Toads, often recognized by their dry, bumpy skin and sturdy build, are fascinating amphibians that can make excellent pets. Belonging mostly to the Bufonidae family, these creatures are found across various parts of the globe. If you’re considering welcoming a toad into your home, this guide will provide you with essential information on how to care for various pet toad species, including African Bouncing Toads, Egyptian Toads, Moroccan Green Toads, and more.
Before bringing a toad home, it’s important to verify your local regulations regarding pet ownership. Toads are amphibians, not reptiles, and are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external heat to regulate their body temperature. While some toads are quiet, others are quite vocal, using chirps, snores, or even bleats to communicate. Known for their intelligence and ability to recognize routines, toads can be rewarding pets, often living longer in captivity than in the wild.
Understanding Your Pet Toad
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Care Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Lifespan | 10+ years (species dependent) |
| Adult Size | 1–6 inches (species dependent) |
| Diet | Insectivorous |
| Habitat Size | 10-20 gallon tank for 2-6 toads (species dependent) |
Safe Handling of Your Toad
Toads generally prefer not to be handled and it should be kept to a minimum. Human skin contains oils and bacteria that can be harmful to toads, potentially causing irritation or illness as they absorb substances through their skin.
Important Note: When handling is necessary, always use disposable, non-powdered gloves, moistened with dechlorinated water.
Toads have glands that secrete toxins as a defense mechanism. It’s crucial to prevent these secretions from coming into contact with your eyes, mouth, or any open wounds. In case of accidental contact, seek medical advice immediately.
A soft, fine-mesh net can be helpful for gently moving or guiding your toad during habitat maintenance.
Remember, toads can carry diseases, including Salmonella. Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling your toad or anything within its habitat.
Essential Supplies for a Happy Toad
Setting up the right environment is key to your toad’s health and well-being. Here’s a checklist of necessary supplies:
- Appropriate Habitat: A glass tank or terrarium of suitable size (10-20 gallons for a few toads).
- Substrate: Coconut fiber, sphagnum moss, or cypress mulch for burrowing.
- Sphagnum Moss: To help maintain humidity and provide a comfortable substrate.
- Water and Food Dishes: Shallow dishes for water and containing live insects.
- Hideaways: Cork bark, caves, or half logs to provide secure hiding spots.
- Climbing Decor: Branches or rocks for enrichment.
- Plants: Live or artificial plants to enhance the habitat and provide cover.
- Heat Light and Fixture: To maintain proper temperature gradients.
- Under-Tank Heater: Paired with a thermostat to regulate temperature safely.
- UVB Lighting and Fixture: Low-level UVB to mimic natural sunlight.
- Multivitamin Supplement: To ensure nutritional balance.
- Calcium Supplement with Vitamin D: Essential for bone health.
- Cricket Keeper: For storing live crickets.
- Cricket Food and Quencher: To gut-load feeder insects.
- Live Insects: Crickets, mealworms, etc., as the primary food source.
- Thermometers: To monitor habitat temperatures.
- Thermostat: To control under-tank heater temperature.
- Humidity Gauge (Hygrometer): To monitor humidity levels.
- Water Mister: For maintaining humidity.
Alt: Toad in natural habitat, showcasing bumpy skin and mossy environment.
Creating the Ideal Toad Habitat
Choosing the Right Tank
A 10 to 20-gallon tank is a good starting point for housing up to six adult toads, depending on their size. Ensure the habitat is well-ventilated and has a secure, screened lid to prevent escapes. For each additional toad, add at least 5 gallons of tank space. As your toad grows, typically reaching adult size within 6 to 18 months, upgrade to a larger enclosure to accommodate their needs.
Housing Multiple Toads Together
Many toad species are social and can live happily in small groups, provided there is enough space. Research your specific toad species or consult with a veterinarian to confirm their social compatibility. Never house different amphibian species together, and avoid keeping male and female toads together unless you intend to breed them, as females can lay hundreds of eggs.
Maintaining Proper Temperature
Most toads thrive in temperatures between 70-80°F (21-27°C) during the day, with a slight drop at night. Use two thermometers, one in the warmer area and one in the cooler area of the tank, to monitor temperature gradients. A digital thermometer can provide quick readings.
Light and Heat for Toads
Use an under-tank heater covering no more than half of the tank floor to create a thermal gradient. Always connect it to a thermostat to prevent overheating. Avoid ceramic heat emitters and hot rocks, as they can cause burns and dehydration.
The Importance of UVB Light
Provide your toad with UVB light using a low-level 2.0 or 5.0 fluorescent bulb for 10-12 hours daily to simulate natural sunlight cycles. Turn off UVB lights at night. Replace UVB bulbs every 6 months as their effectiveness diminishes over time, even if they are still emitting light. A timer can help maintain a consistent day/night cycle.
Alt: Yellow belly toad close-up, highlighting bright colors in planted tank.
Humidity Levels
Ideal humidity for most toads ranges from 50-60%. Excessively high humidity (over 70%) can be harmful. Mist the habitat daily with dechlorinated water to maintain humidity and provide a shallow water bowl large enough for soaking. Clean and refill the water bowl daily with dechlorinated water. Ensure good ventilation to prevent humidity from becoming too high, and use a hygrometer to monitor levels daily.
