Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everybody,

I have a big terrarium (60"x33" and I would like to put 2 american toad in there.

But I'm not sure what is the best substrate for them. I read that a mix of sand and soil (50/50) work great. What do you think?

And with a terrarium of that size, how often should I clean it?

Any advices on how to setup a terrarium for american toad would be very appreciated!

Thanks!
Annie

>>Hi everybody,
>>
>>I have a big terrarium (60"x33" and I would like to put 2 american toad in there.
>>
>>But I'm not sure what is the best substrate for them. I read that a mix of sand and soil (50/50) work great. What do you think?

I'm having great results with compressed coconut fiber.

>>
>>And with a terrarium of that size, how often should I clean it?

I clean mine whenever it starts looking too dirty. Usually about every 3-4 months. I make a fairly decent effort at spot cleaning, removing any visible waste, but I certainly don't go digging around in the substrate for it. Your enclosure is fairly large but my guess is that a similar time frame would suffice. Be on the lookout for mold, fungus and mites.

>>
>>Any advices on how to setup a terrarium for american toad would be very appreciated!

Minimal fuss! Less will be more and more practical. 2 medium to large water bowls for soaking. 3-6 inches of substrate (american toads like to burrow.) One to a few small potted plants if any. A couple hiding spots would be nice. I've learnt that anything elaborate may look nice at first, but it loses it's appeal quickly after having to break it down and build it back up again when cleaning.

>>
>>Thanks!
>>Annie

Good luck, Annie, with your toad terrarium. May you have more than a few months enjoyment with your new pets.

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Corvus

Thank you very much. All those info will help me a lot!

Annie

Hi Annie,

I use roughly 3 parts coconut husk fiber mixed with 1 part play sand. I then cover the soil mixture with a few dried leafs for cover. If those measurements are in inches and you keep up with spot cleaning all the little waste the cage shouldn't need to be cleaned more than once a year. I use a 10 gallon aquarium to house my toad and I've only cleaned it once since June. Below is a picture of my toad's terrarium.

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Devin
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com
0.0.4 Dendrobates galactonotus 'Red'
4.1 Dendrobates tinctorius 'Dwarf French Guiana'
1.1 Dendrobates tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
5.1 Mantella aurantiaca
2.1 Mantella crocea
0.1.4 Mantella madagascariensis
1.0 Ceratophrys cranwelli
1.0 Bufo americanus
0.0.1 Salamandra salamandra
1.0 Ambystoma tigrinum
0.1 Chamaeleo calyptratus
0.1 Phelsuma dubia
1.1 Uroplatus ebenaui
0.0.1 Chrysemys picta belli
1.0 Terrapene carolina triunguis

Thanks for the info. Nice pic!

Annie