Colorado River Toad
(Bufo alvarius)

The Colorado river toad’s coloration is usually an olive green to beige with yellow to tan spots. Colorado river toads secrete a toxin that is strong enough to kill a dog or cat when stressed, so handling should be avoided when possible.

Difficulty

MODERATE: The Colorado river toad's toxicity makes it a bit more challanging that other species to keep.

Requirements

An enclosure, such as:

• Glass or acrylic aquarium (20 gallons or more, depending on the number of Colorado river toads kept) with a secure lid

Substrate, such as:

• Sphagnum Moss
• Orchid Bark

A heating element, such as:

• Under the tank heater
• Incandescent heat bulb
• Ceramic infrared heat emitters

Enclosure

A 20-gallon aquarium with a secure lid should be adequate for a pair of Colorado river toads. When housing Colorado river toads together it is important that they are the same size to avoid canabalism. In addition to substrate, hiding areas such as rocks, piecies of bark, or even live plants should be provided.

Substrate

Peat moss, orchid bark, or crushed coconut fiber are all perfectly fine, and should be deep enough to allow the Colorado river toad to burrow. This toad comes from a dry climate, so avoid misting the substrate. Try to avoid using small bark and gravel due to danger of accidental ingestion.

Heating and Light

Colorado river toads should have daytime temperatures of 75°F to 80°F. Nightime temperatures should be 60°F to 65°F. A spotlight with an appropriate wattage incandescnet bulb or ceramic emitter can be used to provide heat. Colorado river toads are nocturnal so they do not require UV emitting bulbs, but if using live plants in your enclosure you should use a plant grow bulb. Many hobbyists will install thermometers or thermostats in the enclsosure to be able to accurately maintain these temperatures. Humidity should be kept low at 15% to 20%.

Diet

Colorado river toads can be fed insects such as crickets, flies, fruit flies,earth worms, and just about anything smaller than their mouth can be offered. Crickets are usually the easiest and most readily available prey. When offering crickets be usre to gut load the crickets with a good diet to provide the best nutrition for your Colorado river toad. Calcium and vitamin D3 suppliments can be used at least twice a week for adults, while juveniles may need it more often. Fresh de-chlorinated water should be provided in a dish for the Colorado river toads.