What is this toad/frog?

[kookamonga]

Hello I found this behemoth of a frog/toad under my dogs water dish and decided to keep it, along with it's little buddy that's 1/8 it's size. Fed it some crickets so far but I don't really know what it is and species. If any can identify them for me I'd be able to find a care sheet and keep them alive much longer :>! Thanks! ( also there are a ton more in my backyard that come out at night, so these two fellers won't be missed :> )

Has webbed feet in the back and normal feet in the front so I'm inclined to think it's a toad.

 

[Rick]

It is obviously a toad. You can buy toads online. I wouldn't suggest keeping a wild caught one.

There are 10 species of toads in CA. Here is a website that may help you pinpoint which one it is : http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/frogs.html

 

[PhilinYuma]

It is obviously a toad. You can buy toads online. I wouldn't suggest keeping a wild caught one. There are 10 species of toads in CA. Here is a website that may help you pinpoint which one it is : http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/frogs.html

I'm pretty sure that this is Bufo (now Anaxyrus) boreas halophilus, though I have never seen that much red over the eyes as this one has. I used to find them in th suburbs of San Diego.

As for keeping wild caught toads, I caugfht a couple of B. woodhouusii near the school of a couple of kidss that I was helping take care of, here in Yuma, and we set up an enclosure in the older boy's classroom. We used to catch crix in our yard every evening (they would congregate on the brick walls to enjoy the last of the warmth) and kept them for about 6 months until the summer vacation.

The cries of all the toads are easily found on the internet, and male Woodhouses have a special cry, used during the mating season, that means "Get off me, you fool! Can't you see that I'm a male, too?" This is absolutely true; look it up!

 

[revmdn]

Why not keep wild caught ones?

 

[kookamonga]

oh wow Phil was rite on the dot hehe. Thanks to rick's link i was able to find out that is a Bufo boreas halophilus( also known as the CaliforniaToad, Figures lol. One of the images I found looks almost exactly like my toad!

 

[PhilinYuma]

Why not keep wild caught ones?

Herpers often worry about spreading parasites from wild-caught critters to domestic ones in confinement. To tell you the truth, I was too dumb to think about that and lucked out!

 

[revmdn]

Oh, I see. Thank you, sir.

 

[Rick]

Herpers often worry about spreading parasites from wild-caught critters to domestic ones in confinement. To tell you the truth, I was too dumb to think about that and lucked out!

Main reason is simple. There are species that are having a hard time due to wild collection. Captive bred should be the first choice if available. Now it isn't a big deal for something like a very commmon toad but it is for some others. Also, captive bred are already adapted to a captive life and they also have less chance of having parasites. I keep box turtles and their numbers in the wild are dwindling partially due to wild collection. Mine are captive bred though.

 

[keri]

Some herps are also illegal to collect from the wild, I don't know about your local rules tho (S)He's pretty cute, make sure you don't keep it in the same enclosure as the one that is 1/8 his (her?) size tho as outside of the breeding season something that small might be considered lunch!!

 

[kookamonga]

I found them together under the dog bowl, and so far they've been sticking together under the little hideout I made 'em.

 

[keri]

I know you did - I just say it because many frogs and toads are often not above cannibalism when there is a very great size difference.