Asian Common Toad (Bufo melanostyx)

Common Name: Asian Common Toad
Scientific Name: Bufo melanostyx
Source: WC

Adult Size: 6-9cm up to 15–20cm
Native Range: Widespread across South & Southeast Asia

Enclosure: Terrestrial vivarium with secure ventilation, deep soil/leaf-litter style substrate, multiple hides, and a shallow water area
Heating: Generally kept at moderate “room-temperature” gradients; avoid overheating

Humidity: Aim for a moisture gradient - damp retreats with drier areas and good airflow

UVB: Provide bright day lighting and shaded hides; low UVB 

Diet: Invertebrate prey, cricket, locusts

Water: Clean, dechlorinated water bowl available at all times; shallow enough for easy entry/exit

ABOUT THIS SPECIES

The Asian Common Toad is a hardy, ground-dwelling bufonid that turns up in everything from rural edges to town gardens, usually emerging at dusk to hunt. It has a stocky build, dry warty skin, and distinctive dark-tipped cranial ridges that give it the “black-spined” look. In the wild it often breeds after heavy rains, using still or slow-moving water, with eggs laid in long strings and small, dark tadpoles.

In captivity, it suits a naturalistic, terrestrial setup where it can choose between damp cover and drier ground, plus a dependable water area. Give plenty of hides and leaf litter, and you’ll typically see most activity in the evening as it patrols for live prey rather than climbing or basking out in the open.