Help with new Bufo toadlets

[Hilizanne]

I have been taking care of about 15 tadpoles, without any idea what they were. I now have about 5 tiny toad lets, I think Bufo genus. They are so tiny--I need to move them out of the tadpole rank, but they are still swimming around off and on. Should I go ahead and move them to a smaller tank with only a little plantation soil and water dish, or leave them longer? I have fruit flies I am trying to feed them. Maybe just paper towels and water dish? And if they are hopping around outside of the water with their tail still present, remove those too?

[Bombina Bob]

Welcome to the forum Is usually best to remove the toads once they have grown their front legs. damp paper towels are the best substrate to keep track of their faeces. By the size of the little toads flightless fruit flies, pinhead crickets or springtails would be the best food for them. Good luck with your new babies!

[Hilizanne]

Welcome to the forum Is usually best to remove the toads once they have grown their front legs. damp paper towels are the best substrate to keep track of their faeces. By the size of the little toads flightless fruit flies, pinhead crickets or springtails would be the best food for them. Good luck with your new babies!

A lot of them have their front legs! Would some spaghum moss help keep the flies down closer to the toads?

[Xubby]

As long as the new tank has a water dish they can easily get in and out of, there's no real benefit keeping them in their current setup. The change might also help lower with fruit fly suicide rates, if those are an issue. Paper towels and a water dish (I used a lid, frequently refilled) appears to be pretty standard, to make sure they don't accidentally ingest something they shouldn't, but they can be raised them on both fine substrate and paper towels. It seems easier for them to spot and run down fruit flies on the flat paper towel, though.

Depending on your substrate, dehydration can be more or less of a risk. I had no issues with frequently sprayed garden soil last year, but paper towels, even if a couple layers thick, dry out much faster. You might consider wrapping some or all of the lid with cling wrap to help keep in moisture/humidity if you go that route. If you take care of them twice daily (which you should) there's really no reason to chose soil over paper towels. While I've yet to hear of anyone coming home to a cage full of dried out ex-toadlets, a healthy dose of paranoia certainly doesn't hurt anything.

As for the tails, well... it's your call. Once they get on land, the tails should be absorbed in a day or so, during which the toadlets shouldn't eat. The window is so short I think you could probably do either without any issues, but I think the real distinction to be made is if they're hopping around on land, not if they have their tails.

Also, damn Texas has a lot of species of Bufo. I didn't realize Cane toads originated (in part, anyway) from the continental US.

edit: On your fruit fly question, they're going to do what they want. About the only thing I discovered helped with escapees was just slowly feeding half a dozen at a time and letting the toadlets hit them hard, or feeding the toadlets in a sealed tupperware container. Maybe someone has had better luck than me playing the pied piper for flies.

[Hilizanne]

As long as the new tank has a water dish they can easily get in and out of, there's no real benefit keeping them in their current setup. The change might also help lower with fruit fly suicide rates, if those are an issue. Paper towels and a water dish (I used a lid, frequently refilled) appears to be pretty standard, to make sure they don't accidentally ingest something they shouldn't, but they can be raised them on both fine substrate and paper towels. It seems easier for them to spot and run down fruit flies on the flat paper towel, though.

Depending on your substrate, dehydration can be more or less of a risk. I had no issues with frequently sprayed garden soil last year, but paper towels, even if a couple layers thick, dry out much faster. You might consider wrapping some or all of the lid with cling wrap to help keep in moisture/humidity if you go that route. If you take care of them twice daily (which you should) there's really no reason to chose soil over paper towels. While I've yet to hear of anyone coming home to a cage full of dried out ex-toadlets, a healthy dose of paranoia certainly doesn't hurt anything.

Also, damn Texas has a lot of species of Bufo. I didn't realize Cane toads originated (in part, anyway) from the continental US.

Ok, I am doing this right now. I am in the process of cleaning out my frog vivariums, so I have a lot of soil right now. And I have books and resources on my tree frogs, but nothing on toads. These little guys tuck their legs in and float around like they are dead when you try to get them out of the water. Very strange!

A herpetology professor I contacted at UT thinks they are Bufo speciosus. I have too many, but no telling how many will make it I guess.

[Hilizanne]

I have 15 toad lets out--4 are still in the water without front legs. One has not grown at all--I am thinking he may not develop. 1 death so far.

They are almost all eating (except the ones with tails). They have very bad aim! They are so stinkin' cute! They are local--so once they are bigger I will be releasing them. Or might keep one. It doesn't seem like they are shy eaters like frogs.


I have plastic wrap over the top of the keeper with the lid over that-- with a few holes in the very center. The flies aren't able to crawl across.

[Bombina Bob]

good job! don't worry about the guys with the tails, they regain their energy from their tails once it goes away. it would be a good idea to cover the sides of the terrarium to reduce stress and maybe add a couple hiding spots