Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Gulf toads are a dominant population in Texas urban creeks, and are an important kind of accessible wildlife for school studies. As a teacher in Central Texas, I have found very little information about them, however. Is there some resource about their lifecycle and habits? For example, we've had one as a class pet for about eight years now, and it's still going strong (on crickets, rolypoly bugs, and an occasional cockroach -- pretty much anything that moves). We got it when it was about the size of a child's fist, and it's still pretty much that size. What's the natural lifetime for these guys (in fact, I've never seen any information about toad lifetimes in general)? How do you tell gender? Where do they go in the winter in the wild? Any health and maintainance issues that are peculiar to this variety? Info or pointers appreciated.

Is there some resource about their lifecycle and habits?

The typical frog lifestyle will do for all real toads. For habits you might want to check a field guide maybe.

What's the natural lifetime for these guys (in fact, I've never seen any information about toad lifetimes in general)?

I heard a Common toad lived to 33 years. I had a Western Toad that lived between 10-15.

How do you tell gender?

With most toads it can be hard. Can you see anything like a vocal sack. A field guide might be able to help oin this.

Where do they go in the winter in the wild?

Depends on species again, but usually they try to aviod bad conditions (dry, cold, heat, etc.)

Hope this helps a little. Feel free anyone to correct anything.

If you are referring to a Gulf Coast toad they will get to be aout 5 1/2 inches long and female will grow to be larger then males. Also males will develope a nuptial pad on the in side of there thumb which you cannot miss its looks sorta like a black little mark on there thumb, also males sometime will have a dark throat. Some keep the dark throat or they will develope the dark throat during breeding season. If you have tried lookin up the toad I may have been lookin up the wrong name because when I got a gulf coast toad a year ago I found some cites that had info on them. Just look up Gulf Coast toads on Google and you should get some helpful info on there. I found they are pretty actove and hardy toads, and they to my surprise like to climb.
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Aaron aka Doofy

Knowledge is not power; APPLIED knowledge is power
What is Victory worth without sacrifice

With the understanding that generic info about toads is probably useful, I did find a nice site. See

http://cgee.hamline.edu/frogs/science/faq1.html

The answers there are not specific to Gulf Toads, but there are generic answers that I've never seen before.