Toad Basics - Keeping ground-dwelling Toads. A care sheet for Bufo, Anaxyrus, Spea, Scaphiopus, Ollotis, Alytes, Pelobates

[paige01]

Thank you for the information on Toad Care. I just found a toad in St. Louis, MO over the weekend (oct 18th). He seemed very cold and his front arm is a bit weak. I purchased a tank and some moss along with a hollow tree like item. I also put in this tank a shallow pool of water.( I will replace the tap water with purified water from the store today). I was told to place a light above him by the pet store. While reading the information on this site it doesn't recommend light (I already owned a UVA/UVB light from a turtle we onced owned). Should I remove the light all together. I am keeping him in the tank in our home. Will this be warm enough without a light? I also did purchase some live crickets for him or her and placed some lettuce in the tank. Do they eat all year long or do they hibernate at some point? I did't want to wake him up just to eat if he or she is in hibernation. Thanks for any assistance.

[Kurt]

The light is not nessisary. Why the lettuce?

[paige01]

Thanks for the post and answer to the light question. I put lettuce in the tank becasue my turtle loved to eat lettuce and at that point I hadn't purchased the crickets yet.

How about the hibernation issue. Will the toad wake up on his own to eat? Should I just keep purchasing crickets and putting them in his tank if he seems to be sleeping/hibernation?

[John]

If he eats them then keep feeding him. Amphibians only eat insects and other animals (except for a single fruit eating frog) and they are not reptiles - nothing like your tortoise.

[alikrog]

Hello John, My daughter and I enjoyed your article on toad care. We have three Egyptian toads we bought from a local pet store about 2 years ago. My daughter just loves them, but lately they have been getting a clear slime on there bodies. Is this normal? She picks it off them with tweezers. They have a good size water dish which is changed daily with dechlorinated water. Any ideas? Thanks Ali-k-Frog..and dad

[Kurt]

Sounds like shed skin.

[alikrog]

Thanks, I was googling toad slime and did not come up with much. But shedding skin does. It makes sense now as she thought Jerry was choking on slime when he was in fact eating it.