Classification
Order: anura
Family: bufonidae
Genus: anaxyrus
Species: anaxyrus americanus
Habitat
This is a very common species in the eastern part of the United States and Canada. They prefer areas with vegetation and fresh water nearby. They are commonly found in woodland, gardens and agricultural areas.
Outward appearance
Adult toads reach the length of 5—11 cm.
Their skin is rough and warty. The body is slightly elongate. American toads have webbed toes on their hind legs. The most common coloration is various shades of brown, but toads can also be reddish, olive and grey, with green pattern on the sides. The warts are usually reddish or brown. The color can change depending on the humidity and stress level. Also eastern American toads have parotoid glands that are the same color as the surrounding skin. The glands produce milky toxin when the toad feels threatened.
Character
This species is mainly nocturnal. American toads normally have calm and gentle disposition. Handling is not recommended, but it is not dangerous. It is advised to wash your hands properly before and after the handling.
Maintenance care
An American toad needs a horizontal tank 60x30x30 cm large for 1-2 specimens. You will need a secure cover in order to prevent escapes. At daytime American toads prefer to stay burrowed in the substrate. Coconut husks make a perfect substrate for your tank. Avoid soils that contain vermiculite. You should also avoid gravel or sand because toads tend to swallow them. You need to provide your pet with a lot of hiding places, such as bark, driftwood, potted plants or other objects. The ambient temperature should be between 17 and 21 degrees at daytime. A large bowl with fresh clean water is a must. You will also need to mist a few times a week.
Feeding
These toads are not fussy, they will eat most insects that fit into their mouths. They can be fed with crickets, mealworm, bee moth larvae, superworm larvae etc. Crickets should make the staple of their menu, other food can be given once a week.
Diseases
Toads are quite hardy animals and rarely get ill under proper care.
Average life span is 10-15 years.
Breeding
Before you start breeding American toads, ensure you have homes for all the resulting toadlets. If your toads breed, you will have a lot of little toads; one female toad can lay up to 8,000 eggs. Once the toads mate, the female lays her eggs in pools. Some aquatic plants in the dish produce a more natural environment.
Set up the second tank as a freshwater aquarium with gravel and aquatic plants. Pile rocks to create a land area on one side of the tank. Once the tadpoles become toads, they move out of the water. Let the tank cycle, the plants establish themselves and natural algae grow while you await the female toad spawning. Transfer the eggs to the aquarium. Allow at least 1 gallon of water for every three to four eggs. For example, a 15-gallon tank should have no more than 60 eggs. Some of these won't hatch and some tadpoles will only live a few days, usually leaving an optimal maximum of two tadpoles per gallon. Dispose of excess eggs or set up additional tanks. The eggs are highly unlikely to survive out of water; but to make sure they won't hatch in the garbage or on your compost heap, you can freeze them first.
Feed the tadpoles phytoplankton (algae) for the first week. Some should be in the tank, but probably not enough to sustain the tadpoles. Extra phytoplankton is available from aquarium suppliers. Boiled lettuce or spinach is another suitable vegetable food. Feed small amounts several times a day.
