Baby toads food

What Do Toads Eat? Feeding Pet and Garden Toads

Toad is the common name for specific types of frogs that have dry, warty skin and short legs.

Encouraging toads to stay in your garden helps to balance your garden’s ecosystem and means you don’t need to use pesticides as they eat many pests.

Some of the most common wild Toads include the American, Cane and Fowler’s. Every toad is a carnivore and needs a balanced diet.

If you are a first-time owner or looking to attract some to your garden then read on to learn what to feed them…Garden Toad Eating Worms.

Table of Contents

What Do Toads Eat?
- Feeding Tadpoles
- Feeding Juvenile Toads
- Feeding Adult Toads
What Do Toads Eat In The Wild?
What Do Pet Toads Eat?
- What Do Juvenile Toads Eat?
Common Feeding Mistakes
- What Can’t Toads Eat?
- Do Toads Need Water?
Summary

What Do Toads Eat?

Wild Toads are carnivores and eat a large variety of foods. They feed on insects, rodents, reptiles and amphibians! They prefer live prey and will eat almost anything in their reach including:

Crickets
Flies
Mealworms, Wax worms and Super worms
Spiders
Grubs
Mice, rats and rodents
Locusts
Other toads and frogs

Toads eat different types of food throughout their lifetime.

As they grow from tadpoles to juveniles and then to adults their feeding pattern and diet will change.

Feeding Tadpoles

Tadpoles are the immature forms of frogs. This is also the only stage of their life where they are not carnivores.

They are fully aquatic and have not fully developed air-breathing lungs yet. Because of this they are confined to the pond or lake they are born in.

After hatching they eat what is left of the yolk in their egg sack. Once that is eaten tadpoles will feed off aquatic vegetation (i.e. algae and other plant matter).

Some species are cannibalistic and will eat other tadpoles.

Cannibalistic tadpoles are rare and this only happens when aquatic vegetation is scarce. As long as they have plenty of vegetation this should not be an issue.

Feeding Juvenile Toads

Tadpoles become juvenile toads after their tails disappear and their legs form. At this part of their lifecycle juvenile will eat smaller insects because they do not chew their food.

They should be fed four to six leaf rollers, grain moths, small earthworms or mealworms daily.

Juvenile toads swallow food whole so will choke if they eat prey that is too large (e.g. rodents).

As they grow larger their appetite continues to increase and the range of foods they will eat grows.

Feeding Adult Toads

Wild adult toads are not very picky eaters. They will eat anything that they can swallow. They should be fed six crickets, wax worms or super worms every two days.

The main limitation of their diet is their size and what they can swallow.

Larger toads tend to have a broader range of foods to eat.

Because of their all-encompassing diet they will eat both beneficial and harmful garden insects. Generally the overall impact is positive for gardens.

What Do Toads Eat In The Wild?

Toads eat a large variety of live prey in the wild. Like us they need a balanced diet so generally eat four to six crickets, worms or spiders every few days.

Generally the larger the toad the longer the list of potential foods. Larger species such as the cane toad eat rodents.

Each species of toad is different but they generally have the same dietary needs.

Adults will eat:

Bugs
Centipedes
Flies
Weevils
Crickets
Grasshoppers
Mealworms
Locusts
Snails
Slugs
Aquatic animals

Adult toads have a much larger range of food options because they are less at risk of choking. Juveniles are relatively small and can eat ants, flies, or pinhead crickets.

In your garden toads eat whenever they can find prey. In the wild they do not know when the next meal will come. They also have limited appetite control and so will continue to eat until it is all gone.

Wild species only eat live prey because dead insects and animals could carry a host of diseases.

Most garden toads eat at night because it is the best time for catching insects. Insects are attracted to light and toads are easily able to hunt them for two main reasons:

The dark night allows them to camouflage and remain hidden.
They have specialized eyesight for lower light.

Toads sometimes hunt during the daytime, but only after it rains.

After rainfall your garden will be cloudy, cool, and moist. Like most amphibians, toads enjoy moist climates. They will use this as an opportunity for daytime hunting as rain can draw earthworms out of the soil.

Each species of toad has its own hunting style.

For toads with long tongues such as the black, western and Natterjack they flick their tongues to snag their prey. They tend to crawl or hop around in order to hunt.

Species without long tongues do not have teeth and so cannot chew their food. They swallow it whole instead.

What Do Pet Toads Eat?

People who keep pet toads tend to feed them crickets, or worms (e.g. mealworms or super worms) as this prey is readily available. Some will catch wild prey such as mice or insects but this is not recommended because of the risk of bringing in diseases or sick animals.

