Can you have a toad as a pet?

The first thing to know is that they are on the endangered list in most places, so it is illegal to keep them. They do generally hibernate in late fall until April in Arizona. You will need to be sure that they are fat and happy before hibernation. As a child, I had several, and they did fine in an aquarium with sand. They did eat about 300 ants at a time. I often caught them in spring and released them in the fall. The best way to figure out what you would need is to look at pet websites and read books on other sorts of lizards to see what things all lizards need in their cages. Also, it's good to keep in mind that they would like an environment like the one that they have in the wild, a desert like habitat. They also need a fresh, clean source of water and they like to eat ants, termites, and beetles. They don't necessarily enjoy being held, so if you intend to handle them a lot, a pet like a gecko or bearded dragon (a lizard more known for being a pet reptile) may be more suitable for your needs, and the animal's.