Toads, often recognized by their bumpy skin and stout bodies, are amphibians that can make fascinating and relatively low-maintenance pets. Belonging mostly to the Bufonidae family, these creatures are found across diverse geographical locations and offer a unique pet ownership experience. If you’re considering welcoming a toad into your home, understanding their needs and characteristics is crucial. This guide will delve into everything you need to know about keeping toads as pets, covering various species and essential care tips to ensure your amphibian companion thrives.
Are Toads Good Pets? Understanding Toad Temperament and Care
Toads can indeed be excellent pets, particularly for those seeking a quieter, less demanding animal companion. They are amphibians, not reptiles, and are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external heat to regulate their body temperature. This characteristic influences their habitat requirements and care.
While some toad species are silent, others are quite vocal, communicating through chirps, snores, or even sounds resembling bleats. This adds an interesting auditory dimension to their presence in your home.
Toads as Beginner-Friendly Pets:
Toads are often recommended as great first-time pets due to their relatively simple care needs compared to some other exotic animals. They are intelligent creatures capable of recognizing routines, making consistent feeding schedules beneficial. It’s important to always verify local and state laws regarding toad ownership before bringing one home.
Nocturnal Nature and Activity:
Most toads are nocturnal, being most active during the night and spending daylight hours burrowed in their habitat’s substrate. This nocturnal behavior is something to consider if you prefer a pet that’s active during the day.
Lifespan of Pet Toads:
Pet toads generally live significantly longer lives than their wild counterparts, often reaching over 10 years with proper care. This longevity makes them a long-term commitment, rewarding their owners with years of companionship.
Toad Characteristics: What to Expect
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Care Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Lifespan | Up to 10+ years (species dependent) |
| Adult Size | 1–6 inches (species dependent) |
| Diet | Insectivorous |
| Habitat Size | 10- to 20-gallon tank for 2–6 adult toads (species dependent) |
Handling Your Pet Toad: A Gentle Approach
Generally, toads are not animals that enjoy being held and should only be handled when necessary, such as during habitat cleaning or health checks. Human skin contains oils and bacteria that can be absorbed through a toad’s skin, potentially causing irritation or illness.
Safe Handling Practices:
If handling is required, always use disposable, non-powdered gloves moistened with dechlorinated water. This minimizes the transfer of harmful substances to the toad’s sensitive skin.
Toad Skin Secretions and Safety:
Toads possess glands in their skin that can secrete toxins as a defense mechanism. It’s crucial to avoid contact between these secretions and your eyes, mouth, or any open wounds. If accidental contact occurs, seek medical advice immediately.
Using Tools for Movement:
For routine habitat maintenance, a fine-mesh net can be used to gently move or guide your toad, reducing the need for direct handling.
Hygiene and Zoonotic Disease Prevention:
All toads are potential carriers of infectious diseases, including Salmonella bacteria, which is zoonotic and can be transmitted to humans. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling your toad or anything within its habitat to maintain hygiene and prevent disease transmission.
Essential Supplies for a Happy Toad
Setting up the right environment is key to ensuring your pet toad’s health and happiness. Here’s a checklist of essential supplies:
- Habitat: Appropriately sized tank (10-20 gallons for a few toads) with a secure, screened lid for ventilation and to prevent escapes.
- Substrate: Bedding material such as coconut fiber, sphagnum moss, leaf litter, or cypress mulch to allow for burrowing.
- Sphagnum Moss: To help maintain humidity and provide a naturalistic environment.
- Water and Mealworm Dishes: Shallow dishes for water and food to be easily accessible.
- Hideaways: Caves or hides to offer security and help toads regulate their temperature by providing cooler, darker spaces.
- Climbing Decor: Branches or cork bark to add enrichment and expand usable space in the habitat.
- Plants: Live or artificial plants to increase humidity, provide hiding spots, and create a natural environment.
- Heat Light and Fixture: To provide a basking spot and maintain appropriate temperatures.
- Under-Tank Heater: Paired with a thermostat to regulate temperature and create a thermal gradient.
- UVB Lighting and Fixture: Low-level UVB to mimic natural sunlight and support toad health.
- Multivitamin & Calcium Supplements: Powders to dust insects with, ensuring a balanced diet.
- Cricket Keeper, Food, and Quencher: For easy and hygienic storage and care of feeder insects.
- Live Insects: A variety of insects such as crickets, mealworms, and roaches for feeding.
- Thermometers & Humidity Gauge: To monitor habitat conditions accurately.
