Howdy folks! Also a question on vitamin sprays.

[nicodimus22]

This is my first day on the site. I am currently the parent of 3 baby Fowler's toads, and am here to read more about them and their care, and toads in general. Generally, things are going well and my babies are eating like total gluttons and growing every day. I have a photo log of them here if it interests you:

Toads pictures by Nicodimus22 - Photobucket

I have a 10-gallon aquarium that I am planning on using for their home after they are a bit bigger. They are so small that at the moment the only thing I've been able to feed them are small ants and flightless fruit flies. I'm using the coconut-husk substrate, and have provided them a piece of bark to use for hiding, and a shallow cap of bottled spring water for them to soak in, which I change daily.

I've read several places that it is good to cover their food with a supplement for extra vitamins and calcium, but no specific recommendations for a product that suits toads best. The kind of supplement I saw at Petco seemed to be more meant for reptiles (I think there was an iguana on the bottle) so I held off on buying it. Some of the ones I've browsed on Amazon boast different types of vitamins, and some have calcium and others do not. What kind of spray would be best specifically for toads? If you can't give me a particular product, can you tell me what I should be looking for in one of these? Thanks.

[kdg]

Hi, I'm new too.
I had the same problem, but was informed by an amphibian pathologist at the San Diego Zoo that the reptile vitamins were fine long as they had vitamin A. The calcium supplement should be seperate, because it can damage some vitamins in transport. I've been using a powder and putting it on the food. Of course I have Bullfrogs, which are large and hardy. As long as it goes on the food I'd think it would be alright.
Hope that helps!

[LilyPad]

Welcome to the forum!!

I use Reptical and I put it in a plastic sealable container, then I drop my crickets in there, and shake. When they are coated, I drop them in with the frogs. Very simple

[nicodimus22]

Hi, I'm new too.
I had the same problem, but was informed by an amphibian pathologist at the San Diego Zoo that the reptile vitamins were fine long as they had vitamin A. The calcium supplement should be seperate, because it can damage some vitamins in transport. I've been using a powder and putting it on the food. Of course I have Bullfrogs, which are large and hardy. As long as it goes on the food I'd think it would be alright.
Hope that helps!

That's good to know. So, how often do you use the vitamin and calcium supplements? Do you use one more often than the other? Thanks.

[John]

Repashy Calcium+ICB is a dusting supplement that would be ideal for your situation. It fulfills the job of 2 supplements from other suppliers. I would dust the food at least once per week for toads.

[nicodimus22]

Repashy Calcium+ICB is a dusting supplement that would be ideal for your situation. It fulfills the job of 2 supplements from other suppliers. I would dust the food at least once per week for toads.

Ah, this stuff sounds good. I'll have to grab some. Thanks for the tip.

I just hope it will stick to ants until my croakers are big enough to eat small crickets! Right now, a cricket could probably eat my toads!