Toad keepers-how deep is your substrate?

[kueluck]

With all the toads I've had this is the first problem coming our of hibernation. I'm going to leave the levels low to avoid it next year. I've had two females go down for 7 months straight will no problem. I'm just looking to see if using several inches of eco earth is really necessary. Looks like it's not.

Not sure why its so hsrd to post in here, its so frustrating, takes gorever, then the message is all jumbled up... substrate 6 -7 inches. Pe as t moss wet the peat moss, then squeeze it out, so its damp, not wet...NO heat lamp. Dries them out. Kills them.
During hibernation, drizzle enough water on a few spots where you think the toad might be, occasionally, so they dont dras ting container, place tosds in water dish fpor a manditory sosk, thrn let the hem re - bury themselves in the slightly damp pe as t moss, hope that helps,..4 ye as rs of hibernation still dojng grest, knock wood.y out...place cute holiday house and candy canes in dirt prior to hibernation, so yheres something cute to look st while they hibernste...if the pest moss seems too dry, i dig up the tosds and rewet - squeeze out the peat again, offer food in a seperste e

[bluesclues]

They might have dried out or had pathogens in the tank ( Frank said that kills some during hibernation / brumation)..personally, I would dig them all up, place in a dechlorinated water dish, offer food in a seperate feeding tub, so theres no feeder insects rotting in the tank, also put a layer of damp (moist, not wet peat moss on top of what you have already in there - and after they have an hour or so to eat if desired, in a seperate feeding tub, and a manditory sit in water dish, then let them rebury themselves in slightly moist peet moss - its acid level cuts down on pathogens. Remove heat lamp and remove under tank heaters if you have one in there. Heat dries them out and can kill them...to eliminate the possibility of other toads drying out and dying from dessication, I would do this, just to be safe. Better safe than sorry. No heat soueces, and make sure they get a chance to soak, and add an inch or two of slightly moist peet moss, both for moisture and to e
Reduce pathogens.

[bluesclues]

When using peet moss, wet it thoroughly then squeeze it out, so its fluffy and slightly moist / damp, not wet.

[kueluck]

Rufus came up a month prior, soaked, ate, pooped then went back down, but when he came up the second time he just didn't seem to "wake" up. I don't use any source of heat w/toads and the only free runners in the viv are pill bugs and spring tails, all my frogs/toad feed from bowls. Their substrate is always slightly moist at all times so drying out isn't a concern for me. As for digging them up, that puts a lot of stress on them and that will weaken their immune system, just like humans.

They might have dried out or had pathogens in the tank ( Frank said that kills some during hibernation / brumation)..personally, I would dig them all up, place in a dechlorinated water dish, offer food in a seperate feeding tub, so theres no feeder insects rotting in the tank, also put a layer of damp (moist, not wet peat moss on top of what you have already in there - and after they have an hour or so to eat if desired, in a seperate feeding tub, and a manditory sit in water dish, then let them rebury themselves in slightly moist peet moss - its acid level cuts down on pathogens. Remove heat lamp and remove under tank heaters if you have one in there. Heat dries them out and can kill them...to eliminate the possibility of other toads drying out and dying from dessication, I would do this, just to be safe. Better safe than sorry. No heat soueces, and make sure they get a chance to soak, and add an inch or two of slightly moist peet moss, both for moisture and to e
Reduce pathogens.

[bluesclues]

Im sorry that happened...maybe ask Frank about it, at "that pet place"...He said even zoos have losses from hibernation... it sounds liktypes our loss. e uou did great with them. One thing he mentioned was ammonia build-up as a possible problem that leads to a lot of deaths. ?.He's very helpful and loves toads, and loves to hear about them, and t err ies to help out... it mig ht be worth ssking him about any possible causes and corrections that might help your remaining toads.

I thought you said you had a heat lamp ? He advises against those and says only low light 2.0 with lots of shade plants etc. Sorry for