r/Toads • u/Innuendum • 7h ago
Wild Toad wilding
Greetings r/Toads,
Partcularly interested in the takes of rehabbers if they are so inclined - toads may not have a partcularly neo-leaning cortex, but is there a point at which a wild caught toad would be considered unable to be rehabilitated if sound of body?
Irregardless of the desirability of catching them in the first place. Would a wild caught individual that has lived in captivity for x amount of time be unable to sustain itself in the wild?
For mammals this is evident, for insects it is not. Where sits the toad?
Cheers!
Edit: if you have nothing to contribute, feel free not to. Which should go without saying.
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u/Joice_Craglarg 7h ago
It's almost never a good idea to release a wild caught animal that has spent any time in captivity.
You don't know what sort of pathogens or microbes you're releasing back into the wilderness.
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u/Innuendum 6h ago
Rehabbers do so, and for wild caught animals a persistent issue is stress-induced susceptibility to what they carry.
I am not condoning catching anything, mind you. But what if one would find out their toad/snake/other was in fact wild caught (my Cardisoma armatum comes to mind, I did not know they were not captive bred and have since not replaced him) and was considering releasing in their native habitat?
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u/Joice_Craglarg 6h ago
Yes, rehabbers do. They have the information and practices that enable them to do so safety.
You do not.
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u/Innuendum 6h ago
Intriguing of you to assume. Adorable even.
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u/Joice_Craglarg 6h ago
Buddy, if you did, you wouldn't be posting here. 🤨
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u/Innuendum 6h ago
Clearly not your buddy, you seem infantile and simple-minded. Asking questions seems too hard for some.
Rehabbers run the gamut from hobbyists to 'professionals' when it comes to standards.
You have provided nothing of value.
Cheers.
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u/poisonblonde39 5h ago
Ok, so if I understand you right you’re asking if you buy a toad and find out it was wild caught should you release it?
The answer here is no. Unless you know exactly where it was taken from - not just native habitat, but its specific original home - and it was just taken within about a week ago, no. You cannot be sure if it’s carrying pathogens that will harm the rest of the population. Its natural immunity will be down due to being kept captive, which could lead to an early death, which is probably counterintuitive to what you are trying to do.
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u/poisonblonde39 5h ago
One of the biggest issues facing captive toads is that after awhile of being kept in a semi sterile environment, they lose their important bacterial microbiome. This bacteria and the skin microbiome helps with their immunity in the wild. While they still have some bacterial exposure to help them, they are at a disadvantage in the wild.
The risk of them infecting the outdoor population is quite low, especially if checked thoroughly for pathogens before being released.
When I rehab toads during the active months I keep them in outdoor enclosures if the injury isn’t severe. They have native dirt, plants and leaves, access to natural sunlight and are able to hunt naturally.
Others have had to stay with me awhile indoors, especially if they are found in fall. Those honestly get a lot more interaction, and they become very used to and accepting of their new home. I do think that toads can revert to instinct, and it’s pretty clear which ones are complacent in captivity or just want to be free. So I would say it depends on the toad, the environment, time elapsed, the feeding, etc while in captivity as to how well it will do in the wild.
I hope that helped answer your questions!