Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just can't do it. I want them to have a mixed diet but if I try the mealworms served in one container they crawl out and into the substrate never to be seen aghain. If I serve them in something with a ridge the cant climb over to get out, then toads never even see them.

I have bufo toads that are about 4" long, and they don't seem to be staying very fat with all the crickets, and I fail when I try serving mealworms. Any suggestions? I will get them other things from outside when it gets warmer out, but I really need to figure out a way to keep the worms in there alive and in one place long enough for toads to notice and want to eat them.

Well, I would try and I stress TRY putting the toad(s) in a seperate container which is too tall for them to escape, then place the worms in there too. No substrate, nothing else to distract toads. Maybe when they see these guys moving about it'll entice them. You could try doing this an hour here or there and see what happens. Not much longer because they need some type of water source and hide spots to feel comfy. Toads of most any type like to see their prey moving. Sometimes they like to take their sweet time pouncing upon them just because "they can". It's rather maddening, but possiblly once they take to "the system", then you could slowly go back to the routine of putting the worms in a dish that's maybe one inch deep so worms don't crawl out and toads are ready and waiting for their supper. This is just a humble idea for you.

If you are worried about fattening them up then I would try wax worms. It has been argued that it isn't good to give mealworms to most amphibians because they usually swallow them whole without actually breaking them up with teeth. The old wives tale is that the mealworm can make its way out of the stomach that way. So I use wax worms. Wax worms move much slower than mealworms and toads rely on seeing their pray to eat it. You might want to use tweezers to drop the wax worms close to the toad and then that should work. Another better subsitute would be earthworms. Earthworms are part of the diet in the wild and the toads will readily accept them as well. So try that...and you shouldn't have any problems.

I have two European Green Toads. I feed them crickets and meal worms. They like each just fine. Cut up earth worms they will eat. But not wax worms. They will eat MAYBE one and ignore the rest. Even sit on them while they eat the meal worms. I bought the wax worms the DAY they were shipped. However they wont move in the container at all. I'm thinking maybe they are dead? Could this be it?

And as far as feeding meal worms. Try putting a tall object in the cage. I have a small tupawear dish. The depth is about 2-3 inches. And it's 6 inches length wise and 4 inches width wise. I have a ceramic log in the tank so they can hide under it. But they also sit on it to dry out. Often enough they will sit on it and see them. Also I leave the food dish in there as another place for them to sit. They enjoy it.

So the only time their food dish is removed is when I am going to feed them. I find them and take them out of hiding then take the dish so they see this. I clean the dish then put the worms in. Bring it back and set it down. They isntantly go for it. If not I will place one in front. The other instantly figures this out. You could also use tongs to place the worms in there and let the toads watch.

I can't stand worms. I dont know why. But I cant. So I use tongs to dig them out of the saw dust and place them in the dish. I have succesfully feed them live worms with just tongs though.
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