a leucistic, due to it's pink, albino like eyes. If natural it's rare and like above quote; worth what someone will offer for it.

I'm not into it's looks; but if interested in selling you could try running an auction in one of the sites dedicated to that. Or you can raise it and enjoy it's company as a unique pet... your call !

[CStillings82]

Would it be the light reflecting off the pink skin at the back sides of its eye sockets that is making the eyes pink? Every albino critter I've seen has completely pink eyes, rather than having the black and gold specs around the pupil.

For example:

I'm quite intrigued that I found this guy in the wild!!! Nature = Amazing. Tomorrow I'll try to get a macro shot of the eyeball.

Oh, and...male or female anybody?

[Gerards]

Would it be the light reflecting off the pink skin at the back sides of its eye sockets that is making the eyes pink? Every albino critter I've seen has completely pink eyes, rather than having the black and gold specs around the pupil.

For example:

I'm quite intrigued that I found this guy in the wild!!! Nature = Amazing. Tomorrow I'll try to get a macro shot of the eyeball.

Oh, and...male or female anybody?

its definitely a leucistic, many different kinds look like that in pictures. Call me...

[CStillings82]

I PMed you, Gerard. Will call you tomorrow.

[Gerards]

Cool, talk to you then. That toads beautiful, leucistics are beautiful.

[SweetApples]

Cute toad, wish I'd find one like that.

[Psychotic]

Just thought I'd pitch in my thoughts about the eyes. From the picture it looks like the pupil is red, but the iris is normally colored. Not true albino eyes. It reminds me of the black eyed leucistic ball pythons with black iris and ruby pupils.

[orlandoreptiles]

Do you have the toad anymore.I have one just like it that was found in Orlando .I would like to try to bred them.If you want to sell or trade that one let me now.my number is 40-256-4632 thanks

[victorsgrace]

Awesome find!! What a jewel!

I don't have enough specific data on genetics to help out with that at all, however feeding wise, as far as I'm aware, you can feed mealworms once in a while, just not as a base food/stable food, because yes, they can cause impaction.

However, before I was aware of anything like this, when I found my two bufo bufos, they were only fed meal worms for about a month, because finding critters in the garden were not always succesfull. They were completely fine and grew very well. They're still very fine, but now only get meal worms every few times a month, as a snack. Otherwise I feed them tiger worms (and yes, they are able to eat the earthworms, although they're large and it's a little tricky for them, but they love it).

Besides that, crickets are a very good food source and gut-feeding them (you can also use fish flakes with minerals) is an easy way to ensure the toad gets its vitamins!

Good luck with everything.