What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Bufo Americanas habitat

  • Thread starter Adam
  • Start date

Adam

Sarracenia Collector
I was wondering how to create a Bufo Americanas habitat(for indoors).(I only have one right now)
I have a tank(I should have a lot of sizes) and was just wondering on some special requirements... this sound OK?
Fish tank gravel for a substrate of the dry level (I'm possibly thinking of how people do with Fire Bellies, can't find a pic but people have a level about halfway up the tank that's fiberglass and underneath there is a water area, that you can add rocks to for the toad to get out with, and also you can have fiberglass ramps. I'm possibly thinking of having a few ramps that extend all the way to the bottom of the tank.), a waterfall and stream area(hopefully the old Firebelly tank still has this) and feed a dozencrickets whenever there are no crickets left. Possibly once a week freeding?
Lighting: no particular lighting. Let's see maybe a shelter for the toads... I think that may be it. A small water dish(unless we still have the stream.)
Sorry that this is so long, and possibly confusing. Please let me know if this will work.
Also, can I keep Fire Belly toads and buffos together?
 
One problem I have with gravel is that it's so large it allows food and waste to fall inbetween the pieces and rot fouling the water. I use gravel in the immediate are of the water features but for the rest large 1-2" gravel pieces or hydroton in a 2" deep layer as drainage "false bottom" for the soil portion elevating it above the water line and some kind of actual soil/subtsrate above the false bottom that I can plant or landscape. For a forest toad main substrate I would use peat, rounded orchid bark (shredded cypress mulch may puncture their soft bellies) and crushed dry oak leaf mixed in and of course some twigs and uncrushed dry oak leaves scattered about ontop of the soil for hiding and camouflaging himself against. You could also plant some of the tank so he has more hiding options/less stress. This soil mix works very well for certain forest mosses that don't need to be constantly wet such as cap mosses (short bottle brush bristle type mosses), most ferns and tropicals will grow well in it.

I myself would not mix species in a tank other than clean up crew (Isopods & springtails) and main display animal(s) of the same species if they are communal enough.
 
Last edited:
One problem I have with gravel is that it's so large it allows food and waste to fall inbetween the pieces and rot fouling the water. I use gravel in the immediate are of the water features but for the rest large 1-2" gravel pieces or hydroton in a 2" deep layer as drainage "false bottom" for the soil portion elevating it above the water line. For a forest toad main substrate I would use peat, rounded orchid bark and crushed dry oak leaf mixed in and of course some twigs and uncrushed dry oak leaves scattered about ontop of the soil for hiding and camouflaging himself against. You could also plant some of the tank so he has more hiding options.

I myself would not mix species in a tank other than clean up crew (Isopods & springtails) and main display animal(s) of the same species if they are communal enough.

Ok then. I would guess I would only need a 5 or 10 gal, it is pretty small.
 
I'd go with a 10 gallon, the price is practically the same but a 10 gives you much more room for the guy to explore/hide & thus relax into captivity and give you more decorating options.

Setting up tanks is my fave thing next to watching them grow in & mature of course!

I would only add a couple crickets every other day and see if he eats them, only feed when there are no more of the two in the tank. There's no sense in having a bunch of starving crickets running around the tank fouling the waterdish and possibly biting your toad giving him an infection and eating any live plants you put in there. I keep my crickets and roaches well fed on cheap high protein dry cat food in a "Kricket Keeper" so they are always fat and nutritious when the critters get them.
 
The american toad is a land lubber. Best setup would be an all land tank with eco earth coco fiber kept moist and a water bowl, IMO. If you HAVE to do a half and half tank keep the water levels only an inch or two (they are not swimmers) and don't use gravel. It can be ingested while feeding and can block the toads digestive tract.

Also, I wouldn't keep the firebellies with the americans. Their care is very different (the firebellies are mostly aquatic). Toads will eat anything that will fit in their mouths, including other toads.
 
Last edited:
The american toad is a land lubber. Best setup would be an all land tank with eco earth coco fiber kept moist and a water bowl, IMO. If you HAVE to do a half and half tank keep the water levels only an inch or two (they are not swimmers) and don't use gravel. It can be ingested while feeding and can block the toads digestive tract.

Also, I wouldn't keep the firebellies with the americans. Their care is very different (the firebellies are mostly aquatic). Toads will eat anything that will fit in their mouths, including other toads.
I decided on just a 10 gallon single story, with peat, and a small water dish. Although I could always put a small 2nd level overtop of it sometime.

---------- Post added at 09:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:21 AM ----------

I'd go with a 10 gallon, the price is practically the same but a 10 gives you much more room for the guy to explore/hide & thus relax into captivity and give you more decorating options.

