Common Spadefoot

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

With a head-body length of 60-70 mm the Common Spadefoot is a rather small toad. Males can be identified by an oval gland positioned at the top of the forelimbs, and they are a bit smaller than females.

Upperparts are greyish-yellow to brown, with light or dark brown spots. Underparts a white or light grey. It has a rather big head with protuberant eyes and a helm-like bump along the middle of the head. The pupils a uprightly slit-shaped by day and nearly round by night. Another conspicuous characteristic of this species is an up to 6 mm long heel bump on the hind legs.

Did you know?
that, when disturbed, this toad can emit a garlicky secretion, giving them also the name "Garlic toad"?

Factsheet
Class	AMPHIBIA
Order	ANURA
Suborder	NEOBATRACHIA
Family	PELOBATIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Pelobates fuscus
Name (English)	Common Spadefoot
Name (French)	Pélobate brun
Name (German)	Knoblauchkröte
Name (Spanish)	Sapo de espuelas
Local names	Swedish: lökgroda Italien: Pelobate fosco
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

WAZA Projects

Amphibian Conservation_3

Photo Copyright by
© Marek Szczepanek

Distribution

Distribution
Range	In Europe from northern Italy, eastern France, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark westward to western Siberia and northwestern Kazakhstan.
Habitat	Many habitat types, but mostly present in open areas and areas with loose soil where they can digg themselves in (different forests and their edges, groves, steppes, meadows, fields, parks and gardens, sand dunes).
Wild population	Unknown, but rare or declining in some European countries and extinct in Switzerland.
Zoo population	16 reported to ISIS (2007), but this species is sometimes keep as pet by private owners.

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 45 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Why do zoos keep this animal

This species is only rarely kept by zoos and aquariums, education. i.e. familiarising people with a native amphibian species seldom seen in the wild being one reason for keeping them.

While globally listed in the "least concern" category by IUCN, this species is treatened in part of its range and therefore has been selected as the "Toad of the Year 2007" by DGHT.

How this animal should be kept

A 60 l terrarium would be the minimum for an adult pair. They require a fossorial savannah type set-up with a deep substrate of loose sandy soil. Furnishings such as driftwood, cork bark, and sturdy leafed plants should be arranged to provide a number of hiding places.

A small water bowl (no deeper than the frog's nostrils when at rest) must be provided with clean de-chlorinated or spring water. The water will need to be changed daily to avoid the build up of ammonia and bacteria in the water whilst changing the water it is a good idea to visually inspect the tank and remove, clean and replace any soiled items. If kept in a warm household the tank will not require additional heating.

A light source may be provided by the means of a fluorescent UVB tube although this is not strictly necessary. Once every two-three weeks the tank and its contents should be completely cleaned and sterilised using an amphibian / reptile friendly disinfectant.

For adults a mixture of suitably sized insects including crickets, caterpillars, beetles, waxworms and ants should be fed every two to three days. A calcium and vitamin supplement should be used once a week. Young toads will take hatchling crickets, sphids, & fruitflies. These should be fed every day and a calcium and vitamin supplement used two-three times a week.