New to toads. Suggestions?

[stevegrimes]

Wow... I had no idea of the consequences and I'm not new to keeping pets. I want to thank you for the quick and detailed replies. Fortunately, we don't have the heat rock hooked up as it's in the attic at the moment. I've been aiming to get substrate...will do asap. I'll talk to the little boy about perhaps letting the large toads go back on the family farm...if we don't have enough room. We'll separate the toads/tree frog/fire belly. As he's been with them, does he need a stool sample looked at? The toad and he both like to sit in the water. I'm presuming he's captive bred. The tree frog mostly hangs onto the glass until I get him some branches. The bonzai tree is only there for the moment as it is a good source of plant-friendly light. As I wasn't totally certain if toads/frogs needed supplemental lighting, we've had a strip plant light over the tanks. I'll check the forum frequently in case anybody has other suggestions. Thanks again, Steve

[Deku]

Yes I would defenitely try that in my opinion. I mean for all you know it could have contracted something. Especially since it was sitting in the water where lots of micro-organisms grow. To get a stool sample just put the specimens in a terrarium with nothing but paper towels. Give it a water dish and feed it. Pick up the sample with tweezers if possible and put it in a small ziplock bag. MAke sure its fresh before you give it to the vet. Also label it by name of the animal, species of the animal and date it was produced. As for the toads being let go. As long as the toads are native to your region and they were not in the same container as the other amphibians then you can release them. But if they were you cannot because it may introduce new bacteria and parasites to the ecosystems which the native animals cannot fight off.

In any case if you cannot keep it find a wild life rehabilitator or a school and give it to them. I would also throughly clean out the tanks with hot boiling water and viniger a few times. Make sure that you take the animals to the vet before you put them in the new tank otherwise its pointless and they will once again contract what they just got rid off. You know? So for the mean time quarantine them. Clean out their enclosures and when you take them to the vet give the vet the sample after which she will give you meds for the amphibians. When you take them home throughly clean out the tank prior to putting the amphibian in there. This will lower the chances of it getting the same issue again. Personally Id clean it after too or just keep them in a seperate quarantine tank to prevent the main one from harboring those parasites. I mean you want SOME parasites and bacteria in the amphibians but not to the point where it will kill them.

Well seeing as you have fire belly toads, common toads, and a tree frog stay away from gravel, and sand as substrate. Just use regular soil without all that junk in them. You can also use this mixture that is peat moss and something else but its just like that soil.
This is in my opinion though.

If I were you Id check out some caresheets before you do anything as well. Just so you get familiarized with the animals you currently have.
Make sure that anything that is not native or is captive bred or captive born is not being released into the wild.