Common toads

[Lisa]

Ok I grabbed a toad from my back yard to scent mice with for my viper boas, I was wondering how to care for it as i'd rather just rub the mouse on the live toad instead of grinding up the toad and using toad guts on the mouse.

[Dozer]

How about you let it go... Sounds good to me.

[Thomas]

yeh, thats mean keeping it just to be scrubbed by a dead mouse

[Lisa]

There is an issue with returning stuff to the wild because the toad has been in my care it can pic up things such as bacteria and other pathogens that could wipe out natural populations. Originally I was going to hibernate the toad in the fridge in a cup (I know of a few people that do this) but I'd rather keep it in a natural looking enviroment then in my fridge.

I'd also rather rub it with a dead mouse then feed the toad to the snake or make a broth out of the toad to dip the mouse into.

[daver676]

What the hell... Grinding up toads. Keeping a LIVE toad in the fridge. Sounds pretty mean to me, not to mention probably illegal!

[Dozer]

No no, thats how you hibernate toads boss :) Lisa, as for it having parasites, why would rub a dead mouse on it and then feed it to snakes? You dont want parasites in your snakes do you? As for toad broth, toads contain some toxins that can be dangerous to your snakes. Use chicken broth, I'll even buy it for you if you cant get it.

[Mr.Lizard]

Hi Lisa,toads are pretty simple to keep. I've kept a few frogs and toads myself. I fed mine crickets and kept him in a vivarium and he
did real well. I put in a shallow soaking/drinking dish with some
stones in it and sunk it down into the soil for easy access.
They're actually kind of interesting animals to keep...especially to watch when they hunt because they seem to see prey only when it moves as mentioned in Jurassic Park.
They'll eat as much as you feed them so you'll have to judge his diet needs on his size. You're probably fine collecting bugs out of your yard for food as long as you're sure they're not toxic to him.
BTW,if you keep him in a vivarium with soil you'll probably want to get a spectrum light or you may get mold growing in the soil.
Good Luck!

[Emily-Fisher]

Sounds like a fine idea, Lisa :) Keep him in a 10 gallon aquarium with spaghnum moss as a substrate. Put a few live plants here and there and a couple of coconut huts or other hiding places. Also, place a shallow dish of water for the toad to saok in. Even though toads aren't aquatic, i read that they like to soak. Feed him crickets three times a week and dust them once a week. Mist the aquarium lightly ones a day. Make sure that you only use dechlorinated water! Also, ignore what everyone else is saying. Maybe it's a better idea to just keep the toad as a pet and return him to nature when you think that it's ready and scent the mouse with an anole from the petstore or something for your snake's health. Guys, everyone has to start somewhere in keeping amphibians. This is how I started too when I was 9 and now look at me! Lisa knows what she's doing so don't mess it up ;)

[Lisa]

thanks Mr-Lizzard and Emily. I've got him in a large critter keeper with moss and a bowl, he sure likes to poop in his water alot. I've been feeding him crickets and need to stop by the bait shop for some slugs (i've been told that's another thing they like to eat).

[Linds]

I'd be very careful. I don't know about about the specifics of most species individually, but in general I know that most (or all?) toads are capable of secreting toxins while scared (being rubbed with a dead mouse would do the trick). Have you considered using a house gecko or anole instead?

[Dozer]

Thank you Linds. I think Lisa missed that when I wrote it :(

[Emily-Fisher]

Yes, in the wild, they love to eat itty bitty slugs and snails. From experience, I have found that they prefer snails and that snails are easier for them to catch.