If you are keeping a pet toad, make sure you research the specific species to ensure you are not feeding them food they do not usually eat.

They should still be fed a variety of prey they naturally hunt in the wild.

Make sure any prey or insects you feed are alive. Feeding live insects will encourage them to hunt.

If your pet is large enough to eat rodents then you can feed it but make sure to monitor them. Rodents can scratch or bite your toad – especially their eyes.

Pet toads are different from wild ones and recognize routine. They need consistent husbandry and feeding times.

You should feed toads at the same time every day to help them establish a constant feeding routine.

Because they are nocturnal the best time to feed is around 21:00. using the schedule below:

Day	Food		Supplement(s)
	Juvenile	Adult
1	4x Leaf rollers	6x Crickets	Calcium (both)
2	4x Pinhead crickets	Nothing	Calcium (juvenile)
3	4x Grain moths	6x Wax worms	Calcium and Multivitamins (both)
4	4x Small earthworms	Nothing	Calcium (juvenile)
5	6x Mealworms	Nothing	Calcium (juvenile)
6	4x Ant	6x Super worms	Calcium and Multivitamins (both)
7	4x Fruit flies	Nothing	Calcium (juvenile)

In captivity they eat less frequently than in the wild. They prefer live food and will eat everything within 15 minutes. 15 minutes after feeding remove any leftover food to prevent it from rotting or from overfeeding your toad.

If you are feeding insects from a pet store then make sure to gut load them first.

Gut loading is the process of feeding fruits and vegetables to crickets or worms before you feed them. This improves the range of nutrients your toad eats.

Pet store crickets and worms normally are lower in nutritional value when compared with those found in the wild. Gut loading is the best way to provide them with nutrients.

Another deficiency found in for pet toads is UVB. Toads that live inside do not get the same amount of sunlight exposure and nutrients as wild animals.

Specifically they lack UVB light that helps them absorb calcium and other vitamins

To help them get all of the nutrients they need you should dust any food with calcium and vitamin supplements. Calcium should be added every meal and multi-vitamins should be given once a week.

What Do Juvenile Toads Eat?

Baby toads should be fed every day. They typically eat pinhead crickets, small earthworms or fruit flies. You should feed four to six items from the food list below every day:

Small crickets
Pinhead crickets
Leaf rollers
Grain moths
Small earthworms
Mealworms
Aphids
Ant
Fruit flies

The trickiest part about feeding juveniles is making sure their food is the correct size. Toads do not chew their food so it is very easy for them to choke on meals.

Make sure the food you feed is no bigger than the width of their head.

If small crickets are too large then feed fruit flies or gnats. Other good foods include pinhead crickets, mini wax worms or super worms.

They should all be gut loaded with many different vegetables, including kale, carrots, or spinach.

Common Feeding Mistakes

There are three common feeding mistakes that keepers can make when feeding toads:

Feeding wild caught insects.
Feeding insects that are too big.
Feeding dead prey.
Feeding the wrong food.

If you feed wild caught insects or prey without properly checking if they are healthy to eat you can cause severe parasitic infections.

These infections are typically caused by giving a toad prey that has an illness.

It must be treated by a vet.

The best way to avoid this is to only feed toads store purchased food.

Overfeeding and underfeeding is common among captive toads. Vets can inspect fat deposits and tell you if they are overweight. Obesity can lead to a shortened lifespan if not treated.

Finally, not feeding enough nutrients can result in vitamin or calcium deficiencies.

This is characterized by lethargy and swelling in certain areas of the body. This is easily treated with regular supplements and a UVB light in their enclosure.

What Can’t Toads Eat?

Toads will eat anything given to them. However, that does not mean every type of food is good for them. The foods below are dangerous for toads and should not be fed:

Rice
Bread
Seasoned meat
Salt or sugar
Processed food
Pesticides
Expired food

Toads are carnivores and prefer to eat live prey or meat. They do not eat previously killed prey or dead meat.

Generally they will eat anything that fits in their mouth.

It is safe for them to occasionally eat fruits and vegetables but they might not be happy doing so.

You should not feed a toad any foods that humans eat such as leftovers, processed food, salt or sugar. Salt and other seasonings can hurt their gut and dehydrate them.

Only feed toads food they would hunt in the wild, supplements and vitamins.

Make sure you do not feed expired or old vitamins. These supplements usually expire after six months.

Do Toads Need Water?

Yes. Toads are amphibians so it is important for them to have a large dish of water. Interestingly they do not drink water but instead soak it through the skin on their bellies.

Their water bowl should be cleaned and dechlorinated every few days to prevent them from soaking up unhealthy chemicals.

