Spectacled Toad

Overview

Spectacled Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) is a toad native to South & Southeast Asia. A common Asian toad with a black ridge around the eye, warty brown body.

Care level: Beginner. Toxicity: Moderate.

History & Origin

The Bufonidae (True Toads) is naturally distributed across South & Southeast Asia, where it occupies the typical habitats of its family. It has been kept by specialist and hobbyist keepers both in the wild and in captivity.

Appearance & Size

Spectacled Toad is a 5–9 cm toad.

Temperament

True toads are terrestrial, warty-skinned and generally calm and long-lived; most are hardy and tolerant of a wider range of conditions than frogs.

Care & Husbandry

A toad needs a terrestrial terrarium with a deep substrate for burrowing, a hide and a shallow water dish. Toads tolerate drier air than frogs but still need humidity; feed insects and supplement with calcium. They are generally robust and long-lived.

This species is generally rated Beginner in difficulty for keepers.

Health & Lifespan

In captivity Spectacled Toad typically lives 8–12 years. Toads are long-lived, often 10–20 years or more. Skin warts are harmless to keepers, but watch for dehydration, parasites and abscesses; provide a varied insect diet.

Popularity & Recognition

True toads are ubiquitous worldwide; the cane toad is infamous as an invasive species, while many others are beloved, long-lived garden inhabitants.