How To Tell If A Toad Is Dying

Seeing a sick or struggling toad can be worrying. If you come across an ailing amphibian and want to know if it is dying, there are some key signs to look out for.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Look for lack of movement or response, abnormal body positioning, changes in skin color or texture, discharge from the eyes/nostrils/mouth, weight loss, and difficulty breathing or swallowing as signs a toad may be dying or very ill.

In this comprehensive guide, we will cover the following topics in detail to help you assess a toad’s health and determine if it is dying:

Check if the Toad is Moving or Responsive

Look for Lack of Response to Stimuli

One of the most telling signs that a toad may be dying or ill is a lack of response to stimuli. Healthy toads are generally quite reactive to touch, movement, or noise. Here are some things to look for:

• Touch the toad gently. Does it hop away or turn to face you? A healthy toad will be alert and aware.
• Make a soft noise near the toad. Does it flinch or blink? A healthy toad should react.
• Gently prod or nudge the toad. An ill toad may be sluggish or unresponsive.
• Look at the toad’s eyes. Are they bright and alert or dull and unfocused? Lackluster eyes can indicate illness.
• Watch for lack of appetite. Healthy toads are eager feeders when presented with insects or worms.

If the toad fails to respond to any of these stimuli as expected, it could be an early sign of distress or disease. Continued lack of response is a strong indicator that something is wrong.

See if It Struggles When Handled

Carefully pick up the toad with wet hands and observe how it reacts. A healthy toad will generally struggle quite a bit to get free. It may inflate itself with air or wiggle energetically. If the toad seems weak and docile or doesn’t put up any fight at all, that is a troubling sign.

Watch for these behaviors when handling a potentially ill toad:

• Little to no physical resistance or attempt to escape
• Deflated appearance without the usual fullness
• Muscles that seem limp or flaccid
• Leg muscles that don’t exhibit the normal whip-like kicking
• Very still and calm compared to a normal toad’s reaction

Healthy toads almost always struggle vigorously when restrained. The strength of its fight response is a great indicator of overall vigor. If the toad seems too weak to put up a fight, it likely needs veterinary care.

However, be very gentle when handling toads and never restrain them for more than a brief period. Their sensitive skin can easily be damaged if they are squeezed or gripped tightly. Use care but also observe closely how they react.

Examine the Toad’s Body Condition and Posture

Note Any Abnormal Positioning

When examining a toad, pay close attention to its body positioning and posture. An unhealthy toad may demonstrate abnormal stances or difficulties moving around. Here are some signs to look out for:

• Splayed legs – Toads normally sit with legs tucked under their bodies. Splayed or sprawled out legs can indicate issues with muscles, bones, or nerves.
• Arched back – An arched or hunched back can be a sign of gastrointestinal problems or abdominal discomfort in toads.
• Tilted body – Tilting, leaning, or loss of balance can signify inner ear issues, neurological problems, or muscle weakness.
• Limited mobility – Healthy toads are reasonably active. Lethargy, slow reactions, or inability to hop or climb well can signal illness or injury.

Abnormal postures like these can develop from infection, trauma, toxicity, malnutrition, or other health conditions. Carefully observing your toad’s stances and movements is crucial for identifying problems early.

Check for Weight Loss

Monitoring your toad’s body condition is another critical part of assessing its health. Weight loss or muscle wasting in toads is often linked to disease, inadequate nutrition, or husbandry issues:

• Weigh your toad regularly with a kitchen or small postal scale. Gradual weight loss may indicate illness. Rapid weight drops can signify critical problems.
• Examine the toad’s body shape. Fat reserves normally appear as swellings behind the head. Sunken cheeks or protruding hip bones can signal weight loss.
• Check for muscle loss around the limbs and head. This atrophy or “skinniness” can develop from malnutrition or chronic diseases like chytridiomycosis.

According to the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, body weight should be tracked weekly or biweekly in captive amphibians. This helps detect health issues early before clinical signs appear. Have a veterinarian evaluate any unexplained or rapid weight changes in your toad.

Inspect the Skin and Eyes for Issues

Look for Changes in Color or Texture

When examining a toad, pay close attention to its skin for any abnormalities. Healthy toad skin should be uniformly moist and have a consistent coloration like brown, green, or reddish. According to the Monarch Lab Guide, changes in skin color in blotches or bands may indicate disease.

Skin texture changes like flakiness, shedding issues, lesions, swelling, or abscesses can also signify illness.