Make sure that their water bowl is a good depth for them to soak in, but that they can always climb out unassisted. Although adults live in aquatic environments their lungs develop to breathe oxygen from the air (instead of from water) and can therefore drown.

The humidity generated from a water bowl helps them to stay hydrated too. You can also use a misting system. Toads need an enclosure with high moisture.

Make sure that whatever enclosure you purchase has a tight-fitting lid as they are prone to escaping.

Summary

Toads will eat most insects and prey they find in your garden. It is safe to feed toads crickets, flies, spiders and worms.

Tadpoles and juveniles eat every day compared to adults who eat three times a week.

They should not be fed seasoned meat, salt, sugar, processed food or pesticides.

If you are keeping a pet toad you should stick to a constant feeding schedule and dust their food with calcium and vitamin supplements. Also make sure that you provide a water dish so they can soak and stay hydrated!

If you follow this article you are sure to have a happy and healthy toad – either as a pet or in your garden.

Have fun with their diet and let us know what you feed your pet in the comments.

What do Baby Toads Eat in the Wild and as Pets?

For years, many people mistakenly believed that touching a toad would cause you to grow warts! We know that’s not true, but toads have never received the same love that frogs get. Have you ever heard of a princess kissing a toad? Didn’t think so. Still, their popularity is growing, and people are starting to keep these carnivorous amphibians as pets.

If you’re planning to get a baby toad, you’ll need to figure out how and what to feed it. There are some differences in a baby toad’s diet if they’re in captivity versus the wild. But there are also some notable similarities. Starting at tadpoles, we’re going to discuss the main foods that toads will eat in the wild and in captivity, so you can be sure to feed your toad the proper diet.

What do Tadpoles Eat?

Toads are hatched from eggs, but they don’t come out with legs. Rather, they’re born as tadpoles. They don’t even have air-breathing lungs yet, so they’re stuck in the water until they mature.

When a tadpole is first born, it will eat the remaining yolk in its egg. After that, the little tadpole will rely mostly on plant matter to sustain itself. This means eating algae and little floating plant particles. However, if there’s not enough plant matter for the tadpole, it might turn to cannibalism. While this is uncommon, it’s far from unheard of.

Yolk in their egg sack
Algae
Plant matter
Other tadpoles

Image Credit: Alexas_Fotos, Pixabay

What do Baby Toads Eat in the Wild?

In the wild, a toad is going to eat a diverse array of food. They have varied diets and are open to eating pretty much anything that comes along that will fit in their mouth. Remember, toads are carnivorous, so they strictly eat living creatures. For baby toads, those creatures are very small.

Any type of crawling insect or bug is a great meal for a toad in the wild. They’ll munch on small crickets and grasshoppers, which will increase in size as the toad does. Even small mice are fair game for a toad, though they tend to eat these more once they reach maturity.

Worms of all kinds are delicacies. Mealworms and earthworms are common cuisine for these four-legged amphibians. As the toad gets larger, bigger meals also become available. Snails, slugs, and locusts will all be eaten if they stray too near to a large enough toad. Centipedes and flies aren’t safe either.

Centipedes
Flies
Bugs
Small mice
Crickets
Grasshoppers
Mealworms
Earthworms
Slugs
Snails
Locusts

What do Baby Toad Pets Eat?

For toads in captivity, nutrition looks pretty similar to that of wild toads. However, there are some foods that pet toads are unlikely to eat. For example, centipedes and locusts might be common meals for a wild toad, but you’ll have a hard time purchasing feeder centipedes from the local pet store!

You never want to feed a pet toad something that you caught in the wild. Though these insects are on their meal list, wild-caught specimens are liable to have bacteria, diseases, and more that can negatively affect your toad’s health. Even if it’s a food your toad eats all the time, such as crickets, you’ll want to stick to store-bought crickets and never feed your pet toad crickets that you caught.

You might notice that some of the insects on this list are different from what wild toads eat. A lot of that comes down to what’s available. Since you have to get sterile insects that haven’t been out in the world, only insects that are grown as feeders are appropriate.

Image Credit: pixel2013, Pixabay

Grain moths
Small crickets
Pinhead crickets
Small earthworms
Mealworms
Ants
Fruit flies
Aphids
Leaf rollers

How to Feed Your Pet Toad

You have to be aware that juvenile toads eat their food whole. If you provide prey that’s too large, they’re likely to choke. Ensure that the insects you choose are no larger than the width of your toad’s head.

Gut Loading

Also, make sure to gut feed the insects you’re going to provide for your toad. Gut feeding is the process of loading the insects up with nutrients by allowing them to feed on fruits and vegetables before giving them to your toad. This ensures that your toad is getting as diverse of a nutrient intake as possible.

