Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a delicate question (or questions) and I didn't know where to ask where I wouldn't get my head bitten off.

I have three eastern kings that I got for what I could afford before they had had their first meal. Sure, I know it's probably better to get animals already established, but I felt up to the task. On Saturday I am also getting a corn snake that has only ever been force fed mouse tails, skinny, and near the end of its rope. I've offered to take over from someone else who is moving and can't keep force feeding it. So with four "picky feeders" I've been wanting to have some items around to "scent" prey with.

I caught a hatchling house gecko in my kitchen, and a toad about 1/2 the size of a golf ball in my swimming pool. I plan on using these animals to help scent pinkies and bring my critters around to feeding. I also have a frozen emerald swift that I might use to try to scent pinks with. The toad and the gecko are both alive and I would like to keep them alive. The toad is merely for scenting pinks, but on the non-feeder corn I might try to see if he'll take the gecko.

But I have to keep the toad alive, and the gecko alive until the weekend. I have the gecko in a small plastic container, and have put a few silverfish and other tiny insects into the container... these are insects I regularly find in my house. I'm hoping the gecko can subsist on those until the weekend.

The toad is a bigger mystery. I don't think I've tried to keep a toad alive since I caught tadpoles as a kid and watched them grow legs. I have him in a medium sized critter keeper, no substrate, slightly wet bottom surface, and a water dish he can go into. Right now he's sitting stunned as I just pulled him out of our swimming pool and he's bloated from the salt water. (some weird salt water style of pool) What should I give him to make him comfortable. I believe he's a Sonoran Toad, but could be wrong. Should I give him crickets? Fruit flies? I only plan to keep him until I get the eastern kings feeding, which I don't envision taking longer than a few weeks at best.

Should I put dirt in the bottom of the cage? I don't think he'll like pine shavings. I just don't know anything about keeping a toad happy. I'd ask on the toadie forums, but I'd feel bad knowing that I'm just keeping Mr. Toad around for his charming personal body odor.

Anyway, if there are any other options people can supply me with, I'd also be appreciative. I know that the guy who sold me the Easterns said that snake-gut-scented pinks worked first time. Don't have any snakes in the freezer, so can't use that. But was thinking of the swift in the freezer, thought it might work.

Sorry... I'm rambling. Thanks for any insight or advice.
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~Sasheena

For the toad... I haven't kept them much either but I do talk to people who have. You should be able to keep him on faintly moist peat moss.. or soil... Have a water dish he can get into.. and feed him appropriately sized insect prey like you would do any insectivorious reptile. Feed him crickets.. mealworms.. superworms.. anything you can catch outside that you know isn't toxic in general since he's wild caught anyway... Though you want to be careful with toads due to the toxins they have in their skins... Especially in terms of scenting food which you have to rub on them.
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Lucien

1.0 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)
2.1 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzard and 1 het Blizzard)
0.1 Savannah Monitor
13 rats
12 Gerbils
2 Dogs
3 cats
1 Albino Corey (fish)

Ah, I hadn't thought of toxins the toad might have in its skin. Are all toads like that? Can I find out about this one? Or should I just have hubby release Mr. Toad on the compost heap, far away from the swimming pool?

Ah well. I'm hopeful that Mr. Gecko helps the corn snake, and Mr. Swift-in-the-freezer will help the corn get switched to pinkies.
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~Sasheena

All toads and frogs carry types of toxins in their skin to keep them from being lunch. Toads generally have them in the glands behind their heads.. but the slightest squeeze can bring them out. Its better not to try it altogether. Releasing Mr. Toad somewhere might be the best option.
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Lucien

1.0 Columbian Redtail Boa (BCI)
2.1 Leopard geckos (2 Blizzard and 1 het Blizzard)
0.1 Savannah Monitor
13 rats
12 Gerbils
2 Dogs
3 cats
1 Albino Corey (fish)

I keep Corns, kings and TOADS all as pets... Forget about using the toad as a scenting tool. Kings will NOT eat amphibians in wild, and ALL toads have very strong toxins... The sonoran toad is one of the most toxic...next to my cane toads..

If you want to keep it, use dirt from outside, good size water dish for soaking, strong lid to keep it in, lots of bugs and small pinkies to eat... TOADS will blow up like balloons when stressed out..

Can you get some anoles or other small lizards?? I think you will have better chance with them.. What about checking with local petshop to see if they have any dead lizards you could use for scenting... Could make the mouse smell great to snakes..

...
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Have You Hugged Your Herp Today?

Thanks for your post. Especially thanks for keeping it related ot feeders. I know that I feel appalled when i hear of someone feeding cornsnakes to their cobra or something... hard to think of our pets as just food for someone else's pets.

Mr. Toad is going back to the wild, recovered from his stint in our swimming pool. Hubby caught a small hatchling tree lizard, in addition to the hatchling gecko, that should be enough to convince my stubborn feeder to eat. The eastern kings have unscented pinks to tantalize them, and hopefully they'll eat without hesitation. If not the pinkies will hang out with the gecko and tree lizard and then go back to hang out with the kings.

I'll still check the pool daily, but just to save and release the toadies who venture into the pool.
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~Sasheena