[Guest]

Found this in the park:

I've thought it would be interesting to set up a terrarium more similiar to my actual surroundings(ohio) with a toad or two, anyone ever keep any toads? if so what kind?

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[kyle1745]

Please edit your pictures... way too big...

 

[Ryan]

My thoughts exactally

 

[Derek Benson]

I believe it's Bufo woodhousei fowleri, also called Bufo fowleri. I have a question though. What are those milipede looking things that's by that branch? When I was up in West Virginia, they were all over.

 

[Ryan]

No clue what they are but in the orchid greenhouse they are all over the place.

 

[KeroKero]

Native toads

I've kept a range of toads... from the native american/fowlers/woodhouse and their hybrids, to the atelopus I am currently working with. I used to raise american and some of the hybrids (naturally occuring) every spring through elementary and middle school, feeding the froglets aphids and baby field crickets I caught. I also later caught and kept adults and bred them.

PM me for a caresheet about these guys if you want it.

 

[Guest]

I'm not very familiar with Bufonids in Ohio, but the easiest way to tell B. fowleri from B. americanus is the warts in the black dots. Here in DE Fowler's have, on average, 2 or more in each black spot. B. americanus only have one on average. There's also a difference in the crests, but I'd have to refer to Jim White's book for that one. They would make very easy terrarium guests with very straight-forward care.
j

 

[Guest]

Well that guy belongs to the state, (in a park). However if I find one on my/parents/friends property I might have to try housing one. Building a vivarium with all native species would be an interesting experiment.

 

[Homer]

I agree, it looks like a Fowler's toad to me. I used to keep a few when I was growing up . . . they would eat you out of house and home! I have a real soft spot in my heart for native toads, and make adequate housing for them in my gardens to attract them. I think my appreciation for toads has sparked my love of D. leucomelas--the body type is certainly similar!

 

[Dunner97074]

Tad,
Way to go! Releasing it back to wild. It's my philosophy that if it's surviving in the wild ie. a park, woods, etc. then let it be. I don't know if you saw my post of the tree frog I found on my grill (before lighting it) the other night. I brought it inside ID'd it and let it go. That's why we buy our darts from breeders so we don't support wild caught animals.

Mike

To quote NH state motto "Live free or die!"

 

[Guest]

*Lots* and lots of frogs in the hobby are WC, and I would hazard to guess that most cb's are only 1-3 generations away from WC. Still, I think supporting CB is better than WC, I don't think I would ever buy WC. However, I may try to get some frogs from Sean Stewart if/when he gets frogs from the INCIBO project, and those might be considered WC, but in addittion to getting some really nice frogs hopefully I'd be contributing to preservation of rainforests.

-Tad

 

[KeroKero]

peru frogs

The whole point of that project is not to ship WC animals, rather CR (captive raised) from tads deposited in collecting sites (collecting relatively small amounts that don't affect wild populations) as well as CB in their facilities for those frogs they couldn't collect tads from or what not. I wouldn't say they are WC, they shouldn't be under debate like the panamanian frogs, and hell these guys will have actual locality info!

I'd probibly still treat the guys similar to wildcaughts due to their stresses and making sure they went through travelling ok. Quarentining should be mandatory for all new frogs anyway no matter where they come from, and probibly fecals as well.

 

[Guest]

I didn't mean to imply that anything untoward was happening, but correct me if I'm wrong they are buying land (rainforest) setting up artificial rearing sites, in a hopes to boost the local frog population and then "skimming" the excess young popluation (much of which might not make it to adult hood) off? It sounds like "responsible" collection to me. I'm curious are they collecting froglets? or tadpoles? or tads that are just morphing out? I would love to see/watch an interview with Schultze and learn about/see(if only on the net/tv) the whole process/facilities.

Tad

 

[Guest]

those are the coolest toads!
i moved almost a dozen of them out of my front yard this week while mowing the grass. they peed on me even though i was saving their lives :shock:
i dont really think that i would like a viv set up with native plants and species to where i live, i meant just go for a walk =)
also, most temperate plants need a resting period (ie winter) and i belive that speices of toad hibernates during the cold season, so it would be one heck of an undertaking to climate control a temperate vivarium well enough to have it thrive.

 

[Guest]

Yes it would be much more challenging to do "temperate vivarium" than a tropical one, but thats what would make it interesting. I guess if you had an old/xtra fridge (and the terrarium is small enough) you could mimic a winter hibernation period fairly well.


-Tad

 

[Guest]

probably not even a fridge would be cold enough, because it wouldn't freeze it solid. an easier method would be to put it outdoors =)

 

[Guest]

I think freezing a small vivarium solid would be dangerous. Whereas I've read/seen people putting pet bats in the fridge to induce hibernation. I think lowering the temp to the mid 30's (farenheit) would be cold enough to induce hibernation.


-tad

 

[Guest]

thats true, but i dont keep my fridge that cold! plus i think that my girlfriend would freak out if there were chilled frogs in next to the roast beef..... :wink:

I definitely think that this is a challenge for someone that like to be challenged. unfortunately for me i am much too practical (or uninspired) to undertake a recreation of an environment inside my house that is identical to the environment outside my house, seems kinda redundant. But if you do do this, i would love to hear how it works out!