- Thermostat: To control under-tank heater temperature and prevent overheating.
- Water Mister: To maintain humidity levels within the tank.
Creating the Perfect Toad Habitat: Tank Setup
Choosing the Right Tank Size
A 10- to 20-gallon tank is a suitable starting size for housing up to six adult toads, depending on the species. Always ensure the habitat is well-ventilated and has a secure screened lid to prevent escapes. As a general guideline, add at least 5 gallons of tank space for each additional toad.
Toads grow relatively quickly, reaching adult size within 6 to 18 months. Be prepared to upgrade to a larger enclosure as your toad grows to ensure ample space.
Housing Multiple Toads Together
Many toad species are social and can thrive in small groups if given enough space. However, it’s crucial to research the specific species or consult with a veterinarian to confirm compatibility for group housing.
Important Housing Considerations:
- Species Separation: Never house different species of amphibians or other animals together in the same habitat to prevent disease transmission and stress.
- Breeding Considerations: Avoid housing male and female toads together unless you are prepared for breeding, as female toads can lay hundreds of eggs at a time.
Temperature and Heating
The ideal temperature range for most toads is between 70–80°F (21–27°C) during the day, with a slight drop at night. Always verify the specific temperature requirements for your toad species.
Temperature Monitoring and Control:
Use two thermometers—one on the warm side and one on the cool side of the habitat—to monitor temperature gradients. A digital point-and-shoot thermometer can also be useful for quick temperature checks.
An under-tank heating pad, covering no more than half of the tank floor, is recommended to create a thermal gradient. Always connect heating pads to a thermostat to prevent burns and overheating.
Heating Elements to Avoid:
- Ceramic Heat Emitters: These can get too hot and dry out the habitat, which is detrimental to toads.
- Hot Rocks: These can overheat and cause burns, posing a significant risk to toads.
Lighting: UVB is Beneficial
Provide a low-level (2.0 or 5.0) fluorescent UVB bulb for 10–12 hours daily to simulate natural sunlight, which is beneficial for toad health and behavior. UVB lights should be turned off at night to maintain a natural day/night cycle.
UVB Bulb Maintenance:
Replace UVB bulbs every six months, even if they are still emitting light, as their UVB output diminishes over time. A timer can automate the day/night cycle, ensuring consistency.
Humidity Levels
Most toads need humidity levels between 50% and 60%. Excessively high humidity (above 70%) can be harmful.
Maintaining Humidity:
Mist the habitat daily with dechlorinated water to increase humidity. Provide a shallow bowl of dechlorinated water large enough for the toad to soak in, which is crucial for hydration as toads absorb water through their skin.
Humidity Control:
Ensure proper ventilation to prevent humidity from becoming too high. Monitor humidity levels daily using a hygrometer. Clean and refill water bowls daily to prevent bacterial buildup.
Substrate Selection and Depth
Use at least 2 inches of substrate to allow for burrowing. Good substrate options include coconut fiber, dampened sphagnum moss, leaf litter, and cypress mulch. Create a moisture gradient by moistening one side of the substrate and leaving the other side dry.
Substrates to Avoid:
- Reptile Carpet and Artificial Turf: These are too abrasive for toad skin.
- Small Gravel: Can be ingested and cause gastrointestinal obstruction.
- Fine Particle Substrates (Sand, Small Bark Chips): Also pose a risk of ingestion and GI issues.
Decor and Enrichment
Hiding Areas: Provide at least two hideouts—one on the warm side and one on the cool side of the habitat. These offer security, privacy, and aid in thermoregulation. Ensure each toad has its own set of hiding places if housing multiple toads to reduce territorial behavior.
Plants and Driftwood: Incorporate live or artificial plants, branches, driftwood, and cork bark to provide cover, additional hiding spots, and climbing opportunities, enhancing the habitat’s complexity and visual appeal.
Maintaining a Clean Habitat: Toad Tank Cleaning
Regular cleaning is vital for maintaining a healthy environment for your pet toad. Spot-clean the habitat daily, removing any uneaten food or droppings. Clean and disinfect food and water dishes daily.
Monthly Deep Cleaning:
Thoroughly clean and disinfect the entire habitat at least once a month using an amphibian-safe cleaner or a 3% bleach solution.
Step-by-Step Cleaning Guide:
- Using gloved hands (powder-free latex gloves moistened with dechlorinated water), gently move the toad to a secure temporary enclosure.
- Remove all substrate, decor, and accessories from the tank.