Image Credit: CassidyMarshall, Pixabay

Buy from Reputable Sources

Though you want to make sure to purchase all of your feeder insects from reputable sources, you will have plenty of choices to pick from. And you should feed as many of these to your toad as possible. It’s a good idea to feed them different foods each day. For instance, you might feed your toad earthworms on Monday, crickets on Tuesday, Aphids on Wednesday, and so on.

Establish a Routine

Another good habit is feeding your toad at the same time every evening. Keep in mind that toads are nocturnal, so feeding shouldn’t be done during the day. Captive toads do best on a feeding schedule since they recognize routine. Your toad will be healthiest if you feed it at the same time each night; around nine o’clock.

One more good rule of thumb is to only feed your toad for 15 minutes. Put the insects into your toad’s cage and let it go to town. But after 15 minutes, remove anything that hasn’t been eaten. This prevents overfeeding and ensures that dead insects don’t rot in your toad’s environment.

Related Read: What Do Tadpoles Eat in the Wild and as Pets?

Things to Never Feed a Toad

While toads certainly need a diverse and varied diet, there are plenty of things that you should never feed a toad; wild or domestic. These foods can cause serious problems for any toad. Take salt or seasoning as an example. They can cause a toad to dry up and dehydrate, which could spell death.

You’ll also see that feeding meat to your toad is a terrible idea, even though toads are carnivorous. These animals only eat live meals though. They aren’t scavengers. You should take care to only feed your toad living insects, though you can also feed rodents when they’re large enough.

Make sure to never feed your toad any leftover human food. While this might be ok for dogs, it’s a terrible choice for toads and can lead to disastrous consequences.

Salt
Seasoning
Pesticides
Expired Food
Sugar
Bread
Rice
Meat

Image Credit: ekamelev, Pixabay

Summary

Toads have a pretty diverse palate. In the wild, they’ll eat pretty much anything of an edible size that comes along. Worms, bugs, centipedes, slugs, and more are all tempting choices for a wild toad. But toads in captivity need more structure and safer feeding. They haven’t been exposed to all the same bacteria and could get sick from eating wild-caught insects. As such, baby pet toads should only be fed feeder insects from reputable pet stores to ensure continuing health and longevity.

Related Read:10 Best Pet Reptiles for Beginners (With Pictures)

Featured Image: ROverhate, Pixabay

What frogs eat, how to feed frogs at home

From this article you will learn:

What frogs eat in the wild;
Where to look for frog food;
What are her favorite “dishes” that she can grow at home;
The order of feeding these amphibians;
How frogs drink.

Frogs are carnivores that generally only eat moving objects, which means you can only feed frogs live insects!

General Feeding Guidelines for Frogs

frogs are truly generalist predators - they eat anything found in the wild. They will eat spiders, grasshoppers, butterflies and anything that gets in their mouth. Water frogs feed on a variety of aquatic invertebrates.

Each type of frog has its own nutritional recommendations, but in general your pet frog will eat a mixture of the following on the list. nine0021

Crickets

They form the basis of your pet frog's diet. This is not because they are the healthiest, but simply because they are the easiest to buy or grow at home.

Meal worms and woolworms

This is another delicious snack for frogs. Like crickets, mealworms are fairly easy to find in pet stores or raise at home. You can also buy them from fishing lure shops, but they won't come with a loaded gut.

Locusts and grasshoppers

They may be a little harder to find in pet stores or buy for frogs, but they add a much-needed variety of nutrients to your pet's diet.

Caterpillars or worms

They are getting easier to find in pet stores. Be sure to get caterpillars of the right size for your frog, as they can get pretty big!

Bloodworms, brine shrimp and black worms

These, along with other small worms, will be the main diet of water frogs. nine0021

Mice

They are part of the diet of large frog species such as Pacman frogs and African bullfrogs. As the frog grows, start feeding it to newborn mice.

You can buy them frozen or live, but be aware that most frogs do not eat frozen. Larger frogs will eat small or even adult mice. If this does not suit you, choose a smaller frog.

Be sure to feed the frog food that is smaller than the width of the frog's head, otherwise the frog's intestines may be damaged. If possible, try to buy insects with intestines, as they are much more nutritious for your frog! nine0021

If you can't buy food with a full gut, your frog is at risk of vitamin A deficiency.

Do not feed fruit or vegetables, human table waste, or wild-caught insects to your frog. Wild insects pose a serious risk of pesticide exposure, which can be very dangerous for your frog.

How much and when to feed the frog

The exact schedule and amount of frog feeding depends on its species, age and activity level. Like humans, frogs can become obese if overfed. nine0021

To keep your pet healthy and healthy, it is important to feed your frog in the right amount.

