|
|
|
|
~BIG Z~
Big Z is the newest addition to the Zoo. He's named after my favorite Chicago Cubs pitcher, Carlos "Big Z" Zambrano. Big Z is an American Toad. He was found hopping around a campsite. I know a lot of people have a problem with removing critters from the wild to keep as pets but the way I feel is as long as you can properly maintain these critters, they thrive in your care and it's not illegal to remove them from the wild and keep them as pets then it shouldn't be a problem.
I think toads make great pets. They really aren't hard to maintain. I have Big Z in a big "kritter keeper". I line his cage with paper towels. Some folks like to use reptile bark, gravel and the like but I prefer not to because I'm afraid that when he eats, he may accidentally ingest the substrate and it may cause a potentially fatal impaction.
American Toads are not picky eaters. In fact, I've never owned a toad that skipped a meal. They'll eat anything that will fit in their mouths. I feed Big Z a diet that consists mainly of gut loaded crickets. It's really important to gut load your crickets prior to feeding them to ANY pet simply because if they are fed nutritious food then the nutrition is passed on to your pet. If you do not gut load your crickets, there's a very big chance that the crickets may be starving which means all they'll be eating is "chitin" which is the exo-skeleton of the cricket which has little and quite possibly no nutritional value at all. When I get crickets, I will feed them a combination of vegetables, fruits and Fluker's Orange Cube Complete Cricket Diet. While crickets will get water from the foods mentioned, you can add a small dish of water but be warned that crickets may drown in it. Prior to feeding Big Z, I will put the crickets in a plastic bag and sprinkle some calcium powder, such as Jurassi-Cal, to coat the crickets. Calcium is important to herps because a lack of calcium can result in weak bones and an early death for your pet. It should be noted that calcium issues are not really seen in toads but I'd rather not take a chance and I dust the crickets just to be on the safe side. You can also feed American Toads other insects such as mealworms, waxworms, earthworms and the like. Some folks like to give wild caught insects to their pets but you have to be extremely careful in making sure that these insects have not had contact with pesticides as these may harm or even kill your pet. Because of that, I do not recommend feeding wild caught insects. It's not worth the risk.
It's also important to include a water dish for your toad. Toads absorb water through their skin and it's much easier for them to get a drink of water by providing a dish as opposed to misting their habitat. Not only that, having a water dish does help them when it comes time to shed. Just make sure that the dish is not too deep as toads aren't great swimmers and they may drown if the dish is too deep and they cannot get out of it.
As far as handling goes, some toads love it and some don't. You can tell if your toad is not happy with being handled if he/she gives you a golden shower. A toad will urinate on you if they feel scared. The urine is harmless although it can cause harm to the toad if you accidentally drop the toad due to the surprise of being urinated on. I have found that as toads get used to being handled, the less likely they are to urinate on you. I have also found that toads LOVE having their backs scratched. You'll often see them get into it and will move from side to side to make sure you scratch their whole back.
On thing to keep in mind, and this is extremely important, is that American Toads can be poisonous. All toads excrete poison out of glands called parotoid glands located on their head/back area. While their poison is mild compared to other toads, it can be irritating to some people and it can harm pets. *I* have never experienced any problems regarding this issue. It is extremely important that you wash your hands after you handle your toad and that you supervise any interaction with your toad and any other pets to make sure that they don't lick the toad or try to eat it. I have found that it's easier to remember to clean your hands if you keep a bottle of hand sanitizer by the toads cage.
Well, I think that's it for general American Toad care. Now some personals on Big Z. I know Big Z is a male because the day I caught him, he chirped to me. Males will chirp while females are usually silent. He loves to have his back scratched and will actually put his head down in anticipation of a back scratch. He also does not mind the company of my dogs. He actually sits there with them.
Who knows? Perhaps because they both have big bug eyes, Big Z thinks they're long lost cousins, LOL!
Check out Big Z putting the chomp on some crickets!
|
|
|