Green Toad

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The green toad reaches a head-body length of up to 10 cm but is usually smaller. Females are larger than males. It is a robust toad with prominent paratoid glands that are roughly parallel and a horizontal pupil. Males have an external vocal sac. Its general appearance resembles the natterjack (Bufo calamita) but the dorsal pattern is much more contrasting, with bold, clearly defined greenish markings often with dark edges, and it usually has no - or only a very faint - yellow dorsal stripe.

The green toad is mainly nocturnal although sometimes active by day. At night it sings in chorus, the call resembles an insect (e.g. cricket) song. It is usually found in lowlands, preferably in dryish and sandy habitats, and is frequently seen around human habtitations.

Did you know?
that frogs and toads can breathe not only with their lungs, but also through their skin? A frog's skin is thin and contains many mucous glands that keep it moist. Oxygen can be absorbed through this thin, damp skin.

Factsheet
Class	AMPHIBIA
Order	ANURA
Suborder	NEOBATRACHIA
Family	BUFONIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Pseudepidalea viridis
Name (English)	Green Toad
Name (French)	Crapaud vert
Name (German)	Wechselkröte
Name (Spanish)	Sapo verde
Local names	Danish: Grønbroget tudse Czech: Ropucha zelená Hungarian: Zöld varangy Italian: Rospo smeraldino Latvian, Lettish: Zalais krupis Polish: Ropucha zielona Slovakian: Ropucha zelená Swedish: Grönfläckig padda Turkish: Gece kurbagasi
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
© Richard Bartz

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Europe as far north as southern Sweden and as far west as western Germany / eastern France, northern Africa, western to central Asia (Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Islamic Republic of, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania, Moldova, Republic of, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan)
Habitat	In forests, forest steppe, steppe, dry grasslands, alpine areas, semi-deserts and deserts
Wild population	Unknown
Zoo population	121 reported to ISIS (2005)

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

The green toad is regionally endangered by habitat distruction, effects of climate change and other factors. Zoos and aquariums keeping these species want to raise awareness of the plight of this species and of the global amphibian crisis. Several zoos have also linked their ex situ activities with involvement in in situ conservation.

How this animal should be kept

These toads are rather active individuals and require a fairly large terrarium. A 80 l terrarium would be minimal for 2-3 adults. They require a woodland type set-up with a substrate of bark chips, sandy topsoil, and moss. Furnishings such as logs, cork bark, rock and sturdy leafed plants can be arranged to provide a number of climbing and hiding places. A large water bowl (no deeper than the toad's height 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. Also the terrarium should be visually inspected daily and any soiled items should be removed/replaced or cleaned. If kept in a warm room no additional heating is required. A separate light source should be provided by the means of a fluorescent UVB tube. Once every two-three weeks the terrarium and its contents should be completely cleaned and sterilised using an amphibian / reptile friendly disinfectant. Juvenile toads should be fed daily with a mixture of suitably sized insects including small crickets and mini-mealworms. The food items should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement two-three times a week. Adult toads should be fed every two-three days with a mixture of crickets, regular mealworms, earthworms, flour beetles, waxworms, moths, and caterpillars. The food items should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement once a week.