Choosing the Right Substrate
Use at least 2 inches of substrate to allow for burrowing. Good options include coconut fiber, dampened sphagnum moss, leaf litter, and cypress mulch. Moisten one side of the substrate and keep the other side dry to offer your toad choices. Avoid reptile carpet, artificial turf, small gravel, sand, or small bark chips, as these can be harmful if ingested.
Decor and Enrichment
Creating Secure Hiding Spots
Provide at least two hiding areas, one on the warm side and one on the cool side of the habitat. Hideouts help toads feel secure and regulate their body temperature. Ensure toads are not hiding constantly, as they still need UVB exposure. If housing multiple toads, provide individual hiding spots to reduce territorial behavior.
Adding Plants and Driftwood
Decorate the habitat with live or artificial plants, branches, driftwood, and cork bark to provide cover and additional hiding places, enhancing the natural feel of the environment.
Maintaining a Clean Habitat
Daily spot cleaning is essential. Remove uneaten food and droppings daily, and clean and disinfect food and water dishes. A thorough cleaning of the entire habitat should be done monthly using an amphibian-safe cleaner or a 3% bleach solution.
Follow these steps to clean your toad’s habitat:
- Wearing moistened, gloved hands, gently move the toad to a temporary, secure container.
- Remove all substrate, decorations, and accessories from the tank.
- Scrub the tank and all items with amphibian-safe cleaner or 3% bleach solution, leaving bleach for at least 10 minutes.
- Rinse everything thoroughly with dechlorinated water to remove all cleaning solution residues.
- Allow the tank and its contents to dry completely before reassembling.
- Add fresh substrate and cleaned decorations, then return your toad to its clean habitat.
- Always wash your hands after handling the toad or its habitat.
Alt: Cleaning toad tank, gloved hands and cleaning supplies visible.
Feeding Your Pet Toad
Feeding Schedule and Diet
Feed juvenile toads daily and adults every other day. Offer 3-6 insects per feeding session to adult toads. Small toads (under 1 inch) should eat small insects like fruit flies and pinhead crickets. Dust insects with calcium supplement with vitamin D daily and a multivitamin supplement 1-2 times per week.
A balanced toad diet includes gut-loaded insects and worms such as:
- Crickets
- Roaches
- Mealworms
- Earthworms
- Superworms
- Calci-worms
- Hornworms
- Waxworms
Offer a variety of insects to prevent malnutrition. Prey should be no larger than the width of the toad’s mouth.
Supplementation and Hydration
Dust insects with vitamin supplements before feeding. Use calcium with vitamin D daily and a multivitamin powder designed for amphibians 1-2 times a week. Always provide clean, dechlorinated water in a shallow dish large enough for soaking, and replace it daily. Avoid distilled water.
Gut-Loading Insects
Gut-load insects 24-72 hours before feeding by placing them in a container with a nutritious gut-loading diet to enhance their nutritional value for your toad.
General Toad Care
Shedding
Toads shed their skin regularly, usually in one piece, which they often eat to recycle nutrients and eliminate waste. Younger, growing toads shed more frequently than adults. Cloudy or milky skin indicates shedding is imminent. Toads typically crouch down while shedding.
Veterinary Health for Your Toad
Regular Vet Check-ups
Schedule annual veterinary check-ups for your toad. Use a secure carrier for transport and bring photos of the habitat and food 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 and activity level
- Alertness
- Proper movement (hopping/swimming)
When to Seek Veterinary Care
- Eye discharge or swelling
- Skin lesions or redness
- Oral lesions
- Bent or broken limbs
- Dry skin
- Lethargy or lack of appetite
- Nasal discharge, breathing difficulty
- Rapid weight changes
Common Toad Illnesses
- Red leg
- Chlamydia and Mycobacteria
- Fungal infections (Chytridiomycosis, Chromomycosis, Saprolegniasis)
- Intestinal obstruction and parasites
- Trauma
- Nutritional deficiencies
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Toads
Can you keep a toad as a pet?
Yes, toads make great pets. Always obtain captive-bred toads from reputable sources to avoid wild-caught toads that may carry diseases or toxins.
How long do pet toads live?
Pet toads typically live significantly longer than wild toads, often around 10 years or more, depending on the species and care provided.
Which toad is best for beginners?
The American Toad is often recommended for beginners due to its manageable size, hardy nature, and engaging personality.
Do toads enjoy being petted?
No, toads should not be petted with bare hands due to their sensitive skin. Handling should be minimal and done with gloved, moistened hands when necessary.
Is it okay to keep a wild toad I found?
No, it’s not recommended to keep wild toads. They may carry diseases or parasites, be stressed by captivity, and some species can be dangerous to handle if misidentified. Purchase pet toads from reputable pet stores or reptile expos.
This comprehensive guide provides a solid foundation for keeping a toad as a pet. With proper care and attention, you can enjoy the unique companionship of these fascinating amphibians for many years.
WRITTEN BY Maria Zayas, DVM Veterinarian
