We would like to help our pet American toads to hibernate. Any suggestions on how to safely do this?Thanks,Lisa

Do you have a cool room in your house that goes down to 35-45 degrees F? If so, put the toad in that room in an aquarium or storage tub with a lid with ventilation. Add in some leaves and maybe some other natural decor as well as a layer of dirt on the bottom. As things cool down, he will burrow down into the dirt to hibernate. Outside, this would be below the frost line. Inside, it's better that it not freeze since a container isn't going to be below ground indoors. Some people may put them in plastic shoe boxes with lids, a little damp dirt, and store in humidity controlled dedicated refrigerators, probably around 40 degrees F or so. I'd be afraid to do that. I talked one lady a few years ago through hibernating two American toads in her garage over winter. One was dead in spring. The other jumped out but was later found, just fine. If you don't have a cold area in your house, then you either can skip hibernation totally or try it outdoors, in an enclosure if you don't want him to escape. Animals that are meant to hibernate and skip hibernation are affected in that their life spans are often shorter, and they may not get the right triggers to breed in the spring (not a concern if you're not breeding him).