High energy frogs (eg pygmy clawed frogs) and young frogs (less than 16 weeks old) should have frequent access to food. Feed young frogs and high energy frogs every day or even twice a day. This may mean leaving some food, such as fruits or vegetables, in the tank for the insects to eat.
Medium energy frogs should be fed every other day or every other day. In general, they should be fed about five crickets per meal. Make sure you feed enough to keep the frog from eating within seconds, but don't feed so much that you see crickets the next morning! nine0006
Larger frogs should be fed less frequently. Large mouse frogs may eat infrequently - once a week or once every two weeks.

Your pet frog should have access to clean, dechlorinated water at all times. You can buy a dechlorinator at most aquarium stores.

Either create a pool of water in the tank, spray the tank regularly, or both. Frogs don't drink through their mouths, so it's important to keep them moist. They “drink” by absorbing water through their skin! nine0021

In the wild, frogs eat a wide variety of things. Feeding your pet frog should include a mixture of various insects with an intestine to ensure proper nutrition.

Plan how you will store these live insects before you bring home a new frog!

More about domestic frogs

Domestic frogs - care and maintenance

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African Frog-Bych-Content and Commerc amphibious?

A varied diet is the key to good health for your amphibian. In their natural environment, many amphibians are formidable hunters. For example, the American bullfrog usually feeds on bats and turtles. Chinese giant salamanders have been known to eat duck, and an African bullfrog was once seen eating 17 newly hatched spitting cobra babies. nine0021

Most amphibians prefer to get their food live. Many living organisms can become their victims, ranging from crickets and earthworms to roach and crayfish.

Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas)

The easiest and most affordable way to feed your pets is insects. Crickets, for example, are sold in many pet stores. But this diet definitely needs vitamin supplements.

First, make sure your amphibian food is the right size for it. Then, before feeding, sprinkle it with a supplement containing calcium and vitamin D3. Supplementation with calcium is essential to prevent the development of MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). This serious disease occurs when there are not enough minerals in the amphibian diet. Plant insects intended for feeding in a jar, add 1-2 pinches of mineral supplement there, close the lid and shake so that the insects are covered with this powder. nine0021

Use a feeding bowl or tweezers to prevent powder from falling off insects. Feed nocturnal amphibians such as the fire salamander at night. In the care of nocturnal animals, you will be helped by a lamp that emits waves invisible to amphibians.

Insect larvae such as maggots or mealworms are also very nutritious. These worm-like creatures are an early stage in the development of beetles. Use them before they have scary jaws. nine0021

Earthworms and coretra do not need additional additives. Dig up earthworms only where there are no pesticides. Place them in a cup while feeding to prevent them from running away and burrowing into the substrate.

Pseudophryne australis (Pseudophryne australis)

The smaller the size of the food, the better because smaller prey is better digested and, when the food consists of immature forms of insects, it contains less difficult to digest parts. While in many amphibians pieces of the substrate swallowed with food can be harmlessly removed from the body, in some they clog the stomach. Remove uneaten food before it pollutes your terrarium. nine0021

Try to meet the individual requirements of your pets. Some of them require a very specific approach. Tree frogs, for example, feed only on crawling and flying insects, while the red-eyed tree frog hunts only at night.

Whenever possible, offer your pets the insects you have caught. You can buy special traps, or you can catch them by dragging the net through the tall grass. This will be a good addition to your amphibian table. You can sort the caught insects by size using the appropriate holes in the container where you keep them. nine0021

Related article Worms are the ideal food for tailed amphibians

If you have insects, feed them food with vitamin supplements that your pets need. You can also give insects vegetables and fruits such as sweet potatoes or oranges. The amphibian that eats them will also get all these vitamins.

How to diversify the diet? Vary the types of food you offer your pets. In the pet store you can buy various insects, worms, beetle larvae, such as mealworm larvae or wax moths. You can buy earthworms and maggots in fishermen's stores. To diversify the diet of your wards, collect insects. nine0021

Paddlefoot

Strict feeding schedule . Try to feed your amphibians an average of 3 times a week. After eating, many animals stop eating, and you can remove the uneaten insects. Satisfy all the specific requirements of your pets. Small, active frogs, such as mantellas, need to be fed daily and given frequent vitamin supplements. And salamanders that feed on fish and earthworms, such as sirens, can be fed once every two weeks and not given any supplements. nine0021

Temperature . Metabolism in cold-blooded animals such as reptiles and salamanders depends on the temperature of their environment. This means that the higher the ambient temperature, the faster the metabolism and the more often you need to feed your animal.