How to Care for an American Toad

American toads are ubiquitous across the North American continent. Although they are not common in the commercial pet trade, American toads are easy to care for and make a good first pet for the amphibian fancier. If you capture a toad at your neighborhood pond, provide a few necessities for this docile animal.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Aquarium
• Mesh lid
• Reptile bark
• Water dish
• Live insects
• Log

1. Provide a 10-gallon or larger aquarium for the toad's habitat. Cover the aquarium with a mesh screen lid to prevent escapes and allow ventilation.
2. Fill the toad habitat with a suitable substrate. You can buy reptile bark or you can create a terrarium with plants and soil for the toad's home.
3. Give the toad a large dish of distilled water to drink and soak in. In spite of their warty appearance, toads are amphibians and need abundant moisture to maintain healthy skin.
4. Feed the toad a varied insect diet. In the wild, American toads thrive on earthworms, spiders, crickets, flies, beetles and ants. Supplement any bugs you catch in your yard with purchased crickets and mealworms from the pet store.
5. Place a log or curved piece of bark in the aquarium for the toad's hiding place. American toads are primarily nocturnal and like to remain under cover during the day.
6. Maintain the temperature of the habitat between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Unlike reptiles, toads don't require supplemental heat lamps for health. In fact, toads overheat easily so you must protect them from summer's elements.
7. Release American toads in the fall so they can find an underground site to hibernate for the winter. You can replace your American toad with a new specimen in the spring if you desire.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wash your hands after handling a toad to prevent getting the poisonous skin excretions in your eyes, nose or mouth.