Make note if the toad’s skin is either too moist or too dry compared to a healthy toad. Dehydration shows when skin loses elasticity, wrinkles, and appears duller in color. Meanwhile, skin infections can cause areas to look swollen and discharge pus.

Always monitor captive toads for molting issues which prevent shedding properly. Overall, abnormal skin changes likely mean something is wrong internally, prompting veterinary examination.

Note Any Ocular Discharge

A toad’s eyes should be clear, round, and bright without tearing up or showing irritation. According to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, excessive eye discharge or swelling can indicate infection, trauma, or toxicity issues. To check the eyes, gently examine for discoloration, puffiness, or fluid accumulation around sockets.

Note if they seem cloudy, sunken, or avoid bright lights which may show vision trouble or cataracts.

Use a dim flashlight beam to check eye reactions and movements. Healthy toads exhibit responsive pupils and tracking abilities without discharge buildup. Varying degrees of eye problems in toads may warrant veterinary ophthalmological assays.

Always monitor eye clarity in captivity and with seasonal shifts. Sudden changes could show new disease or husbandry issues needing attention.

Watch for Breathing Problems or Discharge

See if It is Having Trouble Breathing

One of the most concerning signs that a toad may be dying is difficulty breathing. Toads breathe primarily through their skin, so anything that interferes with cutaneous respiration can be life-threatening. Watch for the following symptoms:

• Open-mouth breathing: If the toad is holding its mouth open and breathing heavily, it likely cannot get enough oxygen through its skin and is struggling.
• Labored breathing motions: The expansion and contraction of the throat may appear pronounced as the toad works hard to breathe.
• Nostril flaring: Flaring or widening of the nostrils often accompanies increased breathing effort.

Rapid or noisy breathing like wheezing or clicking can also signal respiratory distress. Breathing problems are especially common if the toad’s skin appears reddish or inflamed, as anything that damages the skin also impairs gas exchange.

Check for Mucus or Fluid Leaking Out

Fluid or mucus draining from a toad’s nostrils or mouth is highly abnormal and indicates a serious health issue. Possible causes include:

• Respiratory infection: Bacteria or fungi in the lungs can lead to pneumonia and discharge.
• Skin infection: Open sores on the skin allow pathogens to enter and spread internally.
• Internal organ damage: Trauma, parasites, or disease may cause damage and abnormal leakage.

According to the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, discharge in amphibians is often a clinical sign of sepsis or systemic infection. Look for bubbles, froth, or colored mucus around the eyes, nostrils, or mouth. Bloody discharge is especially dire, signaling severe internal issues.

Immediate veterinary care is recommended if a toad shows any signs of respiratory distress or abnormal discharge.

Consider Environmental Factors

Rule Out Temperature Extremes

Extreme temperatures can stress toads and make them more susceptible to illness or death. According to the Wildlife Trusts, adult common toads thrive at temperatures between 5-22°C. Outside of this range, they become sluggish and struggle to maintain their body temperature.

Prolonged exposure to freezing or excessively hot habitats could be fatal.

First, check if the toad’s environment consistently reaches below freezing (0°C) or rises over 30°C for multiple days. This includes both air and water temperatures. According to Project Noah citizen science network, temperatures below -2°C can cause toads to freeze to death, while constant heat over 30°C leads to dehydration, seizures, or heart failure.

If either extreme is present, relocate the toad to a more temperate area if possible.

Check for Signs of Predator Attacks

Toads face predation from a variety of species, including birds, snakes, shrews, hedgehogs, rats, and domestic cats and dogs. Visible injuries like bites, scratches, or missing limbs may indicate a predator attack.

However, toads also cleverly camouflage themselves to avoid threats, so an injury might not be immediately obvious.

Carefully inspect the toad’s body for any irregular lumps, scabs, or healing wounds, which suggest prior harassment. Pay special attention to the limbs and head. Loss of an eye or leg impacts mobility and quality of life.

If discovering post-attack, promptly isolate the toad from further danger and apply antibiotic ointment to wounds if possible to prevent infection.

As shown above, data estimates up to 50% of common toads perish after assaults by predators like pets, due to the severity of wounds. So remaining vigilant about the toad’s safety and whereabouts aids their survival chances.

Conclusion

By systematically checking for lack of movement, odd body postures, skin/eye issues, breathing problems, and environmental factors, you can get a good sense of whether or not a toad is dying or deathly ill.

If you determine the toad is in very poor health, contacting a wildlife rehabilitator is the most responsible next step to give it a chance at survival. With this guide, you now have the knowledge to adequately assess an ailing toad’s condition.