The Bufo Viridis on this page is now deceased, but I felt it was important to tell her story. Many people around the country say they bought this species at a chain like Petsmart. Over and over and all too often, these toads die shortly after being brought home. I don't consider it an adoption. I consider it more of a rescue than anything else. To read my issues with Petsmart click here. This page is a visual remembrance gallery of a sweet little toad named Hunter.
We generally do not shop at chain stores like Petsmart and Petco for anything. Normally, the privately owned store that we use has everything and usually if we need something they don't carry, they can order it for us. We therefore can normally avoid shopping at chain stores but there are occasions when we have no choice because we need something in a hurry. It was on one of these days that we found this toad.
We were about an hour and a half north of home and it was getting late. We needed a few things from the pet store but knew our store would be closed by the time we got back to our area. We took a chance and went to a Petsmart in the shopping plaza. Of course, I absolutely had to see if there were any toads or frogs in the store. I'd been told by many people who visit this site that they'd seen toads being improperly housed at various Petsmart locations around the country. This is exactly what I found to be the case.
The tag said "Common Toad" and she was crammed into a small tank with many other frogs and toads, most of them looking half starved. There were three other toads who were very small and I believe were bufo regularis, but they looked beyond saving. I knew this bufo viridis didn't have a good chance but I thought I'd try to save her anyway.
Bufo viridis are common in Europe, as well as parts of Western Asia and parts of Northern Africa. I doubt these are captive bred for Petsmart. Most chains will call them "Common Toads". Yeah, common if you live in Europe. In America, these are NOT common and should never be released into the wild! It is completely irresponsible of Petsmart, beyond just the abuse of the animals, to not inform the public of these toads' origins. Those who don't know any better might think its safe to release them into the wild on this continent.
The proper common name for this toad is European Green Toad. It is unique in that this toad is not completely nocturnal. They are mostly diurnal. Also, they tend to be more slender than most toads. They also like to climb more than most toads. They have large color blotches that change color to match their surroundings. In green leaves, this toad can look very green indeed.
There was a point when I thought Hunter might have a good shot at getting well. As you can see, she looked pretty plump at the time of these pictures. However, it was too late. She died a few days after these were taken. Considering how starved and stressed she was at the time we found her, its not a mystery that she died. I'm only glad I could provide her with a better home with less stress and plenty of food so that her last days could be peaceful. May she rest in peace.