Looking for Anyone Who Has Experience Raising Young American Toads (Growth, Cloacal Prolapse, Substrate Concerns)

[toadies]

I didn't read to much of the post, but I can still help! I would suggest not putting more than 2 toads in the same tank, as they will fight and may spread disease. frogs and toads identify prey and predator by movement. if they see something bigger than it moving, they classify it as a predator. if they see something smaller than it moving, they classify it as prey. I've even had toads bite my finger before! you should definitely have 4-6 inches of substrate for them to burrow in, for this is how they regulate body temperature and also hibernate. now for their diet, worms are about the best you can get. do not feed them redworms, though. redworms are like brussels sprouts for them. if they eat redworms, they probably won't ever eat worms again. you can also feed them pillbugs once or twice a week, as this supplies them with a good amount of calcium. moths and grubs are very fatty, so they are like candy for toads and frogs. if your toad is looking scrawny, feed it worms and a moth or grub. make sure to watch it eat, and if it isn't eating in the summer, spring, or fall, then it may be diseased. they only need to eat about 1-3 times a week. a shallow dish of water ( no more than 2 inches deep) will suffice for them. frogs and toads drink through their skin, so they will just sit in the dish. make sure they can get into it though. change the water dish every day, or otherwise, they will just be drinking their own waste ( they use the water dish as a toilet too).i hope this info is good enough for you, just ask again if you need more information! welcome to the forum!

Thank you so much for your response, Eli. I don't blame you at all for not reading much of my post. I was very emotional and rambling like a madwoman! Lol. Awkward.

The toads are indoors in a climate-controlled environment, so hibernation isn't a concern. What sort of substrate would you recommend that is safe in case of accidental ingestion, and that won't stick to their skin? They really hated the peat moss for that. They didn't seem to want anything to do with it.

Insect size is a concern as these are very tiny toadlets. I realize I can cut up a worm, but it has to be very skinny to begin with. Any recommendations for skinny worm species? I have no idea where I can even buy them. Seems everyone only sells big fat worms.

I've been feeding the little guys every day because they look kind of anorexic and I feel they should be much bigger by now. I've been giving them some extra small BSFL and 1/4" crickets. They are still very big for the toads. The fruit flies are an ideal size, but they just aren't reproducing fast enough.

I'll see if I can find anyone that will ship moths to Canada. Any recommendations on small species?

[Eliherps]

Coconut fiber can be a good alternative to peat moss

for the worms, I would say to get a mixture of ants and, hopefully you live in an appropriate climate to dig up earthworms and keep them. alternatively, you can cut a section of earthworm horizontally and vertically

As for the species, most roundworms will do the trick. Hope this helps, sorry it took so long to answer. A lot of things changed man, I made that post when I was 13