Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I’ve had a few American/fowlers toads for a while now. The oldest is going to be 7 this spring. We are going to have a big surprise party.

Has anyone ever had any luck breeding this variety of captive toads? I put them out side last year in a 5 by 15 foot recessed patio as soon as the weather was warm enough. I put a 4 foot square pond, 2 to 6 inches deep out for them. They all played in it more than the frogs. The males were more than willing, just no cooperation from the females.

There isn’t much on google about this either. I think I’ve come across something before about them having to hibernate. I’m a little hesitant about hibernating them. I’ve had some get sick when the temp got to cold for to long. There are two reasons for doing this. One is the females are getting very pudgy. I don’t know if toads get egg bound but they have really chunked up this winter (so have I but that another story). The other reason is I would like to let them go back into the wild. The toad population doesn’t seem to be the same as it was just a few years ago.
Here's a pic of my oldest toad, Big Bertha, 7 and the youngest, Sparky almost a year old.
I welcome all thoughts and suggestions.
Thanks,

Galen

Sounds like you are doing all the right things for your toads. It may be a period of dormancy, not exactly hibernation, is what is needed, make sure you try to breed them at the correct time for the species and locality, You may have only a week or so's window of opportunity to do it in. As for not being as numerous as before I have my own theories about that. partly it's a normal fluctuation of numbers, partly the breeding population may have shifted to another site and partly I think it's the"good old days syndrome, There were more toads around when I was a boy" I've had years when I could barely find a breeding pair at a local site and a few years later the place was heaving with them.Keep trying

I'm not quite sure, but I've read w/ some American Bufos rainfall is part of the stimulus that leads to breeding. I notice on overcast or rainy days in the 50's & 60's my toads will spend more time out in the daytime or come out well before nightfall. LOL!

reako45