Common toad bathroom habits.

[munchkin05]

Hi,
I wonder if anyone can help me? I am in the moddle of researching common toads but im having some trouble finding what i need. So i was hoping all you folks might be able to help.

Can any one tell me is it normal for common toads to go for long periods without passing faeces?

I realise this is a completly bizarre question but look forward to responses.

[Dogghound]

It is highly dependent on the food and time of year. As you would imagen they dont feed over the winter so then dont produce any waste. Toads most often come out of hibernation and then breed straight away living off their winter reserves. They will then feed up after breeding. A lot of their prey i.e. worms and slugs have very little left of them after digestion other than waste liquid. They also dont feed as much as mammals and are more efficient at processing food unlike mammals and lack all of the fibre in the diet which mammal have especially rodents and deer.

So in answer to your question I would say it is normal depending on the diet. If a toad is feeding on other amphibians, small mammal young etc you would expect droppings.

Why do you ask?

[munchkin05]

Hi, Thanks for the answer,

Im doing some research for someone looking after an toad that got injured during gardening. Its a rather large female thats eating well and has put on rather alot of weight. She just hasnt passed any faeces or urates. There is very little out there in veterinary texts.

She's eating lots of earhtworms so i guess like you say its quite normal.

[RED]

Any piccies of toad and setup ??

[Kayleigh]

Cant he be let free now he is eating well..

[munchkin05]

Hi,

sorry no pics yet, Were hoping to release in next few days the vet just wants to make sure that there was no damage to the guts when she got piereced with the garden fork. Were just having trouble finding info on british species.

Luckily we know exactly where she came from so she can go back to her owb territory.

Thanks for all the help everyone

[The Woodman]

I kept a Green Toad for 13 years and two Fire bellied Toads for longer which were fed on crickets with a vitamin suppliment.

Toads can live without food for months on end and produce very little waste in comparison to what they eat.