Can you domesticate a young wild toad?

[nicodimus22]

As far as the light or basking lamp goes I'm firmly against it, just keep the tank in a room with some natural sunlight and they will do just fine. Toads, especially American or Fowler after all are nocturnal creatures and usually don't come out during the day anyway so they would advoid any direct light like that.

Let me pose this question: if you give them the choice, and *they* choose the light/warmth, how is that a bad thing? In the wild, toads have the choice to burrow or stay above ground, to move into a drier or wetter area, and to move into the sunlight or into the shade, right? I have seen a picture of toads stacked up on top of each other directly under a spotlight, and sometimes my own toads go and sit on the warm rock under the light of their own accord. It seems that at least sometimes, they prefer it. Clearly, you don't want to go overboard with it, but I don't really see the harm in using a low-wattage spotlight in one part of the tank and seeing how they respond, especially in a room that is not very bright in the first place. It seems to me it would probably help reinforce the natural day/night cycle, if nothing else.

One the topic of the "toads are nocturnal" thing, I have a couple of thoughts about that. It would seem to me that if these were strictly nocturnal creatures, they would be repulsed by/hide from the light rather than being drawn to it. Also, on the day I found my toads, they were hopping all over the place in the middle of the day, which doesn't seem like the behavior of a truly nocturnal animal either. I have seen information that says they can be active during the daytime as well:

Fowler's Toad - North Carolina

Also, this study specifically focused on Bufonids (bufo boreas) and their tendency to thermoregulate in the lab or in nature by basking:

ESA Online Journals - The Role of Behavioral Thermoregulation in the Growth Energetics of the Toad, Bufo Boreas

Some other members here at Frog Forum have also commented that basking seems to promote rapid growth, which I am also seeing in my toadlets right now. Some discussion in this topic on the subject:

http://www.frogforum.net/toads/8993-i-love-toads.html

Anyway, that's why I'm using a light. It seems logically sound to me, and some others seem to have success with it as well. As long as you're not overheating your toads in a place where they can't get away, or using too strong a light, I don't see the issue.

[Poly]

Great points Pete! I agree with the lighting as well, I just have to get a new hood for my tank. As for people stating that they are "nocturnal", I think toads are more or less a nocturnal hunter, rather than a nocturnal animal, you see toads hopping around in the day time, but at night you see many more, and I think this is due to the times they hunt.

What wattage light do you use for your toads?

Thanks

[Pete]

You may find a clip-on light or some simple, single bulb apparatus is better than an aquarium hood for light. That way you can focus it in a isolated basking area for your toad. I'm all in favor of trying a basking light, but you do have to be careful to avoid dehydration. Some things to remember is a low wattage bulb, many hiding areas away from the light, and a well maintained water dish. Also there are probably differences between toad species and their preference for a heat source.

[Poly]

Yes, I was thinking of trying a clip-on light, how long should the light be left on? I don't have to actualy leave it on 12-hours a day, couldn't I just give it 20min here and there of light to warm up in, obvisouly if I came to shut the light off and seen the toad "basking" in it, I would leave it on, but I don't like leaving lights on for long periods of time, even if there low wattage.

[Pete]

Probably you don't have to leave it on 12 hrs. I'd recommend getting yourself a timer, and you could try a few hours per day, and see how much it uses it.

[Poly]

Okay, so I am going to try a clip on light with a low wattage spot-light bulb shown at a log in the corner of the tank roughly covering 5 inches or so of tank for a few hours a day, sound good?

Thanks for the help!

Hey Pete, what is a " heat-resistant screen lid" and where can I buy one??

[nicodimus22]

Something like this:

PETCO Heat Resistant Screen Top at PETCO

I got my stuff at Petco, but most chain pet stores should have them.

A couple notes of caution:

-Even a 50W bulb will get pretty hot, right at the bulb. Do not put it too close to the plastic edge of the aquarium top, or grab the lamp with your hand (just use the clamp as a handle.)
-The filament in the spotlight bulbs is fragile. If you *PLUNK* the lamp down roughly, you will be replacing the bulb often, and they aren't cheap. I broke two bulbs within the first week, and now I'm super gentle with it.

[nicodimus22]

Great points Pete! I agree with the lighting as well, I just have to get a new hood for my tank. As for people stating that they are "nocturnal", I think toads are more or less a nocturnal hunter, rather than a nocturnal animal, you see toads hopping around in the day time, but at night you see many more, and I think this is due to the times they hunt.

What wattage light do you use for your toads?

how long should the light be left on? I don't have to actualy leave it on 12-hours a day, couldn't I just give it 20min here and there of light to warm up in, obvisouly if I came to shut the light off and seen the toad "basking" in it, I would leave it on, but I don't like leaving lights on for long periods of time, even if there low wattage.

Well, I'm not sure a hood light is such a good idea, because it would be lighting/heating the whole tank evenly. What I am doing is providing a range of conditions in the tank by using a 50W spotlight. There is only an area of maybe 4 or 5 inches on the tank floor that is "sunny" where the light is focused. The toads can easily move in or out of this area, or go to a hide of cooler temps and almost complete darkness if they want to. It's a gradient.

I would recommend getting a heat-resistant screen lid and a 5.5" reflector lamp rather than a hood with a light. As for how long to leave it on, the way I look at it is that I'm simulating the light and warmth of sunlight. The sunlight isn't full strength all day in nature, but it is for at least a few hours in the middle of the day. You could always put it on a timer if you're not going to be there or don't want to be bothered with turning it on and off.