Captive bred Common toadlets 2023
These young toadlets have just recently left the water and are feeding well on fruit flys ,micro crickets and white worm.
,the common toad ( bufo bufo ) is one of only 2 native toad species in the UK (the rare natterjack toad being the other ). At Wildlife Pond and Aquarium we have captive bred common toads over many generations to ensure they are disease free and legal to sell (sale of wild caught toads is illegal).
CAPTIVE CARE:
Common toads ,like common frogs are easy to care for in captivity and require similar care due to them both being found in the same habitats , toads are mostly terrestrial more so than common frogs and rarely venture into water outside the breeding season however in captivity they do enjoy a large water tub big enough for the toads to fully submerge ,a natural set up is best with a substrate of soil or coconut coir deep substrate is preferred as toads like to dig and it helps them control there temperature, lots of plants and moss ,some rocks or wood is also beneficial, we keep our amphibians in bioactive setups with lots of worms ,springtails ,woodlice and other insects living the soil ,these as well as helping keep the enclosures clean also provide a natural food source for the toads.
FEEDING:
Common toads will eat a wide range of foods
Almost any standard insects foods are suitable
Including,
Crickets
Mealworm
Waxworm
Locust
Cockroaches
Earth worm
Calci worm
White worm
Isopods ( woodlice )
Beetles
And flies
While commonly stated frogs will eat snails and slugs these don't tend to be preferred.
As with all amphibians and reptiles in captivity common common toads require a calcium supplement in there diet ( dusted over there food ) to avoid getting metabolic bone disease ( MBD ) ,a supplement with both calcium and additional nutrients is best ,we use arkvits but there's many different suitable brands ,foods like calci worm and isopods are also an excellent source of calcium for the toads.
LIGHTING:
While it's disputed by amphibian keepers if all frog and toad species need UVB lighting and is highly variable depending on the species we highly recommend UVB lighting for common toads as in the wild they will naturally bask in the sun and we see in our own toads they spend considerably time basking under the UVB light and it definitely benefits there overall well being and health ,a 5% UVB is sufficient for them.
There are many different methods of keeping amphibians in captivity and different keepers and breeders have there own methods ,our advice is based on our own experience and what we've had the most success with in our own animals.
