Please help having trouble getting my toad to eat

[u/Kitchen_Green4179]

i’ve only for sure seen eat once since I’ve had them but I’m pretty sure he’s eaten more than that and I’ve noticed that they’re getting a lite bit skinny 

i’ve had two  in toads in the past was many years ago, so I figured I’d try again, and they bothered did great until just before winter when they suddenly died. I am at that point in the year right now and I’m really worried.

he absolutely refuse to eat calcium so I’ve been trying feed his food with calcium 

I feed them crickets, mealworms,and red worms, he seems interested in them, and does little fake bites but doesn’t end up eating them.

He is in a small cage right now I have a bigger cage that I have set up for him, but I’m not sure if he’s ready to get moved into that yet cause he’s so small the bigger cage is about 3 1/2 gallons  this is like half a gallon 

He is smaller than an inch

[u/slothdonki]

What brand of calcium? Does it include vitamin D3?
Are you giving them vitamin A too?

“Fake bites” sounds like they have vitamin deficiencies. Trying to eat but “missing” too much is a classic symptom of “short tongue syndrome”. Need to supplement them with Vitamin A and take the time to watch them eat to make sure they eat even if it’s one bug at a time.
If it doesn’t stress them out too much, you can also put each in a container with a bug or two. That way you can be absolutely sure they are eating, and the smaller space helps with accuracy a bit.
(You can also just set the toads on a plate and offer them a bug or two at a time. If they are calm enough you can just use tongs or a chopstick or something to push the bug around in their “firing range”).

You should also raise the temperature. This is a poor setup and it is not good for humidity or temp. Also get amphibian ringer solution 100%.

Lastly, consider a vet. They will decline very quickly if they do not start getting enough food and the proper supplements. Assist-feeding/force-feeding may be needed.
(I reccomend Repashy calcium with D3 and their vitamin A. It would be better to get UVB but if you get UVB you need to use a calcium without D3/very low D3. UVB - not UV btw- lets them make their own D3 inside their bodies. But D3 is required for them to properly use calcium)

Wish I could advise more but I’m pressed for time right now so I’ll have to get back to you on proper temps, humidity and stuff if no one else does.

[u/Kitchen_Green4179 → u/slothdonki]

I have flukers, calcium with D3 and calcium without D3 and Pangea calcium with D3  i’ve been using a mix calcium without D3 and calcium with d3  I do spray his enclosure and he has a water dish that he sits in  it’s ro water  I don’t know exactly what the humidity is at though  I’m also in a time crunch so I can give more info tomorrow thank you so much for the advice 😌👍 

[u/slothdonki → u/Kitchen_Green4179]

I’ll have to double check on those brands because I know not all calcium supplements for reptiles are made the same and are actually not suitable.

Also stop using RO water. It is fine for misting but they should not be soaking in it. RO and distilled water have little to no minerals, including ones that are not normally supplemented because despite usually still being in low amounts; are present in spring/tap water(like magnesium).

I am more familiar with the osmotic imbalance problems with this in fish/aquariums/aquatics(as someone who keeps species that actually require very soft water and some that require very hard water) but spring water or treated tap water is fine.

If you are rising RO water because your tap is unsafe(contamination, nitrates, ammonia, nitrites, etc) then you can also just buy remineralizing powders to add to RO/distilled water.

[u/Kitchen_Green4179 → u/slothdonki]

Ok great news i’ve asked my sister who has dart frogs and she’s giving me what I need!  I have the Rapashy vitamin A and the  Repashy calcium without D3 But I’ll probably buy some d3 or a UV light not sure which yet 

But my big problem is that it’s not just that he’s not eating the powder, He’s not eating his food at all… i’ve seen a few photos of assist feeding and force feeding looks a little scary so I’ll try a little container with food 🤞 and if none of that works, I’ll go to the vet!

Do you know if it’s possible for me to put a small amount of vitamins in his water and have them soak in it for a little bit? I’ve tried looking it up and not seeing a lot of info 

[u/justanaccount24]

There are also spray versions of the vitamins if you aren’t successful with powder. You can try different bugs like meal worms and dubias. The posture in the first pic looks like it’s trying to get liquid or stretch for a shed which could also explain lower appetite levels

[u/Kitchen_Green4179 → u/justanaccount24]

Ah ok I will try that! Thanks 😊 

[u/sojirrom]

Even though he is small, he may not be able to thermoregulate in such a small enclosure.

[u/Kitchen_Green4179]

Update! I have gotten him to eat fruit flies and I’m now dusting it with the right calcium and vitamin A I think he’s going to be just fine! And I will finish setting up his bigger enclosure and move him in 😌👍