Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted this on the toad page, but I'm putting it here too because it looks like there is more activity.
I'm having some dirt work done and the backhoe just dug up a toad. Nothing fancy, just the common variety we have in the Texas Panhandle.
He narrowly escaped being squished. I grabbed him and now he is in a plastic critter keeper with several inches of damp Jungle Mix I had left over from my tiger sal, Jaws. He's already buried down in.
If the excavation is filled back in within a few hours (it's noon Monday) I plan to put him back where I found him.
But it may not be, and a winter storm is coming in fast.
If I have to keep him overnight or longer, will that then mean he can't go back outside?
He's in the guest bathroom, same as Jaws. The heat vent is turned off so it's about 68 in there.
Will he come out of hibernation?
Am I doomed to have another permanent resident, like the salamander, who was similarly rescued four years ago?
Any advice will be appreciated.

Bury him in loose soil with some grass clipping tossed on top, or stick him in the fridge till spring!

...stick him in the fridge till spring"

I'm already on thin ice with mealworms hidden in the vegetable crisper. I cannot even imagine what would happen if my husband were looking for a midnight snack and found a toad.

He seems to be sound alseep, buried in the bottom of the critter keeper. Maybe it'll quit snowing in a day or so and warm up enough that I can loosen up some dirt and bury him outside.

Just went in to clean Jaws' water and there's the darn toad hopping around loose. He must have pushed up the top of the critter keeper enough to squeeze out.
He's back in there, with a heavy bookend on top of it now. But he sure isn't in hibernation or whatever toads do.

Maybe we'll get a warm spell and I can still release him. But if he's awake and moving around, wouldn't he need to eat? If so, what?

Oh rats, this is just crazy!!

>>...stick him in the fridge till spring"
>>
>>I'm already on thin ice with mealworms hidden in the vegetable crisper. I cannot even imagine what would happen if my husband were looking for a midnight snack and found a toad.
>>
>>He seems to be sound alseep, buried in the bottom of the critter keeper. Maybe it'll quit snowing in a day or so and warm up enough that I can loosen up some dirt and bury him outside.

Cathy, my hubby and I cracked up when we read this! I'll never forget my Mom's reaction when she opened my fridge and found a container of nightcrawlers on the shelf!! It's a good thing she's not afraid of 'em!

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Sprig - Head Keeper of the Mellen Menagerie: 1 cat, 2 garter snakes, 2 fire bellied newts, 3 baby red-eared sliders, 4 little tree frogs, feeder fish and crickets... & a partridge in a pear tree!

He's up now so i'd say keep him till its consistently warm in the spring.
get a ten gallon tank and some soil and moss and keep it moist. I'm sure its dry in your house compared to the soil. Got any extra crickets or meal worms from the salamander?
Maybe they could live togther?

After his little escapade, he's now burrowed to the bottom of the critter keeper. If he hasn't stirred by next time I go to town, I'll check if he's still alive. (Might have been some backhoe damage that didn't show.)
If he is, I'll get a cheap 10-gal. for him to live in until spring, at least.
Yeah, he can share Jaws' crickets and worms. But no way I would put them together. I wouldn't want the toad to maybe expose Jaws to something germy. (Jaws has lived in indoor splendor for 4 years.)
Of even more worry, I bet Jaws would try to eat the toad and end up choking himself. He has absolutely no sense of proportion. (See photo I posted farther down.)
Thanks!