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What Do Toads Eat In Captivity And In The Wild? A Helpful Guide.

A photo of a toad eating a bug

Toads are an extremely interesting and curious animal that many people enjoy observing, this can be in the wild or as a pet.

If you have an interest in toads you may be wondering what they eat. So with that in mind this article is going to teach you all of the foods that toads like to eat. So, what do toads eat?

Armed with this information you will be able to feed your pet well or even that wild toad that is living at the bottom of your yard!

“Did you know that all toads are a type of frog, but not all species of frog are a toad?”

In total there are known to be around 2000 different species of frogs and toads around the world. Each species will eat different types of food depending on what is available at the time. So this guide is going to to give you general advice and guidance on feeding the main species of toads.

The food and diet of a toad.

I think the best way to start this is article is to give you the quick and easy answer. This is just in case you do not have much time to spare as I know we are all busy. If you do have 5 minutes I recommend reading the full length as it will be packed with really cool information!

So what do toads eat? Toads are pretty much strictly carnivores. Most toads will eat anything that is alive as long as it can fit it into its mouth, they really are not fussy eaters. However the main part of a toads diet will be made up of various insects, worms, slugs and snails. As long as the toad can fit it in its mouth it will definitely eat it!

So that was the quick version, however there is so much more to discover so carry on reading. I’m going to let you know all of a toads favourite foods in the wild and also in captivity. I will also show you how to feed a toad and keep it happy.

what do toads eat?

What do toads eat?

How do toads eat?

What do toads eat and how?Toads really are one of the most efficient eaters in the animal world, anyone who has had the pleasure of watching one will tell you this.

You see, toads do not have a set of teeth like you and me. The have a row of small teeth on the bottom jaw but because they have no upper set they cannot use these for chewing up their food. Instead these teeth are primarily used in catching and keeping hold of prey.

The toad then swallows its meal whole! This leads to the toad having one of the biggest sized poops compared to body size in the whole animal kingdom. If you would like to know more about this have a look at this article that I wrote.

Below I have included a quick video from YouTube that shows perfectly how a toad eats its food.

What do toads eat in the wild?

As I touched up on above, toads are not fussy eaters. Like most wild animals toads do not know when their next meal is going to come along so they will grab whatever is about.

Obviously this is very dependent upon where the toad is located but in general a wild toads diet is normally made up of:

  • Insects such as crickets, beetles, flies and anything else in between.
  • Spiders.
  • Small fish if it gets lucky.
  • Lizards.
  • Snakes.
  • Slugs and snails.
  • Small rodents such as mice.
  • Believe it or not, other smaller toads and frogs!

That is quite some list and just goes to prove that toads will eat just about anything they can!

What do toads eat in captivity?

What do toads eat in captivity? Toads make great pets, they are fun to watch and its exciting to learn its individual personality. Now with that being said it is important that you provide your pet toad with an exciting and varied diet to keep it in tip top shape and happy.

As we have already talked about toads love to eat insects and other creepy crawlies. Most owners of pet toads like to feed them a mixture of the below list:

  • Crickets: These should make up the biggest part of your toads diet. They are easy to get hold of from any pet store and for extra benefits gutload them before feeding and dust with calcium an vitamin supplements.
  • Mealworms: Again these are a great food to give to your pet toad. Most pet stores will stock these as well wich makes them easy to get.
  • Waxworms.
  • Depending on the size of the toads small rodents such as pinky mice can be fed. You do not have to do this though they will be absolutly fine on an insect and worm diet.

There are many more types of insects that you can feed to your pet toad but the above are the main ones that should make up the bulk of its diet.

How often should a pet toad be fed?

This obviously is very dependant on the toad age. If you pet toad is still a juvenile it will need to be fed each and everyday to provide it with all of the essential nutrients it needs to grow.

An adult toad will need feeding much less than this at only 2-3 times per week.

When feeding your toad give it around 5 or 6 appropriately sized crickets and watch to make sure that it is eating them. If any are left over after 20 minutes and your toad is making no efforts to catch them you can remove them from the tank.

Can toads eat any human type foods?

Now if this is not the first website that you have been looking to learn about the feeding of toads you may have read some misinformation. I have read a few websites that say you can feed frit and vegatables to your pet toad, this is wrong!

Toads are strict carnvores and their bodies do not cope and break down vegetable matter, so it could actually harm your pet instead of help it. Keep the leafy greens and carrots for your own plate and feed your toad insects.

Another thing to note is that you should not feed a toad on any processed meats that you yourself may eat. They are far to high in salts and other preservatives for your pets insides to handle.

Do toads eat other toads and frogs?

This is a bit a of a creepy one in a kind of silence of the lambs way. Are toads cannibals and will be they eat their own kind?

The answer is shockingly yes! Now not all species of toads will eat their own kind but some do if it is presented as an easy meal. That is one of the reasons why it is best not to keep too many toads in the same enclosure. The last thing you want to see when you go to check on them is that suddenly you have one less than the last time you checked.

Below is a video which shows a toad eating another frog.

https://youtu.be/KNDcsUtvBEg

Do toads need to drink water?

Just like all living creatures on this earth toads need to keep hydrated especially with them being amphibious. However I bet you do not know how a toad drinks its water to stay hydrated?

As with many other types of amphibious they do not drink water through their mouths. Instead, toads actually absorb the water they need through their skin in a area known as the “drinking patch”.

This drinking patch is actually on the lower belly and upper inside thighs. It is also the reason why it is a bad idea to frequently handle a toad or frog as the patch can also soak up any oils, salts and toxins that may be on your skin!

Because of this it is essential that you include a small tray of water in your toads enclosure so that it can get a drink whenever it feels like it is needed.

Conclusion.

What do toads eat? To sum up this article it is fair to say that toads are not fussy eaters and will stuff their faces with just about anything they can eat.

Caring for a pet toad is quite simple in regards to the food they eat as it all can be bought from pet stores. If you would like to feed a wild toad then simply collect some common insects from around your yard.