General Information: Gulf Coast Toads (Incilius nebulifer) are a medium sized toad in the Central American Toad family (Incilius). They are native to the United States and Mexico. In the United States, they are native primary to Texas and Louisiana, however their range has been expanding and they also have several native or introduced breeding populations in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. There is little to no evidence currently available of hybridization between Gulf Coast Toads and other similarly sized toads in the Central American Toad family.
Lifespan: While wild caught adults often only last a few years or less in captivity, captive bred and captive raised toads generally have much longer average lifespans if cared for properly. On average a realistic lifespan for a properly cared for Gulf Coast Toad that is captive bred would be 10 years in captivity. Diet, environment, genetics, and exposure to harmful pathogens are all huge factors that determine the average lifespan of Gulf Coast Toads in captivity.
Setup: Gulf Coast Toads can be kept in a wide variety of enclosures, but generally do best either in an easy to clean plastic tub/glass tank or a bioactive setup. Plastic tubs are normally easy to clean and are very good at keeping in moisture if ventilation is limited. Glass tanks are ideal for bioactive setups that do not need to be frequently cleaned. When using glass tanks, it is best to use some sort of solid plastic or glass lid as opposed to a screen lid. Screen lids tend to allow too much ventilation and can dry out the enclosure. When possible, a bioactive setup is the best choice for many keepers as when set up properly, it does not need to be frequently sterilized.
Enclosure Size: While Gulf Coast Toads do not require a massive setup to be kept successfully, they do need a bit more space than other terrestrial frogs like Pacman Frogs or Asian Painted Frogs as they are a more active species. For a single adult male or medium sized female, a 10 gallon aquarium or similarly sized plastic tub can work nicely. When keeping groups of adults, 20 gallon long and 40 gallon breeder glass aquariums can work well, especially for bioactive setups. Large plastic tubs can also be used for keeping groups of adults.
Water Quality: Gulf Coast Toads do best with treated tap water in most cases if you live in the United States. Two water conditioners that we have used with great success are ReptiSafe by Zoo Med or Tap Water Conditioner by API. After the tap water is treated it should be left out for at least 24 hours before being used with toads. If you live in a place where the tap water is not safe for human consumption, it should not be used for your toads even if treated. Reconstituted reverse osmosis or spring water can be a suitable substitute for treated tap water if this is not an option. DO NOT USE DISTILLED WATER!!! Distilled water does not contain the normal nutrients found in tap and spring water, which can lead to the death of your Gulf Coast Toads if they are kept in it for extended periods of time.
Temperature: Gulf Coast Toads are tolerant of a wide variety of temperatures, but tend to do the best with daytime temperatures in the low to mid 70s Fahrenheit with a slight drop at night. Terrarium heaters are generally not recommended or needed for this species. If your Gulf Coast Toads arrive very cold or very hot from shipping, allow them to adjust to room temperature BEFORE introducing them to their new setup. Sudden changes in temperature can shock toads leading to death.
Substrate: Gulf Coast Toads can be successfully kept on a wide variety of substrates with great success, however for most setups they do best on a soil type substrate that has been compacted to reduce the risk of compaction due to ingestion of the substrate. Sphagnum peat moss or a similar type of soil mix works very well for both breeding setups that are cleaned every 10-14 days as well as bioactive setups. Coconut fiber or similar products can be used as well, however coconut husk based substrates generally do not grow plants nearly as consistently as other substrate options for a bioactive setup, and can be more susceptible to molding over time. If the substrate is kept moderately moist, a water dish is not required for many Gulf Coast Toad setups as long as the substrate does not easily dry out.
Lighting: With a proper diet, Gulf Coast Toads do not require any special type of lighting. While they may benefit from an additional light source, lighting is most useful for growing plants in a bioactive setup. Lighting that produces heat should be used with caution as to not overheat the terrarium. UVB can also be used however it is not required for this species.
Food Source: Gulf Coast Toads in captivity do well when raised on a diet of primarily lean feeders that don’t have a large fat content for optimal growth rates and proper development. Crickets, Red Runner Roaches, and Lobster Roaches can all make great staple feeders as they have good nutritional content, are easy to gut load and aren’t high in fat. Dubia Roaches can also be used as feeders, however they tend to hide and burrow when released into a terrarium which makes them less than ideal for many setups. Mealworms can be used in moderation to raise babies with good success, HOWEVER they should be used sparingly with subadults and adults, as their fat content almost always leads to obesity when used as a staple. Isopods, Nightcrawlers, Silkworms, Hornworms, Waxworms, Black Soldier Fly Larvae, Pinky Mice and a variety of other feeders can also be used with great success when used in moderation relative to their nutritional content and when obtained from a quality source.
Supplements: Insect feeders should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement. Repashy Calcium Plus is the supplement we have had the most success with for everyday use. Dusting feeders either every feeding or every other feeding tends to work best for most setups. Keep in mind that much of the dust on a feeder released into an enclosure will likely wear off in the enclosure and will not be ingested by your Gulf Coast Toad. In a large naturalistic or bioactive setup, dusting feeders every feeding is generally best to ensure your animal is getting enough of the supplement. Most commercial vitamin supplements with Vitamin A use a form that is not able to be used by amphibians, so an additional supplement is needed to ensure your Gulf Coast Toad does not become deficient. Repashy Vitamin A Plus is a supplement made specifically for amphibians to be able to process, and can be given for one feeding session every 10-14 days, but never used more than once per week which can cause an overdose.