You’ll often find that people lump toads and frogs together because of how similar they are. While it’s true that frogs and toads have certain things in common, it’s important to understand that they’re distinct.
Frogs differ from toads in several ways, and you might not know the differences if you haven’t taken the time to learn about them. For example, frogs have much longer legs than toads since they have been designed for hopping.
Toads have shorter legs and are more likely to crawl to get around than they are to hop. Frogs are also well known for being slimy and having smooth skin, but toads are dry and have warts on their skin.
There are lots of interesting differences that you can dig into if you take the time to learn. You might like both toads and frogs because you think they look cool, and this could lead you to want to keep them as pets.
Some people who are interested in caring for frogs and toads will want to keep them together. You might figure that they would be fine together since they seem similar enough, but is this really okay?
Read on to learn more about whether or not frogs and toads can live together. You’ll be able to get important advice that will help you to enjoy the best experience when caring for frogs and toads as pets.
Frogs and Toads Shouldn’t Live Together
If you’re thinking about keeping frogs and toads together in the same habitat, then you should nix those plans. It’s actually never a good idea to mix species when you’re keeping amphibians as pets.
They just aren’t meant to get along in the same environment. Even if the frog and toad seem to be friendly enough toward each other, there are going to be reasons to keep them apart.
Keep reading to gain a better understanding of why frogs and toads can’t be housed together. This should keep you from making mistakes that could harm one or both of your amphibian friends.
Frogs and Toads Have Different Environmental Needs
One of the most important reasons why frogs and toads should be kept apart concerns their environmental needs. Frogs and toads actually have completely different environmental needs.
A frog and a toad are both going to need a certain amount of water to be present in the tank that they’re being kept in. However, the amount of water that is needed will differ based on the species.
It’s also true that frogs and toads have different temperature requirements and each will like different humidity levels. Keeping them together wouldn’t be at all practical, and at least one of the creatures wouldn’t be getting the right environment no matter what you tried to do.
Frogs and toads simply aren’t compatible to stay in the same tank. They need different things and you need to have a separate habitat for each of them if you’re going to keep both as pets.
Frogs and Toads Secrete Harmful Chemicals
Another thing to know is that frogs and toads secrete harmful chemicals. These chemicals are secreted from the skin and are a type of defense mechanism to keep other creatures at bay.
The presence of these chemicals could easily cause the frog and the toad to hurt each other. You don’t want either your frog or your toad to get sick due to being in close proximity to each other.
Even if you meant well when trying to pair up a frog and a toad, it’s going to end poorly. The two creatures could wind up seriously hurting each other in the long run.
Try to remember this when you’re thinking about pairing other species of amphibians together or with frogs or toads. It just isn’t practical and it can easily end with one of the creatures getting sick or dying if you aren’t careful.
Some Toads Might Eat Certain Frogs
It’s also true that certain types of toads will eat smaller frogs. As an example, cane toads have been known to eat small frogs that will fit in their mouths.
Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to keep a cane toad as a pet, but it’s still something to keep in mind. There’s a good chance that a frog and a toad won’t get along at all, and it wouldn’t be unusual for a toad to try to eat a frog.
If you care for the creatures, then you should look into getting separate habitats for them. Never try to put a frog in a habitat with a toad since it could be dangerous.
Even if the frog is large enough to where the toad wouldn’t be able to eat there could still be issues. It isn’t a good idea to try to keep them in the same environment.
Disease Concerns
There are also disease concerns that should be taken into consideration. It’s possible that different species could pass diseases to one another when in close proximity.
You could wind up discovering that your frog passed a disease to the toad if it is kept in the same habitat as it. This may or may not happen, but it’s generally not worth the risk.
The potential for disease to spread to different species is a good reason to avoid housing different species together. Whenever you’re thinking about pairing different species of amphibians or reptiles together, the best thing to do is to forget about it.
It’s not a good idea to house two different species of amphibians together. They might not get along, and the potential for disease to spread makes it a terrible idea no matter what.
Final Thoughts
You should never attempt to house frogs and toads together. There’s a good chance that they won’t get along; even if they do, it’s going to end badly.
Frogs and toads secrete chemicals that can cause them to hurt each other. Some toads have even been known to eat frogs when they’re bigger than them.
There’s the potential for disease to pass from frogs to toads as well. There are so many ways that things can go wrong when you try to house frogs and toads together.
You also need to note that frogs and toads have different environmental requirements. They can’t be kept in the same habitat for a number of different reasons, and the only thing you need to remember is that it’s a bad idea to put them together.
It’s fine to keep both a pet toad and a pet frog if you’re able to house them separately. Just be sure to provide the right environment for each creature and things should work out okay.
If you want to get the best results, then you should look up specific information about frogs and toads before buying them. You want to know how to take care of them so that you can ensure that they will thrive under your care.
It’s also recommended to avoid taking frogs and toads in from the wild to keep as pets. Although some people do this to help injured frogs, it might not be a good idea.
The wild frogs could be carrying diseases that will make them a danger to other pets in your home. Keep stuff such as this in mind when you’re making your decision about what to do.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. I have a wife and two children and love taking them to the zoo to see all the animals. I grew up with dogs and fish and now have two dogs and two cats. I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.