Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi there! (i also posted this same message in the toad section)

i was recently given an albino woodhouse toad because it is ill. the little guy lists to the left side and looks a little bit bloated. his left arm is ever so slightly swolen than the other one. at the store i noticed that there was a little bit of shedded skin stuck around his left hand which i gently teased of with mists of water and my fingernails.

the little guy is alert and spunky, but all the times iv looked at him in the store there were loose pinhead crickets in his cage. i saw him eat with gusto last weekend.

i have him housed in a little tank (with coverd sides) placed in a larger tank heated to about 85 degrees. he has dirt, a fake plant for a hide, and a shallow water dish.

the guy there reccomended treatment using Furacyn, a general fish antibiotic commonly sold as Bifuran. i havnt used it yet, and im not going to try to feed him for a while.

i have had toads and frogs as pets for many, many years. i had a pac man frog for fourteen years, and iv had my whites for five years. one iv had for nine.

any input or suggestion would be greatly appreciated!
thanks!
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if wishes were fishes we'd all cast nets

I can't imagine why you were recommended furacin as it doesn't seem to be a topical wound. The symptoms are rather generic, but all to often they are a result of a chronically dirty cage. I would double check your 85F temp as it seems a bit hot for a toad; but I'm not familiar with woodhouse's specifically. If it's eating well, be sure to dust the prey and gut load it. The symptoms could also be related to a calcium poor diet.

In summary, if it's eating well, and defecating, it'll probably get better with your improved husbandry. Toads are resiliant that way. If it's not eating, which is very untoad like, then it's time to be concerned.

Ian

thanks! he is still among the living this morning. moving about a little bit, under and over his fake plants.
i have lowered the temp to 82.4 in the warm area. i am going to try to fed him tonight with some long, skinny feeder tongs (i hate loose crickets in my enclosures).
i am sure that i would still want to keep the temp up at night, but wouldnt the constant brightnes stress him out? i will try to find a night bulb that will work and just change it out.
thanks a million!
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if wishes were fishes we'd all cast nets

I agree, the constant light will be a stressor. A nightime temp drop will be fine in a healthy toad, but until then, get a blue or red bulb.

Ian