Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our male American toad has been riding our female Fowler's toad all day. He picked her over the 2 female american toads. These 4 toads have been together platonically for a couple months. Can we expect anything or do toads do a lot of false matings? If this is for real, how long does the squeeze go on before there are results? I have placed an extra bowl of water down in the substrate for the frolicalling couple.

you might have 2 males going at it... sometimes they do that.

Almost certain bottom one is a female based on size, throat color and lack of chirping when picked up by sides.

I do not think that fowlers and americans can interbreed. The american probably just mistakes the fowlers for another american, though I don't know why that would happen.

I think American and fowlers toads can interbreed in fact I think one is a subspecies of the other.Can't remember which off hand. Lots of Bufo species can interbreed to some degree. As for why he'd grab a different species , well he's not read the guide to toad species of North America. Anything the right size is good enough for a male frog/toad.- another species, a goldfish, a dead rat,your hand as some examples. They need a good depth of water to spawn in if the female is receptive. An extra bowl in the substrate doesn't sound enough.

Fowler's toads and American toads are two different species, B. fowleri and B. americanus.
As for interbreeding, I don't know.

Bear in mind that scientific names are only man made definitions. Animals don't know that they're said to be different species.
Check out page 513 of peterson field guide "reptiles and amphibians of eastern /central north america"
Lots of species interbreed where their ranges overlap, lots interbreed when they're artificially brought together by human intervention.

They can tell by smells and sounds that they are different from each other. However interbreeding does occur in many of animals in the wild, and in captivity.

The Fowler's and the Americans can interbreed and hybrids have been found where their natural habitats overlap. The two species are very simmilar, the main differences seem to be cosmetic, as well as differences in their call.
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Owned (and trained) by: 3 Chihuahuas, an AmStaff, a Rottie Mix, a Savannah Monitor, a Veiled Chameleon, 3 Toads and 3 Bettas