American Toad Hibernation

[DogStar]

Hey there,

So my toad is wild caught from the northern U.S which is starting to get pretty cold at this point. About 4 days ago I updated his tank with deeper soil and I can see that he has been tunneling all over. However now I haven't actually seen him in about 4 days now. Usually he comes up from his burrow when he's hungry and I'll feed him but its been a little bit colder (in the 60's) in my apartment so I'm wondering if he might be starting hibernation. If he was still out in the wild I'm sure he would be starting this process given the temps up there. What's the protocol for toad hibernation? I didn't see much on it on the care sheets. Do I just leave him alone and see if he comes up at some point just refilling his water and misting? Or should I actually look for him and try to get him to eat?

Thanks!

[ToadMode]

Last year I had a toadlet, he was a monster ate and grew like crazy. Winter came he burrowed in, came out every now and then for water. Unfortunately - he ended up dying. I have read that you should hibernate them, cool them down then put them in the fridge (of all things), I have read leave them outside in a deep bucket of substrate and have read they don't need to hibernate. Long story short, I now have 2. They are rescues from the neighborhood construction. Winter is on and I too am wondering what the protocol is. One has burrowed in for a few days at a time, the other off and on. Both have slowed if not stopped eating all together, so here we go again... what to do...

It's funny, I read accounts of toads living 20 years in captivity, but there's hardly and info at all on hibernation or getting through the winter...

[dj1]

I have kept toads most of my life on and off, the only real reason to hibernate them as they would in the wild is to bring them into breeding condition. The reason they hibernate in nature is the lack of available food and the lower temperatures, kept at room temperature they usually don't hibernate but stay active.
If you want to hibernate them stop feeding for a week, then cool them down gradually, over a week or two. Hibernate in damp soil or moss in a polystyrene or plastic lined thick cardboard box for insulation and place in the bottom of a fridge, or cold but frost free outbuilding. The reason you should stop feeding is to clear the guts of undigested food which can ferment and kill the toad.

[ToadMode]

I have kept toads most of my life on and off, the only real reason to hibernate them as they would in the wild is to bring them into breeding condition. The reason they hibernate in nature is the lack of available food and the lower temperatures, kept at room temperature they usually don't hibernate but stay active.

I thought the same. But you know - internet info is a bit off most of the time.

Anyway, both of my toads are slowing down on eating so I am watching them. Would like to see if they can make the 20 year mark.

I'll put in an update after a while. However at the moment, they are living on gut-loaded crickets and mealwoms (I load them) and waxworms. I let them jump around a bit for exercise and keep them in the coconut husk substrate (damp) with a bowl of water. I clean and check in on them every day to change their water. So far (up til the past week or so) they are growing and eating well. the house is cooling down to the 70s at night. Thought about bringing them into my snake room which stays around 80.