- Scrub the tank and all furnishings with amphibian-safe cleaner or 3% bleach solution. Let bleach solution sit for at least 10 minutes for disinfection. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for commercial cleaners.
- Rinse everything thoroughly with dechlorinated water to remove all traces of cleaning agents.
- Allow the tank and all items to dry completely before reassembling the habitat with fresh substrate and clean accessories.
- Return the toad to its cleaned habitat. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling the toad or its habitat contents.
Feeding Your Pet Toad: Diet and Nutrition
Feeding Schedule and Amounts
- Juvenile Toads: Feed daily.
- Adult Toads: Feed every other day.
- Feeding Quantity: Offer 3 to 6 insects per feeding session for adults.
- Young Toads: Feed smaller insects like fruit flies and pinhead crickets to toads under 1 inch long.
Supplementation:
Dust insects with a calcium supplement with vitamin D daily and a multivitamin/mineral supplement 1-2 times per week to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
Diet Variety
A balanced toad diet consists of various gut-loaded insects and worms:
- Crickets
- Roaches
- Mealworms
- Earthworms
- Superworms
- Calci-worms
- Hornworms
- Waxworms
Offer a variety of prey items rather than the same insect daily to ensure a broad spectrum of nutrients and prevent malnutrition. Ensure prey size is no larger than the width of the toad’s mouth to prevent choking or difficulty in swallowing.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Dust insects with powdered supplements before feeding. Use a calcium supplement with vitamin D and a multivitamin/mineral powder specifically formulated for amphibians. To dust, place insects in a bag or container with the supplement and gently shake to coat them evenly.
Water
Always provide clean, dechlorinated water daily. Water dishes should be large and shallow enough for soaking. Clean and disinfect water and food dishes daily. Avoid distilled water, as it lacks essential minerals and salts toads need for hydration.
Gut-Loading Insects
Gut-loading enhances the nutritional value of feeder insects. Feed insects a nutritious gut-loading diet for 24-72 hours before offering them to your toad.
General Toad Care: Shedding
Amphibians shed their skin regularly. Healthy toads usually shed their skin in one complete piece. They typically eat their shed skin to recycle nutrients and avoid attracting predators. Younger, growing toads shed more frequently than adults. Cloudy or milky skin indicates an impending shed. Toads often crouch while shedding.
Veterinary Care: Keeping Your Toad Healthy
Annual Veterinary Check-ups
Schedule annual veterinary check-ups for your toad. Use a secure carrier for transport. Bring photos of the habitat, food, and tank item packaging for the vet to review.
Signs of a Healthy Toad
- Clear, bright eyes
- Moist, intact skin
- Clean, pink oral cavity
- Clear nostrils
- Straight, smooth toes
- Good appetite
- Alert and active
- Appropriate hopping and swimming
When to Consult a Vet
- Eye discharge or swollen eyes
- Skin lesions
- Redness on limbs or underside
- Oral lesions
- Bent or broken toes or limbs
- Dry skin
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Nasal discharge
- Breathing difficulties
- Rapid weight changes
Common Toad Illnesses
- Red leg
- Chlamydia
- Mycobacteria
- Chytridiomycosis
- Chromomycosis
- Saprolegniasis
- Intestinal obstruction
- Parasites
- Trauma
- Nutritional deficiencies
FAQs About Pet Toads
Can you have a toad as a pet?
Yes, toads make great pets. It’s best to purchase pet toads from reputable stores or breeders rather than capturing wild toads, which may carry diseases or toxins.
How long do pet toads live?
Pet toads typically live around 10 years, significantly longer than wild toads, though lifespan varies by species.
What is the easiest toad to keep as a pet?
The American Toad is often recommended for beginners. They are easy to handle, have good appetites, and are interactive.
Do toads like to be petted?
No, toads should not be petted with bare hands due to their sensitive skin. Handling should be minimal and done with gloved, moist hands.
Can I keep a toad I found outside?
No, it’s not recommended to keep wild toads as pets. They may carry diseases or parasites, be stressed by captivity, and some species can be dangerous to handle if misidentified. Pet toads are readily available and affordable from pet stores or reptile expos.
By understanding and meeting the specific needs of toads, you can provide a thriving and enriching environment for these fascinating amphibians, making them wonderful pets for dedicated enthusiasts.
WRITTEN BY
Maria Zayas, DVM
Veterinarian
Dr. Zayas has practiced small animal and exotic medicine all over the United States and currently lives in Colorado with her 3 dogs, 1 cat,…
