Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my cousin gave me what appears to be an american toad (http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/herpetol/frog/ looks like the 3rd guy down once they start identifiying them), i was wondering if anyone could give me general info on it. dunno if its a him/her, named it bexley. ill get pictures up as soon as i can get it to sit still. care sheets, positive gender id'ing, feeding, normal behavior, anything would be appreciated.

toads are relativly easy to keep. Depending on the size of the toad the tank should be a certain size in relation to the toad. A 2inch toad will need a 10 gallon, two 3-4inch toads will need a 20 to 30 gallon. You will need some substrate, which can be coconut bark, or soil you can by at the petstore. I knew a person who kept his toads for a year before relasing on dirt and leaves he got from a forest. I would advise against thaT because of parisites, or bugs. You will need atleast 2 hiding places, and should keep the soil relatively moist. You would also need a bowl for a toad to soak themselves in. The water level should be too high just enough so they sit in the water. Also toads will eat anything that would move and fits in their moth. They are good feeders.

Check through previous posts. there is plenty of suggestions on American toads. I don't keep them as pets, but, I rehabilitate alot of injured/sick/maltreated ones every year.
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How to get your wife to like toads; 1.Get a male toad. 2.Get him to hug your wifes wrist (amplexus). 3. Tickle him so he chirps in protest. 4.Say "Awww, he likes you". Note; Make sure he pees first or you may receive bodily harm during this procedure.

I am always a bit confused as to why people insist that B. americanus need a water dish. In the wild adult toads never enter the water except for breeding. If the substrate is kept moist enough shouldn't that be enough? I've found that coconut bark seems to hold moisture very well. Is there a reason for the water dish that I'm missing here?

I've never used a water dish with my Am rehabs. They just use it for a toilet. I just mist them at night. They usually greet the mist with a little contempt. They seem to prefer that their home is just moist enough to prevent dehydration. Like you said, after observing them in the wild for 35 years, I've never seen them in an overly damp area, unless it was time to "Get the freak on" (breeding season). They seem to get plenty of moisture roaming about in the dew. I've noticed that my nightly visitors even seem to avoid that. I have one large female that lives in my garage. She goes from the garage to the toad light on the patio, then back to the garage. Sometimes when spooked, she will jump into the grass only to immediately jump back onto the patio like the grass was on fire!
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How to get your wife to like toads; 1.Get a male toad. 2.Get him to hug your wifes wrist (amplexus). 3. Tickle him so he chirps in protest. 4.Say "Awww, he likes you". Note; Make sure he pees first or you may receive bodily harm during this procedure.