The Surinam Toad Care Cheat-Sheet
Bognookhonest amphibian care · bognook.com
Surinam Toad — Care Cheat-SheetAdvancedA bizarre, flattened, fully-aquatic frog — famous for raising young in its back. A specialist.
📋 At a glance
- Tank
- Fully aquatic 40 gal+ (1–2), warm and filtered
- Temp
- Warm mid-70s to low-80s°F (a heater)
- Water
- Dechlorinated, sand or bare bottom — no gravel
- Food
- Worms, fish, sinking foods — target-fed
- Lifespan
- 7–15 years
✅ Utterly bizarre and hardy in warm, clean water — a true conversation piece for the aquatic keeper.
🛒 Before you buy
- A large, warm, filtered aquarium (they reach ~6–8 in)
- Sand or a bare bottom (never gravel)
- A tight lid + strong filtration
- Target-feeding worms/fish (poor eyesight — it hunts by touch)
A healthy one: Flat, angular, leaf-like body · well-fleshed · using its star-tipped fingers to find food · clear skin.
🚨 See a vet / act now if…
- Not eating / weight loss
- Bloating or floating oddly
- Red or raw skin (water quality)
- Fungus
Cool them down, reduce stress, and contact an exotics vet — most issues are reversible if caught early.
⛔ Never
- Gravel substrate
- Cold or poor-quality water
- Small tankmates it will inhale
🌿 Golden rules (all amphibians)
- Cycle the tank BEFORE the animal (ammonia = 0).
- Always dechlorinate tap water.
- Cool beats warm — most amphibians are cool/cold species.
- Look, don’t handle — their skin absorbs oils & soaps.
- Buy captive-bred, never wild-caught. Quarantine new arrivals.
- Never release a pet into the wild (it spreads disease).
- A real setup costs more than the animal — budget for it.
- When in doubt, ask — no shame in learning. 💚
