How do you all tame your toads?

[Charc15]

Thanks all! Yes, I know you aren't supposed to handle them often, I'm just especially hoping to get them more used to me, (Used to me, < Better words than tame!) I feel bad when I clean the tank and such, and my toads freak out. Don't worry about the handling! I've heard that they can "Soak" up chemicals, (One of the reasons why we aren't supposed to use soap when cleaning, (Or so I've heard...) ) and I'm always nervous that somehow they will get something from me! Lol.

The toads I've heard of being "Tame", would actually lay on your chest and be very calm, much like a bearded dragon. But that type of "Toad Relationship" Is probably quite rare, and I'm more looking for them to not freak out when cleaning the tank, (I mean, sure, that would be fun, but I enjoy watching them a lot and am fine with that!) If I put my hand any where near them, they usually get stressed out, and I really don't want that.

Thanks! I will try your ideas!

[Toadpher]

My toad likes to just chill on my chest when I watch tv, lol. I don't do it often, but when I do take her out she is always very cooperative, never any fear pee. She lives in my indoor herb garden though, which I am constantly trimming, watering, planting, etc. So she is used to giant hands constantly invading her space. That and I like to give her a little rub on the side of her belly every now and then, in which she protests by puffing up.

[victorsgrace]

The toads in my house are tame, as much as they can be, because I also prefer interacting with them - of course in the ways that you can interact with them and not in a way that causes any stress

I currently have one Bufo bufo, aproximately 2 years old and 3 Bufo japonicus, ca. 1 year old. I've had 2 other Bufo bufo (also very tame) and some wild 6 Melanostictus duttaphrynus and 2 Amietophrynus regularis, that are now back in wilder conditions My current Bufo bufo is very tame. He will follow me around, while in the tank, come out when I approach the tank, come if "called" (by tapping my fingers on the ground), can eat with pincetta or with the aid of a laser pen and is a calm and happy little toad.

I like that my guys are used to hands, so I once in a while can check up on them to see if everything's allright with them and so I can move them out, in order to clean their tank, or when feeding them, without stressing them out. It should be stressed that I of course do not "pet" or clothe them or in any way treat them as not toads or animal. My Bufo bufoonce in a while hangs out on my leg to watch tv or just comfortably sit there, while I read or what not (all the time, while handling my guys, I use disposable gloves without talcum).

*I have experienced though, that it does depend on the toads personality. I have had guys that never ever tamed or just ended up barely tolerating my interaction - where I of course then let them be "wild" in their tank, unless absolutely necessary - and I have had two other guys very, very tame earlier*

For those interested, here are what I did to tame my guys, in their tempo:

*first off, I had my guys from babies and not wild caught. I have successfully tamed a common asian toad that lived in a big enclose enough to "be wild", from a baby, but it is of course much harder with an adult individual from the wild to end up being comfortable in tamed conditions, which is why I personally do not keep WC individuals anymore*

*per my experience the key here is patience, repetition, calm movements, of course gentleness and not taking actions that stress out the animal more than what can be avoided*

1) Keep the tank in a crowded area (after 30 days of quarantene and acclimation), but with natural enviroments and areas to hide. Slowly this will get the toad used to everyday sounds like seeing you moving around, hearing the TV on, hearing you/feeling your vibration when you walk, enviroment sounds and so on.

2) Take out to feed in feeding bowl (after quarentene time and acclimation). Since the ones I had were babies, I kept a big, white glass ceramic bowl, in which I used to feed them in every day or every second day. I use cuban woodlice. Not "grabbind" the toads by cuffing my hand over them (very stressful or any prey animal), I'd pick them up by a tea spoon when they were really small, or coach them up on my hand (being careful never to drop them or let them jump) and gently place them in the bowl. I was always calm and slow in my movement, and simply repeated this every day, once a day. While they fed I would simply sit still by the bowl, with no loud noises around, observing them.

After about 2-3 weeks all of them were very comfortable with being in the feeder bowl and with me sitting there. They also quickly associated being picked up - or my hands - as a connection to food and are now at the stage where I can calmly put my finger in their tank, right next to the baby toad and it simply checks my huge finger out, to see if it has any food on it LOL

3) Hand feeding

When the toadlets are bigger and can take night crawlers, practicing with hand feeding is very effective. When they were small, I'd put them in my palm (with gloves on) and set a nightcrawler down with them. When they were a bit bigger, I would set them down on a non-toxic surface (here, my wooden floor in my room where I never use any chemicals), calmly lay a nightcrawler in front of them and "push it" or "tap" my finger next to it. After a while, they simply associate your finger with food or with something that feeds them.

- Training with pincettas and laser pens in connection with food is done much the same way. When they are completely confident with hand feeding, you simply replace your finger with either tool.



Personally I have found this very useful when having to give medicine or being able to check up on my guys. All of them are clearly relaxed when being handled and very healthy and happy animals