Re: New tank setup!
Some people support the idea of feeding them in a separate container, and some do not.
I'm in the 'support it' camp. I use a plastic storage tote from Wal-mart, I think it is a 25 gallon.
Advantages:
-You can monitor each toad's eating to make sure they are each getting enough (if you only have one toad, you can monitor it as well, to make sure it's actually eating and how much.)
-You virtually eliminate the risk of impaction.
-You condition the toads to associate your presence with food.
-You condition the toads to get used to a little regular handling, so it doesn't freak them out.
-When you dust the food, that powdery white mess doesn't get all over your nice tank.
-It creates a nice opportunity to change the water dish, clean the glass, change the substrate, etc without worrying about your toad being in the way.
-I find that my toads often poo in the feeding container, which is easier to clean than when they do it in the tank.
Disadvantages:
-The oil and salt found naturally on your skin isn't very good for toads, which absorb it through their skin when we touch them.
-The only time in nature something large would pick up a toad would be a predator trying to eat it. Some people believe frequent handling stresses the toad out because of this.
-It is possible to spread disease to and from any amphibian from handling, so you should wash your hands before and after.
Your toad is most likely in a stage of rapid growth and should be fed daily. Based on your picture, it looks just large enough to handle small crickets. As far as the amount goes, to my knowledge there is no such thing as overfeeding a toad, because they will stop eating when they are full. I can tell mine get full because their stalking slows down and then stops, and the remaining few fruit flies crawl on them and the toads just wipe them off and act disinterested. It is especially important for growing toads to get good nutrition, so you should powder the food daily with something like this:
Repashy Calcium ICB Plus 5.3 oz JAR - Alpha Pro Breeders
You just put a little powder into a Ziploc bag or small container, drop in the bugs, and shake for a few seconds before feeding.
As it reaches adulthood (2.5 to 3.5 inches in most cases) you can switch to feeding every other day, and you can drop the powder back to once a week.
Reply With Quote
