I'm moving to Ontario in a few months, back to where I used to live. At our cottage there are literally hundreds of toads hopping around the forests and after doing some research I've decided they are either American Toads or Fowlers' Toads. I'm thinking American, I'll get a closer look at them this summer.

I wasn't sure and wanted to be safe. Are American Toads legal as pets in Ontario? Do you need a license to own them?

I was also wondering if it would be better to buy one or capture one from the wild. They lay fresh batches of eggs each year and there is no shortage of them, so I thought I could easily take some eggs and raise them, then keep one or two of the toadlets when they sprout their legs. I heard that wild ones are usually easier to keep because they are hardier than captive-bred ones and can eat pretty much anything that they'd find in their natural habitat. I read that tame-bred ones can sometimes be a little fussier.

Lastly I was wondering if toads can be returned to the wild after they've been in captivity. I think it would be safe to return them as they are obviously a native species, and I'm assuming the toad would still be able to look after itself, but if I've owned a toad for several years and suddenly can't look after it, would the toad be ok if it was released back in the area I caught it? (Assuming the area is still toad-friendly, of course.) Hope you guys can help! :D

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