Fire Belly Toads

If you liked this article, then LIKE this article here!

Fire-Bellied Toads Bombina orientalis

Natural History

These small amphibians, which are actually frogs, are indigenous to the highlands and rice patties of China, Korea, and parts of Russia. While overall color will vary based on geographic origin, the majority of these animals fall into one of two basic color phases. There are the more common green phase frogs, which have a bright green background color, and then the bronze phase, which are more of a yellow-brown. All fire bellies have bright red bellies which serve as a warning to predators of their poor taste and toxic skin secretions.

The vast majority of these frogs offered for sale are imported adults, however, they are an extremely hardy species, making stress and health related issues normally associated with imported animals extremely rare. Captive breeding of this species is becoming more and more common, making these active and personable frogs available to more and more hobbyists world wide.

Recommended Reading: Popular Amphibians

Size and Longevity

These frogs typically reach an adult length of approximately 2 inches. Sexing can be difficult, but females tend to have a slightly fuller build, with males being more slender.

With optimal care and a properly varied and nutritious diet, fire-bellied toads can be expected to live in excess of 15 years!

Housing

These communal frogs are easily housed in standard all glass terrariums with screen lids. Two or three individuals should be comfortable in a 10 gallon tank, or a simple front opening small glass terrarium, while more room should be provided for larger colonies. Many keepers have had great success keeping large groups in naturally planted living vivariums complete with live plants and running water, in cages sized 18" x 18" x 18" or even larger!

Although these frogs usually get along fine in groups, pay attention that no single animal is monopolizing all of the food. It is normal whenever animals are housed together for a pecking order to form with some animals being more dominant than others. As long as you see all of your frogs eating and no obvious signs of stress, then your animals are getting along fine.

Heating and Lighting

Based on their natural environment, these amphibians are fairly cold-tolerant, and little or no supplemental heating should be needed in all but the coldest homes. Day time temperatures should be in the mid-70's, while night temperatures can safely fall to 60 degrees, or even slightly less. Use of a digital thermometer is an important tool for monitoring the temperatures for your frogs. If these guidelines do not fall within the normal temperature of your home, consider an under tank heating pad or low-wattage nocturnal heat bulb to bump up the temperature.

These frogs do seem to benefit from good lighting, and it additionally encourages diurnal behavior. Avoid the use of any type of light that will produce significant amounts of heat, as fire-bellied toads do not telerate temperatures much above 80 degrees for extended periods of time. Instead, consider a fluorescent tube, preferably a low UV output bulb (Repti-Sun 5.0) placed above the entire length of the enclosure.

Substrate and Furnishings

The easiest way to set up and maintain this species is with a deep layer of moist substrate such as coconut fiber, orchid bark, or cypress mulch. Patches of both live moss and/or sphagnum moss can be added to increase humidity and add to the beauty of the tank. Terrestrial set-ups such as this should be equipped with a large, shallow water dish with plenty of room for all inhabitants to soak in.

An alternative housing method is to fill the entire tank with a shallow layer of water, and use aquarium gravel to create a sloping beach and a small dry area. These set-ups, while practical and attractive, do require more regular maintenance than those listed above.

Water and Humidity

As a semi-aquatic species, fire-bellied toads require either a large pool built into their enclosure, or an easily cleaned water bowl that is both large and shallow. Water quality should be closely monitored, as soiled water can harbor bacteria and lead to disease. Use of a water treatment to dechlorinate tap water is recommended, and the addition of "Eco Clean" type products to semi-aquatic set ups can help maintain higher water quality.

In the wild, fire-bellied toads are found in and around ponds and other nearly saturated areas, making them tolerant of high humidity levels, and this should be replicated in the terrarium. If you have opted to keep your frogs in a mostly aquatic set-up then your enclosure will require only infrequent misting. However, more traditional terrestrial set-ups will need to be sprayed once or twice a day with a hand spray bottle to ensure that the substrate does not dry out and that there is acceptable levels of humidity within the habitat. Use of a fogger can also be considered, as the fog not only increases humidity but creates an aesthetically pleasing appearance of rolling fog through the cage.

Nutrition

These frogs are vigorous feeders, and will readily accept a wide variety of prey, including crickets, mealworms, wax worms, earth worms, small feeder guppies, and bloodworms. A diet that regular features different species of prey item is not only healthiest for your pet, but also ensures that your frogs do not become bored with a monotonous menu.

Prey items should be no longer that the width of the frogs head. Adult frogs can tackle slightly larger than expected food items. Medium to large size crickets and other feeders less than an inch in length are all acceptable for adult frogs. Babies and juveniles will require smaller prey.

Fire-bellied frogs have fast metabolisms and eat a lot for such a small creature. Plan on feeding your frogs at least every other day, and provide as many food items as they will readily consume in a few hours. You do no want your frog habitat to become overrun with uneaten prey.

All foods should be dusted regularly with a quality calcium supplement, preferably one that contains vitamin D3 which will aid in bone growth and overall well-being. Additionally a reptile multi-vitamin should be used a few times a month.

Handling

Although by no means deadly, these frogs do naturally produce a skin toxin that can be irritating to the eyes and other mucous membranes. Children should not handle these frogs, and adults should thoroughly wash their hands after doing so.

© LLLReptile & Supply, Inc 2006