American toad won't eat now for six days

[bgajeski]

We have an American Toad as a pet that we found in our yard in July. He is in a 10 gal tank with coconut fiber substrate. He has dechlorinated water in his little pool and a log to burrow under and a clay pot with entrance. He seemed perfect until six days ago. He stopped eating and now will not come out of this clay pot/burrow. He has no interest in food. His diet before that consisted of mealworms and crickets all from the pet store. He seems otherwise healthy but he just won't come out to eat anything. The crickets even sit right in front of him and he doesn't even care. I am considering letting him go but my son (6 year old) doesn't agree!!! Any suggestions? Is this normal? Hibernation? Indoor temp ranges from 69-74. I do not have a light on him.

[Mentat]

Hello and welcome to FF! Here is an article with care info for toads: Frog Forum - Toad Basics - Keeping ground-dwelling Toads. A care sheet for Bufo, Anaxyrus, Spea, Scaphiopus, Ollotis, Alytes, Pelobates. Please answer below questions as accurately as possible. Specially interested in water used for both bath and mixing substrate and food supplements (CA/D3 and vitamins). Thank you !

“Trouble in the Frog Enclosure”

The following information will be very helpful if provided when requesting assistance with either your frog or enclosure. To help with your questions, please utilize the below list and post the information in the proper forum area to get advice from FF members that keep the same frog. This will allow for little confusion and a faster more informed response.

1. Size of enclosure
2. # of inhabitants - specifically other frogs and size differences
3. Humidity
4. Temperature
5. Water - type - for both misting and soaking dish
6. Materials used for substrate
7. Enclosure set up i.e. plants (live or artificial), wood, bark and other materials.
- How were things prepared prior to being put into the viv.
8. Main food source
9. Vitamins and calcium? (how often)
10. Lighting
11. What is being used to maintain the temperature of the enclosure
12. When is the last time he/she ate
13. Have you found poop lately
14. A pic would be helpful including frog and enclosure (any including cell phone pic is fine)
15. Describe frog's symptoms and/or recent physical changes; to include it's ventral/belly area.
16. How old is the frog
17. How long have you owned him/her
18. Is the frog wild caught or captive bred
19. Frog food- how often and if it is diverse, what other feeders are used as treats
20. How often the frog is handled
21. Is the enclosure kept in a high or low traffic area
22. Describe enclosure maintenance (water changes, cleaning, etc)

by Lynn(Flybyferns) and GrifTheGreat.

[bgajeski]

Thank u!! I don't have a humidistat, but I do mist with spring water daily. No vitas or calcium beyond what the cricket from pet store get from their powdered diet. I don't know about when his last poop was. I don't think I have seen his poop! His belly looks the same ....no change. He is small maybe 2" long. He is handled just a little bit by me every other day probably. His cage is in high traffic area. I do change the spring water every other day and have changed his coconut fiber substrate once per month. There is no other frog or toad with him. thank you for your help.

[LilyPad]

Do you treat the spring water in case chlorine is added while processed? Cannot assume that spring water is dechlorinated.

He needs calcium and vitamin powder ON the crickets. He must be supplemented. Crickets should also be gutloaded with healthy foods so that they are at prime nutrition for feeding your toad.

I would reduce how often he's handled, that will be stressing him out.

What are the temperatures?

EDIT - And for the record...petco regularly tells me that I do not need to use vitamin powder with their crickets because of their food, it's a load of bologna. I've stopped arguing with them and just roll my eyes now. Did argue with one woman once because she told me that they were "injected" with nutrients...I said, "you mean they are gutloaded." She said, "No, they inject them." Sure lady, someone sits around with a needle and injects thousands upon thousands of crickets as people buy them...SMH

[Randy]

He is a wild toad he just might be lonely and want to go home i let my 5 toads go after having them for a year .by the way hes used to eating beetles spiders worms crickets and isopods . i bet if you put some pill bugs and millipedes in there he would eat them right up .also they do hibernate check his eyes for cloudiness if they are id let him go .Footnote he needs a full spectrum light for calcium absorption .