Reptile & Amphibian Forums

my cousin gave me an american toad last year, & we were doing great until the last week, it stopped coming out of its house to get water. ive been putting crickets in there for it to hunt, i keep a red light on it throughout the day, but lately ive started to turn it out at night. the temp fluctuates from around 86 during the day & 76 at night, with the light off. ive only started turning the light off during the last month or so, since the weather has gotten warmer. im not quite sure whats different now. i changed the substrate 2 weeks ago, i added some bark chips this time, but next time i wont since ive seen people say its rough on them when they bury themselves, which i didnt think about. im going to upgrade to a 20 gallon as soon as i remember to buy one when im out, i figure the more room they have, the happier they are. but heres a pic of the house as it is right now. any suggestions or thoughts on why the sudden decrease in activity?

btw, ive never heard it call. can i assume its a girl?

thx

as soon as i can get it to come out, im gunna try to get a more recent pic. this was the week after i got it. its all buried inside the house, i dont want to get it out just to annoy it.

Try cooling the tank down. In the wild, American toads spend most of their time on the ground. During the warm day they usually stay hidden under rocks, logs, or other type of shelter. Although the ambient temperature of the air during the day might reach the 80's, the temperature on the ground in the leaf litter will be much cooler. Do an experiment, on a hot day measure the temperature in the sun, the temperature in the shade, and the temperature under a rock. You'll be surprised at the difference. American toads do best when kept at cooler temperatures. I keep mine on the floor in the basement where temperatures range from the high 50's to the low 70's, never above 80F. I suspect that if you cool the cage down your toad may be more active. Good luck,
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Devin Edmonds
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com

Great looking toad. That temp is hot for a toad . We have lots of toads around here you mostly see them at night when in mid 70s or after rains.
Can you put the tank in a cooler room or just leave the light off if it gives off any heat. Mist her a bit with cooler aged (de chlorinated)water .

ive been leaving the light off, except its been getting into the 60s lately (im in st. louis, mo...home of the weird weather.) i bought waxworms & mealworms yesterday, & got her(?) to eat about 4 waxworms & 2 mealworms. she wont eat anything that isnt moving, which is kind of becoming a problem. still havent gotten her to eat the crickets in the tank or go for the water. temp has been about 72-76.

so i finally broke down & took her out to feed her. she ate 4 waxworms, a cricket, & a mealworm. but when i put her back in the tank, she went straight for the water, & i got more recent pictures.

only other picture that turned out. shes a fatty.

thanks for all the responses, by the way, i appreciate it.

Dang that thing is a fat lil dude. If it gets bigger your going to have to get a new water dish for it.

Mine is still small, how old is yours? I found mine outside about a 3 weeks ago almost dead and now it's all healthy and getting fat.

Here's my lil dude.
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That pic of my american toad isn't working so here it is again, I hope it works.

lol oh yes she is a chubsy wubsy. Your temp of 72 to 76 is great toads prefer those temps. You never really see them to much exposed to high heat.60s at night fine to.
Around here they are out around the mid 70s than "dissapear" in 80s. Toads will eat till obese till they cant even use their legs so fat .So you have to watch her food intake.
Her enviroment is nice she looks happy but chubby lol. In the summer if you find earthworms from clean areas no fertilizer no chemicals like backyard area they love earthworms.
Rita

Your tank is cool. I'd get rid of the bark chips, though because of the risk of the toad eating them when it hunts feeder insects. I use that eco earth stuff for my guys. It's harmless if swallowed and easier for them to bury themselves in. What wattage is the bulb? 86 might be a tad hot for your Bufo americanus. That might be why she's been scarcely seen in the tank. I can't remember what the recommended temp range is for them.

reako45