Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I've kept various toads and frogs over the years, and wondered if the american toad I caught yesterday would possibly eat guppies out of a shallow water bowl?

Thanks
-----
Current Collection:
0.1 Antherystic Elaphe Guttata Guttata - Corn Snake
1.0 Elaphe Vulpina Gloydi - Eastern Fox Snake
0.1 Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta - Black Rat Snake
0.1 Leucistic Elaphe Obsoleta Linheimeri - Texas Ratsnake
1.1 Morelia Spilota Cheyni - Jungle Carpet Python

Please return him to the place you found him

Why is everyone SO against keeping a frog or toad that was collected from the wild? I'm sorry, but look at _everyones_ collection of animals on here, do you think that they all started out as captive bred animals? All pets for that matter were at one point a wild animal that have been domesticated. I'd understand if someone caught an endangered species of frog/toad and everyone said "It belongs in the wild, put it back where you found it" but when it's a species that common in the US, would you rather someone take it out of their backyard or go to Petco, support a company that mistreats their animals, gives out false information and hires useless teenagers that know nothing about the animals they are trying to sell to people? And personally, my love for herps started back when I was young and used to catch frogs/toads, keep them for a little while, then release them back into the wild. I'm sure MANY people on these forums got started in a similar fashion.

/agree

I actually have a rather disturbing hobby of taking in sick or injured creatures, animals, herps, bugs, KIDS... and have had better luck than most at keeping them alive or getting them back to health. And I would never have learned how to care for them without experimenting with wild caught healthy specimens that I cared for to see how they react and then setting them free once I was satisfied that I knew what made them tick. A few even hung around and not catch bugs in my yard. It's been a joy for me. ANd I'm sure for many others.

Now that you said that I'd like to see an answer to that question about a wild caught toad eating guppies out of a bowl. I see pros & cons to buying captive bred animals & catching them out of the wild. If I were that person who asked that question I would like my question answered-not just be told to return the toad to the wild.

I myself would not feed a toad a straight guppy diet. If the toad will eat the guppies I'm sure they won't kill him. I would feed him crickets & other live critters like meal worms like I feed my firebellies. I have African clawed frogs & dwarf frogs which I allow to eat fry from my larger guppies as well as dried and frozen food. If the toad will eat the guppies, I'd probably give them to him as a treat and feed him crickets, worms, etc.

sparkie