Hello all!

[furious george]

Hi!

I'm new to all of this, so please bear with my missteps. My boys caught a toad (see pictures?) yesterday and want to keep it, and I'm pretty excited about keeping it myself. I don't know the political correctness on wild caught toads, but the poor guy was in the kids play castle and running serious risk of being stomped on.

We already have an African Fat Tailed Gecko so there is a constant supply of crickets in our house...so if caring for wild toads is acceptable, it seems like a no brainer. So far we've placed him in his own 10 gallon tank with some amphibian bedding we purchased at the pet store and a little log to hide under (where he has spent most of his time burrowed beneath). He has chlorine free water, and we've fed him just a couple of crickets so far, but he's eating which I am taking as a good sign?

I'm reading up here, and reading the care sheets, etc. I'm assuming this is an American Toad, but if anyone wants to confirm or deny, I'd love to hear from you so I can make sure I am caring for him properly.

I look forward learning more about toads, and updating you on our progress!

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF! The pictures show an American Toad (Bufo americanus); so would read this care article (if have not done so already): Frog Forum - Toad Basics - Keeping ground-dwelling Toads. A care sheet for Bufo, Anaxyrus, Spea, Scaphiopus, Ollotis, Alytes, Pelobates . You can supplement the crickets with night crawlers (can find at Walmart's sport section).

Correct bedding is shredded coco sold as Plantation Soil or Eco Earth; some shops sell other substrates for frogs that present a risk of impaction. Also, recommend dust his crickets with Calcium/D3 and vitamins once a week each on different days. Good luck with your Toad!

[GrifTheGreat]

Welcome to the forum and good luck!

[Striped marsh]

Hello and welcome

[Heatheranne]

Welcome . Yes, I agree with Mentat, you have yourself a cute American toad.

Change your substrate out, as he mentioned above. It is a much safer substrate for him. Change the substrate monthly.

Treated (dechlorinated) water is perfect. Be sure it has no chlorine, chloramines, or heavy metal toxins.

He should have a nice shallow soaking bowl with his water changed nightly.

As Mentat has also noted, pick-up some calcium with vitamin D3 supplement and also some multivitamin supplement for reptiles/amphibians. Dust lightly with Ca/D3 every other feeding and one day a week with the MVI, but not on the same day as the calcium, for proper absorption.

The care sheet is quite helpful.

He/She's a cutie!

[furious george]

His (I'm going with 'he' until I know otherwise) substrate is Exo Terra Jungle Floor, so I will change it out as soon as I can. I need to grab the vitamins too. I already have the calcium/D3 dust, so I'm set there.

He was soaking in his little tub this morning, I think he's adorable!

[Heatheranne]

I love the personalities of toads .