European Green Toad

Egyptian Green Toad
Green Toad

Bufo viridis

Description

European Green Toads are one of the most variable and colorific of commonly available toads. They range from a dull brownish green to a creamy intermittently speckled green, red and/or black, and virtually everything in between. They are an active hearty toad that seems to enjoy communal living. Adults are approximately 4 inches (10 centimeters) in length and have been known to live between 7-10 years in captivity.

Natural Habitat

European Green Toads are widely distributed throughout central, southern and Eastern Europe, North Africa and into Arabia. They are so abundant and vastly distributed that some believe they were the foundation for the depictions of the Egyptian goddess of fertility, childbirth and creation, Heket. Within their range they inhabit a variety of habitats, including Mediterranean forest, steppes, semi-desert regions, and agricultural lands. They have even been found many miles from the coast in oases of the Saharan desert. Preferentially, it inhabits open landscapes with accessibility to bodies of water or areas that experience seasonal flooding, irrigation or ephemeral pools.

Artificial Habitat

European Green Toads are so adaptable and widely distributed that they can thrive in most types of habitat. That being said, they do not like to be perpetually damp and do not like to be misted. Temporarily moist soil will be tolerated, but extensive moisture can lead to skin lesions. An ideal enclosure would be horizontally oriented with a lot of open space and a relatively thick substrate composed of potting soil, loam, sphagnum moss or preferably a mixture of the three. A water dish should be provided, but should not be so deep as to prevent the toads from jumping out (or in). Leaf litter, bark, flat rocks, and sticks can be used to vary the terrain, but exercise care that these items will not fall onto the toads when they burrow. European Green Toads are predominantly nocturnal, but they are also active at dawn and dusk and during periods of rain.

Diet

European Green Toads, as their wide range and diverse habitats would suggest, are opportunistic feeders, with their diet mainly consisting of arthropods; worms, slugs, crickets, beetles, and spiders. Their captive diet can include all of these, but they should be supplemented with an appropriate vitamin and mineral dust.

Caveats

European Green Toads are one of the heartiest and forgiving amphibians that we have encountered. They are highly adaptable and extraordinarily easy to care for. The only possible concern is dampness. These animals do not like to be constantly wet.

Additional Notes

European Green Toads are about as good as it gets when it comes to toads. They are attractive, tough and hearty. They are also inexpensive, seem to enjoy one another’s company and are enthusiastic and entertaining eaters (they often can be observed “face-planting” on to their food item). A collection of half a dozen European Green Toads is sure to be both entertaining and educational.