Setting up tanks is my fave thing next to watching them grow in & mature of course!

I would only add a couple crickets every other day and see if he eats them, only feed when there are no more of the two in the tank. There's no sense in having a bunch of starving crickets running around the tank fouling the waterdish and possibly biting your toad giving him an infection and eating any live plants you put in there. I keep my crickets and roaches well fed on cheap high protein dry cat food in a "Kricket Keeper" so they are always fat and nutritious when the critters get them.

Did not know crickets could bite them...
Dry cat food? I just use the cricket cubes... speaking of which, I need to find some...
I do not know where my kricket keeper is, so I will look for a sutiable container.
 
I thought they were Bufo Marine....?
 
High protein dry cat food will keep your crickets full and help keep them from eating each other or attempting to nibble on your critters which crickets will do if they are starving. The crickets will appreciate it if you grind it into powder with a coffee grinder but it's not necessary they will chew on full pieces too but they will eat more and get fatter if it's made into a powder so I powder it so that each cricket makes a bigger meal for my critters. I don't use the retail cricket feed because it's not good for them long term since it has calcium in it, which is bad for insects and is way overpriced for what you get. A retail jar of cricket feed is usually $6-9 for two cups whereas a 5 lb bag of dry cat food lasts almost forever and is only about $1.25. The biggest plus is the crickets cannibalism is lessened and if they grow in your care they will survive their molts by not eating a bunch of calcium, so you have them longer which saves you money on feeders. You can also feed your crickets oranges, romaine lettuce, crushed grapes, celery, all sorts of leftover fresh fruits and veggies helps make them better for your display animal to eat.

Instead of buying the Flukers Kricket Kwencher (the colored jello cubes the crickets "drink") get the bag of "Soil Moisture" water crystals from the garden center or walmart. It's the same as kricket kwencher but has no calcium added so it's better for them and costs you about 10x less since it's sold dry and not pre-expanded with water (basically you're paying for the water when you buy the Flukers stuff at Petco). You can also buy the water crystals here by the pound: http://www.watersorb.com but a large bag of Soil Moisture will last you years since you only use a tablespoon of dry crystals to a gallon of reverse osmosis water and that gallon of water crystals lasts a long time.

You will want to keep the crickets and the toad separate until it's time for the toad to eat them because crickets are messy and will knock their food and water crystal trays contents all over. So it's best if they are separate that way you can keep the toads enclosure nice and clean. And each time your cricket cage runs out, clean it before you go and buy more. Put on some gloves (I do) and wash out the container and food & water crystal trays with hot water and one of those sponges with the scrub pad on the back - don't use any soap! Then set it back up with food and water so when I come home with new crickets it's all ready for them.
 
Last edited:
I use potatoes, at least last time I did it and it worked fine. Grapes? Oranges? I will try these too! Although we have ants in the house right now so sugar is the last thing I'd want to feed my crickets.
I got a container, and I am keeping the crickets in there. Just a little container, poked some holes in the top and it works.
I am letting the water from the peat drain then put it in the tank! Pics to come!

---------- Post added at 07:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:00 PM ----------

He just ate a cricket :D
 
  • #10
Newgrowshelf024.jpg

Newgrowshelf020.jpg

Yum!
Newgrowshelf015.jpg
 
  • #11
That's an empty tank! LOL

What kind of soil is that? I think it's far too wet for a toad. There's a possibilty he may get an infection living on such wet soil. Frogs can deal with soaked soil but toads need drier conditions.

I would suggest putting in lots of dried leaves to give a dry layer over top the soil. To prepare them pull them off a tree (in the woods or better from a fallen branch) and bake them in the oven for 1/2 an hour at 200*F (no hotter). Once they cool they will be crispy, scatter them around so the toad has some hiding spaces and dry places to be until the soil dries out a bit. If you have a screen lid to put over it it will help speed the drying out. Some small plants like ferns and other cheap houseplants and a branch or two wouldn't hurt either. They will make him feel more secure and give him even more places to hide and explore.
 
  • #12
It's peat. I leave the top open for it to dry a bit... It can't jump that high yet.
I have a few houseplants that I will put in there, maybe on the weekend.
I'll add a few branches. Anyway to bake them?
 
  • #13
Bake the twigs just like the leaves, 200*F for 1/2 hour to an hour will kill any molds or insect eggs on them.
 
  • #14
Ok thanks. I boiled my peat over a grill. Did not want any peat fires inside the house!!!!!
I'll take pics when I update the tank.
 
