Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My best friend just got two Marine Toads today at a reptile show. While the seller gave us the basic information: 70-80F temp range, slightly moist substrate (she got Jungle Mix for them), and feeds on crickets worms and most anything else that will fit in its mouth. One of the two is about 4 inches long, the smaller one about 2 inches long (kept separately, by the way). Both 'appear' in good health, though the larger one has a few red spots on the pads of its feet (didn't see that until we were on the way home and it was propped against the side of the carrier). I'm really hoping this isn't red leg but just a normal coloration (fingers crossed) as she is already quite attached to these little guys. I've already pulled up a couple of care sites (NERD and one other) but would really like to find some sites that have more than the basic information.

Any help ya'll could provide is greatly appreciated!

Raven

Here's the shot of the belly...slight pink/red tint on the lower abdomen near the rear legs.

Here's the shot of the toes...red tint on the pads of the toes and 'palm'.

Gosh, I hope that it isn't red leg. I've never seen an amphibian with it so I can't identify. Keep him/her as clean as possible for now. Maybe damp paper towels and a hide spot. How's the toad's eating habits? I've read that if it is red leg that prompt vet help is the only hope, but I'm no expert.The fact that you've seperated them is encouraging. What a great looking toad though, and I can well understand the attachment. The best of luck with him!

but it didn't look like what I had seen before in person or in pictures...but that was some years ago. When my friend bought the toads, they were both in those little plastic Critter Keeper cages on very wet paper towels. She purchased Jungle Mix at the show as the substrate to keep them on. I had a spare ten gallon tank for the big guy, and two snakes I'd gotten that day came in one of the large Critter Keeper cages, almost the same floor area as a ten gallon tank but without the height. So my friend was set for cages - at least until these guys get bigger. We cleaned and disinfected both cages with a mild bleach solution, rinsed well, then dried them before setting them up for the toads.

Both of the toads will soak in their water dishes, both of which are more than large enough to enable their inhabitants to do so. The redness has since faded and seems to be clearing up now that she has them set up in this manner. We have begun to wonder if the wet towels were wet down with plain tap water...which contains chlorine around here, sometimes rather high doses of it. We both know amphibians are very sensitive to chemicals and thought it was a possibility since the problem seemed to be isolated to the pads of his feet and the portion of his belly that sits on the ground. Plus it's clearing up after being removed from that situation. They both have bottled spring water for the water dishes now, to make sure there are no chemicals in it that might harm the toads. My friend has also purchased disposable latex gloves to protect both herself and the toads when she has to remove them to clean the cage or if she lifts the bigger guy to check on the red areas. Even though the redness is fading, it'd still be nice to know what it was.

As far as eating goes, they're both chow hounds. They ate a number of crickets each the night she got them, and on several nights since. She also fed them one small pinky mouse, which the large guy gobbled up in no time. From the pictures we've found online of the Marine Toads, he should be a bit heftier than he is, so she's looking to fatten him up a bit but do it slowly. It's actually amazing the range of foods they'll eat, basically anything they can get in their mouths! lol She'll be purchasing a variety of insects and worms for them, plus adding supplements as recommended, to insure they both have healthy long lives.

Raven

Great to hear that the redness is fading! I have a couple of Cane's myself and wouldn't trade them for anything; they're so entertaining and seem happy all the time.

I get to enjoy them as an 'aunt' of sorts. lol With thirty-three snakes and two cats in my house, I don't think the other half wants me to bring anything else home.

She learned what most of the basic care was before deciding to buy them, but she didn't handle them because of the toxicity factor and because they looked fine - alert with no obvious signs of injury or disease, bright eyed and active. It was only on the trip home, with all the vibration and jiggling in the truck, that the big one decided to prop his feet on the side of the container and look out...that's when we saw the red spots on his feet. She's found a couple of websites with disease information, and it looks like the spots are most likely either a fungal infection, an injury from transporting, or a chemical 'burn' for lack of a better word...as I mentioned before that was one of our considerations with the wet towels - chlorine. Redleg was our initial fear, but he wasn't acting at all like the small wc froglets I once was given that had it. She decided today to play it safe and she's gonna remove the Jungle Mix substrate and keep him on paper towels for a while, to ward off any chance of infection or further irritation.

