My granddaughter and I have 3 firebelly toads in a 10 gallon tank that they seem to be fairly happy with. Keeping them happy and well-fed has been a major source of enjoyment as we watch them together springing all over the place for crickets. They are so happy in fact, that what I can only assume is a male won't shut up!!! All night long while we're trying to sleep the darned thing is "barking" up a storm. We call it "barking" because I kept on trying to figure out which neighbor had acquired a yappy pup and left it outside. I know I shouldn't complain, but there have definitely been evenings when I would have cheerfully thrown him out on the carpet to dehydrate and die!

Any solutions, suggestions for quieting this fellow down? Even going through the "mating" gig with a willing female doesn't seem to satisfy this horny Romeo.

For the record, I'm a 61-year-old, retired second-time around single parent of a 10 year old. Serina came to live with me in 1998 when she was 15 months old and has given my life much structure and purpose...especially when my daughter died very suddenly when Serina (Judy's child) was not quite 4. She's mostly fun, loving and all that and I only occasionally want to rip her head off. Serina still sleeps with me or has night terrors about someone killing me and then who would she live with, but at least now she'll go to sleep even if I'm staying up to read the paper.

Our household consists of Serina and myself, a dog, two cats, one rabbit, a very happy fantail in its own 5-gallon tank, a 20-gallon tank full of platys that are multiplying at an alarming pace, and our 3 firebelly toads whose names are: Lacey, Lucy and Tracey, but that is subject to change depending on the flavor of the day.

Let's see...our school is a public charter school with an emphasis on an international and environmentally friendly approach to living and education. I co-Chair the Bldgs & Gds committee, have done most of the landscaping, led Earth Day activities and would live on campus if I could figure out a way to build a large enough treehouse on the knoll. This is only our 4th year up and running, so we're still in modulars/classrooms that are much nicer than what any of the public schools use. We also happen to be located on a 36 acre piece of land that boasts certified wetlands, dry upland hardwoods (on the 15 acre knoll), cedar & pine stretches that were cleared about 50 years ago for livestock grazing, and floodplain that the kids love to explore after large quantities of silt & sand get washed up from a heavy rain. But then it hasn't rained here in a very long time and we're in the midst of the worst drought this area has ever seen in recorded history...Piedmont region of North Carolina.

I'm also a yarn freak, knitter & wearer of funky socks, Unitarian Universalist (if you don't know what that is look it up) and work part-time as a gardener in the Botanical Gardens at UNC-Charlotte. A totally dream job that I still love just as much as the day I started 2 years ago.

that's all the news of importance. Now, if anyone has any insight or ideas on how to shut-up this toad so I can get a good night's sleep....

Welcome! sorry I have no ideas about the frog...

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Welcome to HC. The only suggestion I could even think of is acquiring more females for your little Romeo. Most male reptile species need numerous females for the collection to remain stable,,,,his needs might be outweighing the tolerance the females might have for him. Best of luck

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

move hin somewhere far away from your room . Other than that I agree with Ken,, gethim some more females or try to find someone that would enjoy him and has a bigger house,, so he wont keep them up all night. My firebellies that I have had in here in the past were not that bad,, it is the male treefrogs that used to get me, lol

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

Welcome to HC Network....I dont know much about FBTs but someone will come along that does....best wishes and enjoy!!

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Warmest Regards from Lyn

My frogs wouldn't shut up, I moved them to the living room and there they kept the rest of my family awake, so I shipped them off to Texas. I've slept like a baby since...

Welcome to the site!

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

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thanks guys...I'm glad to know others have also suffered the silence breaking songs of a lovesick critter. BTW, Serina has re-named Tracey...he's now Bob, as in "Shut UP Bob" yelled at the top of her lungs. didn't make him stop, not for one second.
The idea about getting some more toads sounded like the most reasonable approach. Moving their home would pretty much defeat the purpose of having them on a stand right next to Serina's side of the bed...her pleasure and entertainment. I can't tell you how many hours we've both sat there watching them fling themselves at a new batch of crickets. Being somewhat of a wildlife geek myself (and passing on that passion to Serina), I'd miss their noisy little butts...not the noise, but the antics. So...guess it's off to the pet store to hunt down some more toads. Luckily the Pet Smart we go to has them more often than not...and a good stock of crickets too.

Speaking of wildlife geeks...I more than once took critters to school when in Jr. HS...most memorably a ringneck in my shirt pocket when we had our first biology classes in 9th grade. The teacher was the only one who wasn't freaked out. Most recently, as in a month ago, I did the same thing with a young worm snake that I took to the biology teacher at our school. He (the snake) was happy enough in my pocket with some moist topsoil and leaves before I transferred him to a small habitat carrier. The challenge issued to Mrs. McC's students: find the critter, identify and do a brief report with the winner getting $25 gift card to local theater, got no takers!!! She said none of her students was even the least bit interested in doing the work...for any reason at all!
Luckily for me, Serina is following in my footsteps and has been awarded "Class Naturalist" for the last 3 years and for the last 2 years her nickname was "Lizard Queen" in honor of her skill in catching anoles around the campus. She's been more interested in playing soccer and flag football during recess this year...and learning routines for cheerleading.

back to bed now that the dog has done her usual mid-morning in and out.
thanks for the feedback and the welcome...I'm really glad I signed up for this forum and I'm looking forward to reading what you've all been up to

connie, aka "bobseldest"

hi and welcome. Thats part of the deal when you get frogs and toads, is the noise! Although I have weird amphibians that don't make nose unless provoked. I have yet to hear any of my 4 toads make a peep. And I don't think I have all females. Want to trade? I will say I do have them downstairs and not next to the bed. The only time my 2 male White's tree frogs make noise is when my husband runs the coffee grinder in the morning.

I will also say they will benefit from a larger enclosure. 10 is a bit on the tight side for 3 toads. I have my 4 in a 29 gallon tank. (you saw my thread I see).

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Yea, thanks for failing to mention that noise issue. Now I have a automatic alarm at 4:30 every morning .

Welcome to Herpcenter. Hope you and your granddaughter enjoy it here ...

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MARSHA
A man without a woman is a bachelor, A woman without a man is a genius!.

We have enough youth, how about a fountain of smart!

Welcome to HerpCenter!
From your intro it sounds like you will be a good fit here!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!