  • #15
I just put my peat in a bucket and boil the water on the stove dump the boiling water into the bucket and let it soak. But to be honest I don't even boil anymore and haven't had anything bad happen. Got some mushrooms pop up under a fern though! LOL
 
  • #16
I just put my peat in a bucket and boil the water on the stove dump the boiling water into the bucket and let it soak. But to be honest I don't even boil anymore and haven't had anything bad happen. Got some mushrooms pop up under a fern though! LOL

Oh! I actually mixed peat and water, had more water than peat, and when it boiled poured it in to a bucket.
That's pretty cool!
 
  • #17
Looks like a nice setup. You could let that substrate dry out a little, lol. Just moist like potting soil out of the bag would be fine. Then throw in a few plastic plants of your choice and you're all set :). The reason I would recommend plastic plants is they're easy to disinfect in vinegar water or a weak bleach solution when you do a substrate change. Make sure they're very well rinsed if you use the bleach method. I just used white vinegar to clean my tanks when I kept frogs and rinsed the tank out. It's a natural disinfectant and won't hurt the toad if some is absorbed through the skin, and it disolves any mineral buildup on the glass. Speaking of which, I used dechlorinated water for my frogs. They absorb everything through their skin so tap water isn't great. Your CP water should work great and will cut down on mineral build-up on the side of the tank when you mist the substrate.

You also might want to think about "dusting" your crickets with a vitamin/mineral powder prior to feeding them, especially if you don't gut-load them. Also, the best food to feed these guys is nightcrawlers or leaf worms. Pure protein and 100% digestable. I've raised tons of horned, budgett's, and african bullfrogs on a diet of 75% worms, 25% crickets and mice, and the occasional wax or horned worm.
 
Last edited:
  • #18
Looks like a nice setup. You could let that substrate dry out a little, lol. Just moist like potting soil out of the bag would be fine. Then throw in a few plastic plants of your choice and you're all set :). The reason I would recommend plastic plants is they're easy to disinfect in vinegar water or a weak bleach solution when you do a substrate change. Make sure they're very well rinsed if you use the bleach method. I just used white vinegar to clean my tanks when I kept frogs and rinsed the tank out. It's a natural disinfectant and won't hurt the toad if some is absorbed through the skin, and it disolves any mineral buildup on the glass. Speaking of which, I used dechlorinated water for my frogs. They absorb everything through their skin so tap water isn't great. Your CP water should work great and will cut down on mineral build-up on the side of the tank when you mist the substrate.

You also might want to think about "dusting" your crickets with a vitamin/mineral powder prior to feeding them, especially if you don't gut-load them. Also, the best food to feed these guys is nightcrawlers or leaf worms. Pure protein and 100% digestable. I've raised tons of horned, budgett's, and african bullfrogs on a diet of 75% worms, 25% crickets and mice, and the occasional wax or horned worm.

Right now, she's(yes, it's a she) too small to eat a worm.
Before we set it up, we leaned the tank to the right. the peat was in the left. A BUNCH of water came out of it. I would use live plants, I have one ready.
Where do I get cricket dust?
 
  • #19
Right now, she's(yes, it's a she) too small to eat a worm.
Before we set it up, we leaned the tank to the right. the peat was in the left. A BUNCH of water came out of it. I would use live plants, I have one ready.
Where do I get cricket dust?

Live plants are fine, just be aware they can harbor bugs and bacteria that may cause you problems later if you have really bad luck.

Any pet store would have the vitamin dust. Any commercial cricket dust would be fine. Some are better than others, but I couldn't recommend a specific one to you... I've been out of the game too long. I do remember this one being OK:

http://www.coolpetstuff.com/Cricket-Dust-p/0121.htm

If the toad's big enough to eat crickets it's big enough to eat worms too. Go to a bait store and get red worms- they're tiny. Plus you can keep them in the fridge and have a food supply on hand for weeks. Next size up is leaf or trout worms, then baby nightcrawlers, then crawlers.
 
  • #20
Live plants are fine, just be aware they can harbor bugs and bacteria that may cause you problems later if you have really bad luck.

Any pet store would have the vitamin dust. Any commercial cricket dust would be fine. Some are better than others, but I couldn't recommend a specific one to you... I've been out of the game too long. I do remember this one being OK:

http://www.coolpetstuff.com/Cricket-Dust-p/0121.htm

If the toad's big enough to eat crickets it's big enough to eat worms too. Go to a bait store and get red worms- they're tiny. Plus you can keep them in the fridge and have a food supply on hand for weeks. Next size up is leaf or trout worms, then baby nightcrawlers, then crawlers.

Hmm... that's good to know.
Thanks for the link!
 
Back
Top