Don't see Lola lately

[AlanLynch]

Ever since I put Lola in the 20 gallon she started to burrow. I know that's what toads do but she never did this in her 10 gallon. I put moss everywhere in her 20 gallon trying to stop her from burrowing but she ripped up the moss and dug under it. She stays under for 2 days then comes up at night to find a different burrowing spot. Thats also weird because she used to be diurnal in her 10 gallon and would go sleep in her hide at night. The worst thing of all is she has lost her apetite a lot as she never finishes all her food and she doesn't hand feed anymore. The only time she notices me is her bath when she climbs in my hand trying to get out of the water. Is there anything I can do to get her diurnal and active again?

[yoshimi]

Just give her time. New surroundings can do that to a toad. Banjo burrowed a lot when I introduced Ukulele, but part of that might have been the heat. Is she in a different room now as well as new tank? They're naturally nocturnal so it's ok if she's reverting. And there are probably poops in the burrows she's abandoning.

[kueluck]

Sounds like Lola is acting like a normal happy toad. Just make sure you have food available so when she decides it time to eat she has something. I have a small glass dish I sink into the moss so it's easy to feed, yet the roaches can't get out.

(this is Rufus my 2 yr old male Fowlers)

[AlanLynch]

I have to pull her out of her burrow to eat. I just got her out today, here are the pics.

[kueluck]

I wouldn't pull her out, let her come out on her own. Digging her up just causes un-needed stress. Just put her food out each night in a dish and she'll come feed when she's ready to. They learn the dish holds food real quick.

[AlanLynch]

Uh, I don't know if I should do that, her food dish is has very low walls and I bet worms could crawl right out. Here it is, it's dirty because the toad burrows right next to it and she kicked some dirt in it.

[AlanLynch]

Every person on the frog forum who has toads it seems that theirs are always out and happy and roaming their tank. Is Lola just not happy and she burrows to try and get away? I have her in a 20 gallon long so I thought she would always be out hopping and everything.

[yoshimi]

She will! She'll get accustomed and you'll start waking up in the morning to see her staring at you. When Banjo was small and stressed, she'd climb her trees. I admit that I dug her out sometimes and I regret it. Burrowing is a-ok. It's like she's arranging the furniture to fit her personal style. When she knows her fav holes won't be disturbed, she'll likely come out more, knowing she can retreat whenever.

Did you put in any new decorations? Sometimes they can have a chemical smell even after being washed and it can bother the toad. If not, then relax... she likes her dirt.

[AlanLynch]

I've had her in that tank since the beginning of this month, is it normal fro her to take that long? I mean, I have been poking around in her burrows to see if she's okay but I'll stop that now.

[yoshimi]

It's tough to not poke around, but yeah best to let her be. You can tell if she's been up usually by leaving the water bowl filled and clean before you go to bed. A smooth-sided escape proof dish that feeders can't get out of is almost a must-have. I haven't found anything that'd keep earthworms in, but smaller bugs could be contained with something around the house maybe.
Really it sounds like she's not doing so bad. Chilling out in a cool quiet burrow is exactly what I'd do on a hot summer day if I were a toad...
Seriously, it's better than if she were jumping around and otherwise acting stressed out.

[AlanLynch]

Well Lola was sticking her head up from her burrow last night. I didn't poke around so I'll give her a week to settle in but this morning she totally ripped up het cage from burrowing everywhere and I can't fix it without moving her. I hate this now. She isn't acting like her old self. She NEVER comes up from her burrow.

[yoshimi]

=( tearing up plants and things? almost every morning there's something in toad tank knocked over, into water dish or smooshed into the dirt. earlier today i lifted an end of their half-log hide to look for poops and almost tonged out Banjo, who was burrowed under there. later, there WAS in pooie in the burrow but it was vacant. glad i chose wisely which i plucked out and threw away... does lola have a hide? something she can crawl inside and sit or burrow in? even (thoroughly washed) decorative fake plants with most of the "stem" snipped off to make them more like bushes for ground cover might get her up out of the ground. they can be had on the cheap at a craft store in the discount bin in particular. i like the fabric ones, with bendy branches so you can arrange to fit the need.

her new home is twice the size, so her old furniture might leave a lot of open space she doesn't feel comfy in just yet. i know my toads will often sit under their plants thinking they're hiding. or burrow into the dirt under their hides (like today, when i thought Banjo was a turd), and sometimes, cuz they know they can retreat, just hang out in the open.

oh, and does her tank have a backdrop? even paper taped around roughly 3/4 of tank on outside will help them feel more secure. i bought aquarium background at pet store, but girl cut it off the wrong size roll and i bought it anyway so it's on vertically. looks funny, but i don't think the toads care.

sucks to see you so worried for her. really do hope she's back to her old self asap.

[AlanLynch]

She has one hide she used to love but she doesn't use it anymore. She has a backdrop that she tries to run into. Everything in her tank is dead from her burrowing into it. I need to change her terrarium so I need some ideas or pictures of a terrarium suitable for American Toads.

[AlanLynch]

Can I take Lola out of her burrow and put her into another cage? I want to redesign her 20 gallon to look like her old 10 gallon.

[yoshimi]

Can I take Lola out of her burrow and put her into another cage? I want to redesign her 20 gallon to look like her old 10 gallon.

of course.

gail's toad tank is awesome, it's a 40gal with a bunch of natural components.

good luck with redesign!

[AlanLynch]

Here's Lola's new cage. I made it look like her old 10 gallon. After I introduced her I gave her a huge worm to eat. She was in her hide for a while, but she then decided to burrow under her water dish.

[yoshimi]

nice! looks awesome.

[AlanLynch]

Thanks! She still decided to burrow though. :/

[yoshimi]

That really is ok, normal behavior. Those pointy little butts do more than just look cute. Built-in burrow makers. NOT burrowing is worrisome behavior for a toad.