Well, now I understand why the call them “Horny Toads”.

Less then a month out of hibernation and my 2004 CB DHL male is hitting on everything that moves.

Friday night I found him biting the back of the 2005 CB DHL male. Within seconds he jumped up on the back and latched on to one of the crown horns and started trying to get in position. I poked and prodded him to try and get him to release, but nothing would dissuade him from his mission. I then got out the sprayer and after a couple of squirts he released, only to re-initiate pursuit within seconds. Didn’t matter that I pushed him aside or continued to squirt him, as soon as I stopped intervening, off he went. It was really comical. The 2005 male finally got fed up with it and raised his tail as if to say “hey, can’t you see I’m a boy!” But yet the pursuit continued, that is until the 2005 male dove under the sand leaving the 2004 male in a tizzy of head bobs. I then dug up the 2004 CB DHL female just to see what would happen and his pursuit started immediately. She wasn’t having any of it and immediately dove back under the sand.

Saturday morning he was back at it pursuing the 2004 CB DHL female all over the cage. I had to go to a soccer tournament, so I moved all of them into the outdoor enclosure. Don’t know what happened out there that day, but I’m sure he was busy.

Sunday I came back from the morning soccer game to find him latched on to a horn of the 2005 CB Solare female. She dragged him all around the cage until he finally fell off. Pursuit continued, but this time she was lifting and wagging her tail at him. Something of an invite I guess. Several mountings occurred but no confirmed breeding were observed. Not sure that combo will even work, but they both seemed to be enjoying it, so I just let them be. Later I saw him chasing down the 2005 CB Solare dwarf (female I believe). He was beginning to look pretty ragged, so I decided to move him to another tank and give him and his cage mates a break.

I can not confirm any actually breeding, but boy this guy sure is trying. His vent looks quite swollen, ripe and ready to go. I’ve never had any WC behave this aggressive, at least not while we watched only inches away. I always had to cover their tank with a towel to get them to breed. It’s been quite fun to be able to observe their behavior so openly. Each time the kids go by the tank they yell out, “Dad…he’s at it again! Can’t you control this guy?” It’s becoming something of an ongoing joke around the house.

I will try introducing the females to him periodically, under some sort of controlled environment. At least that way he will actually eat between visits, I hope.

I just wasn’t ready for this much activity so soon after coming out of hibernation. Gonna have to change my care protocol I guess. Lesson learned.

Thanks,
Roger

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