Treating Possible Metabolic Bone Disorder (MBD) for American Toad

[Larry Wardog]

Hi there!

I have a young American Toad that I've been caring for since August. This is my first venture in herpetology and I've been on these forums a lot for information.

Recently, I took Sweet Pea to the vet because she had been behaving unusually and I was worried she was too bloated. It turned out she had impaction and the vet prescribed a laxative to give her daily. She also found on the X-ray that Sweet Pea had little to no bone growth mid way down her limbs. I have since learned through my own research that this is probably metabolic bone disorder (MBD). My vet did not suggest doing anything other than lighting her cage daily with UVB.

About two weeks have passed since the vet visit and the laxatives have seemed to work in helping her pass the impaction (I don't feel the hard mass that used to be in the center of her belly). However, she has had no interest in food during this time. I have stopped giving her the laxative, I called my vet and she agreed that it may inhibit her appetite. I am still wondering about treating her MBD but I don't feel confident that my vet can help me here.

Does anyone have experience with treating it? I read about using liquid calcium soaks (Flukers) and am interested in trying this. Currently, she just has the UVB light which she sits under all day, staying semi-buried in different parts of her habitat. If there are any suggestions for how/what I could feed her while she is uninterested, I would appreciate that too!

If you could take your toad out and put it in a small or quarantine enclosure and allow UVB light on it then the UVB could affect the toad even more. Soak the toad and warm water allow it to soak and have UVB lighting on it for unusual daylight cycle so around 7 to 12 hours. If you use wax worms it will help build fat as well as be something soft for the toad to eat. If that doesn't work a butter worm is bigger and it might because it also has a distinct smell. Let me know if this helps. If you keep it at room temperature meaning around 75 it also would help.

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[gamecube]

Thank you! I'm ordering some wax worms now.

Do you find that UVB light treatment is enough to get them healthy again?

[Larry Wardog]

Thank you! I'm ordering some wax worms now.

Do you find that UVB light treatment is enough to get them healthy again?

I think there are a few things that need to be done to get them healthy again. The UVB, soaking them, offering food and getting their weight up these are all important! Make sure to add supplements to feeders so they are more nutritious.

I hope your toad makes a big turnaround! I wish you good luck! If you need to ask more questions I'll do my best to help you!

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