Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have some questions/concerns about keeping American Toads, plain old bufo americanus, in captivity. I have one pet American Toad that was given to me by my sister four years ago after her dog tried to "play" with it. I call him Mortimer (I *think* he's male, but I doubt he cares what I call him anyway). He has grown alot since he was first handed to me, sitting in the bottom of a paper cup with lots of room to spare all around him. His head alone is now bigger than his whole body was then. He seems to be pretty healthy in captivity.

My concern about having kept him is that although I know other people have kept American Toads as pets, I recently noticed that I do not see any of his species in pet stores or on the net where other amphibians are sold. My first question is, are all American Toad pets straight out of yards like Mortimer, or are there captive bred American Toads too? My big question is, if they are all wild-born captives, is it legal to keep them? If it is illegal, then.. eh... I take back what I said about Mortimer being one - it turns out he must be a very short, bald, lumpy.. um... poodle, yes... who just happens to like hopping and eating bugs.

If it really is illegal to keep them, wouldn't it be harmful to return a toad to the wild who has grown up indoors around humans and dogs and cats so he doesn't even freeze or hunker down when they approach his tank? He has no idea that large moving forms nearing him could be dangerous. He keeps on going about his business regardless, especially if he's hunting. It is even possible that this trait was not learned by being in captivity, but was in fact the very reason my sister's dog found him out in the open in broad daylight to begin with - maybe he would have been equally oblivious to predators if he'd been left outdoors in the first place, but if that where truly the case, I doubt he would still be alive to be an issue.

Anyway, I want to do the right thing either way, and I want to try to find out whether the right thing and the legal thing are one in the same. I have to admit though that regardless of the rest of it, a big part of me is just kinda feeling like making sad eyes and saying, "Can I please keep him? Pleeease?" Hey, I'm pretty fond of the little fella after four years.

-me and my toad

I think it all depends on what state you live in and I think for most states they only allow a small percentage to be kept from the wild.. like, its ok to have 1 but take no more than 3, or something like that. Check your state's offical website dealing with wildlife. I do think I have seen once in a pet shop an American Toad offered for sale so I think they are bred in captivity, but since they are so common and since they aren't rare or fancy coloured like some other frog species breeders don't choose to breed them. (Not to say that they don't make great pets! I have 10 of them and love them all dearly!) I also think petstores only purchase what they know sells, and probably a commonly-found-in-anyone's-backyard-toad isn't high on their list of high selling 'inventory'.
To be honest I'm not really sure about the legality of keeping a wild toad as a pet. I did look it up once a long time ago but I can't remember what it said. (will do so after writing this though!)
I hope that you do keep your lil' buddy. I think he is better off now with continued care. They do grow on ya, don't they! :-D

>>I have some questions/concerns about keeping American Toads, plain old bufo americanus, in captivity. I have one pet American Toad that was given to me by my sister four years ago after her dog tried to "play" with it. I call him Mortimer (I *think* he's male, but I doubt he cares what I call him anyway). He has grown alot since he was first handed to me, sitting in the bottom of a paper cup with lots of room to spare all around him. His head alone is now bigger than his whole body was then. He seems to be pretty healthy in captivity.
>>
>>My concern about having kept him is that although I know other people have kept American Toads as pets, I recently noticed that I do not see any of his species in pet stores or on the net where other amphibians are sold. My first question is, are all American Toad pets straight out of yards like Mortimer, or are there captive bred American Toads too? My big question is, if they are all wild-born captives, is it legal to keep them? If it is illegal, then.. eh... I take back what I said about Mortimer being one - it turns out he must be a very short, bald, lumpy.. um... poodle, yes... who just happens to like hopping and eating bugs.
>>
>>If it really is illegal to keep them, wouldn't it be harmful to return a toad to the wild who has grown up indoors around humans and dogs and cats so he doesn't even freeze or hunker down when they approach his tank? He has no idea that large moving forms nearing him could be dangerous. He keeps on going about his business regardless, especially if he's hunting. It is even possible that this trait was not learned by being in captivity, but was in fact the very reason my sister's dog found him out in the open in broad daylight to begin with - maybe he would have been equally oblivious to predators if he'd been left outdoors in the first place, but if that where truly the case, I doubt he would still be alive to be an issue.
>>
>>Anyway, I want to do the right thing either way, and I want to try to find out whether the right thing and the legal thing are one in the same. I have to admit though that regardless of the rest of it, a big part of me is just kinda feeling like making sad eyes and saying, "Can I please keep him? Pleeease?" Hey, I'm pretty fond of the little fella after four years.
>>
>>-me and my toad
-----
-Laurah

Toads just don't make money. Look at a site that sells them $4, $10, etc. Not the money you get from common treefrogs sometimes. No one bothers to captive breed them typically.

Yes, it would be a bad idea to release him since he was learned stuff and is less wary, etc.

The laws differ on your area, although at this point you should probably just keep him. There are sometimes laws about releaseing a captive too.

keep him who will know.Just dont call the department of native wildlife on yourself and you will be ok.