And yeah, they do always seem happy...and I like the big guys expressive green eyes.

Raven

Were the lesions on the hind feet? This is a common condition in toads that have been kept in enclosures where they did not feel secure. The toads attempt to burrow by moving thier hindfeet and cannot but continue until the feet are abraded.
Keep them on a clean surface with a hide box and seek a vet for treatment so the sores don't become infected.

Ed

I have been schooled quite intensley in Red Leg care. lol because i worked at Petco for 3 years...

Ok, first, a very diluted bath in 1part betadine to 15 parts water. (give or take) for about 30 minutes 2x daily. Just a slight tint of 'tea brown' to the water.

Also, a water conditioner for fish called Stress Coat can be applied to the frogs belly to soothe the burining.

I would keep him on dry paper towel for a while, just in case. Cane toads can take the dryness, and that will stop the infection from spreading further. Keep a shallow (very clean) bowl of water with stress coat and possibly some activated carbon.

This should help to catch the infection, just be sure to watch that the blisters dont spread. If you notice the reddness getting worse after the baths and all other treatments, the infection may be spread to the organs.

After the treatments are all done (when the bellyt is white and there are no more blisters) i would make sure to keep the toad's substrate super clean. These guys tend to sit in one place for long periods of time, giving chance to the bacteria to invade. Adding activated carbon to his substrate will help to stop this from happening between cleaning. Good luck with this.
-----
"raised by a cup of coffee"

1.0 ball python- Azazel
1.0 columbian boa- Brooklyn
1.0 red blood python-Hiss
1.0 peach phase thayeri-Sancho
0.1 creamsicle corn- Pandora
0.1 partial stripe ghost corn- Raven
1.0 Sunglow motley corn-Ernie
1.1 hognose- Pricilla and Odd
0.1 russian tortoise- Manja
0.1 collared lizard-O-ren
0.1.1 leos- Boji and Kodama
0.1 beardie- Indie
1.0 BTS- Griffon
0.1 Iggy- Sunny
0.0.2 Red american toadlets with 0.0.7 legs total (er, i have one w/3....)
0.0.1 gray tree frog toadlet
0.0.6 land snails
0.0.2 millipedes of unknown species from TN
0.0.1 spotted slug
5.3 bettas
0.1 pacific parrolet- Mishka
1.1 cats- Cairo and Oberon
2.3 ratties Rizzo, Bounce, Bree, Blitzkreig, and Zelda

You are aware that iodine is toxic to amphibians? Iodine is the active ingredient in betadine. Iodine concentrations as low as 0.179 ppm have been shown to be toxic to anurans. (see Amphibian Medicine and Captive Husbandry, 2001, Krieger Press page 227 for the full reference).

If you suspect redleg then seek the help of a vet asap.

Ed

It evidently was redleg. I went over and we emptied the cage of the Jungle Mix, rinsed it and dried it out, then put in just paper towels as a substrate. The big guy didn't seem to be doing well and hadn't moved at all from the previous day. The red areas had turned into actual lesions overnight and spread to both the front and rear feet (initially just red areas on the front feet and a pinkish tone to the belly) as well as one area on the 'poison' sacs behind the eyes. After we got everything switched out and him back in the tank, we found that he seemed unable to move his rear legs. Putting some paper on the floor, we took him back out of the cage and set him down. He definitely could not move his rear legs and was lethargic...acting exactly like the wc froglets I lost to redleg. The decision was made to euthanize him and scrap the entire setup for fear of contaminating any other herps she might purchase.

The only good light out of this is that she kept the smaller toad completely separate because we were unsure of the larger one's health. That one is doing quite well and has settled in nicely.

Raven

Poor little guy

I hope the other one lifes a full, happy healthy life.

Sorry for your loss.

That toad has a beautiful belly (except for the sore.)What kind is he? I hope the sore cured or gets cured soon.

-sparkie