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Fire-bellied Toad
(Bombina
orientalis)
Habitat: Semi Aquatic
or An Aquarium
Diet:
Insectivores
Adult Size: 1-2.5
inches
Lifespan: 10-15
years
Native To: Asia |
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Did
You Know:
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Unlike most frogs,
Fire-bellied Toads make
sounds by inhaling rather
than
exhaling. Its croak has a
pleasant sound, evocative of
a small bell.
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The Fire-bellied Toad’s
tongue is attached
completely to the floor of
its mouth.
So, it cannot flick out its
tongue to catch prey the way
other frogs do. Instead, it
must leap forward and snare
its meals in its mouth.
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Living up to its name, the
Fire-bellied Toad will arch
its back to expose its red
and black belly when it
feels threatened. This warns
would-be predators of its
foul
taste. If this is not a
sufficient deterrent, the
toad will lie on its back
and release its
toxic secretions. By
contrast, the toad’s back is
a dull brown and bright
green,
which allows it to
camouflage itself by
blending into the background
colors of its
natural environment.
The material below is a general
guideline, and is not intended
to serve as your sole source of
pet care information. Visit a
veterinarian trained in caring
for reptiles and consult a broad
range of literature to ensure
that your pet receives adequate
care.
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What
You Should Know About
Fire-bellied Toads |
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The Basics: |
This is an attractive
and long-lived terrarium
pet that is popular in
the pet trade. Although
its care requirements
are relatively
straightforward, it does
require work and
attention, particularly
in the area of enclosure
cleaning and
maintenance. Males are
usually smaller and more
streamlined than
females, and are also
able to make loud
vocalizations. A hearty
and adaptive species, it
does well in a wide
variety of environments
in nature, even being
found in southeastern
Siberia and north
eastern China at 10,000
feet above sea level.
They are one of the few
communal toads, and will
do well when kept in
groups. |
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Enclosure:
They Need a
Semi-Aquatic Tank
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Although small,
Fire-bellied Toads are
active,
so they need room. A
20-gallon aquarium can
house three toads, and 5
gallons should be added
to the tank size for
each new specimen. The
tank should be longer
than it is high,
and it should have a
secure lid, since these
active frogs will
escape, if given the
chance. Unlike many
other frogs and toads,
the Fire-bellied Toad
must have a true
semi-aquatic
tank. Between 25 and 30
percent of the tank
should be “dry,” while
the remainder is covered
by chlorine-free water 2-4 inches
deep. The land side
should have smooth
rocks, with commercially
available driftwood and
plants (live or
artificial) for hiding
and basking spots.
Floating plants (real or
artificial) and smooth
rocks should also be
placed in the water side
to provide hiding and
resting spots. The
bottom of the water side
can be lined
with smooth rocks that
gradually slope upward,
making it easier for the
frog to exit the
water. Fire-bellied
Toads will spend most of
their time floating in
the water; they seldom
submerge themselves.
Water must be inspected
daily to remove waste
and feeder animal
debris. (Fire-bellied
Toads produce a large
volume of waste for
their size.) A partial
water change (25%)
should be done weekly,
along with having a
small aquarium filter in
use. |
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Substrate:
Gravel
Covered By Other
Material Works For Them: |
Gravel can be used to
build
up the foundation of the
dry area of the
Fire-bellied Toad’s
enclosure, but it must
be covered by another
substrate, since the
toad can easily ingest
small pieces of gravel
when
taking food. The gravel
should be covered with
any combination of
larger rocks, moss, or
non-aromatic wood fiber.
Aromatic wood substrates
like cedar must be
avoided, since
they can cause serious
and even fatal health
risks. Substrates must
be inspected daily, so
soiled material can be
removed. |
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Temperature:
They Will
Handle Room Temperature: |
If kept in a reasonably
warm room, Fire-bellied
Toads require no extra
heating. The temperature
in their enclosure
should be
around 75 degrees
Fahrenheit during the
day, and slightly cooler
at night. A low wattage
bulb can be used during
the day to create a
warm, but not too hot
basking area – avoid
temperatures over 85
degrees. Fire-bellied
Toads are one of the few
toads or frogs that
enjoy basking in the sun
like a lizard. However,
temperatures that are
too high can harm
this toad. The
temperature must be
monitored carefully by
using a thermometer.
Important - see the
Note About Day/Night
Light Cycles and Heating
below. |
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Lighting:
Limited UVB
Exposure Is Essential: |
Fire-bellied Toads
should be exposed to a
limited amount of UVB
light daily. This should
be provided by a
fluorescent reptile lamp
designed specifically
for frog terrarium use that
emits UVB (3-6%) rays.
The fluorescent bulb
should be replaced every
six months. Glass blocks
out UVB light, so
overhead light sources
should be kept behind a
wire mesh cover, not a
glass or acrylic tank
top. The tank should be
dark for 12 hours a day.
Important - see the
Note About Day/Night
Light Cycles and Heating
below. |
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Note About Day/Night
Light Cycles and Heating: |
All
reptiles, including this pet, must have
distinct day and night periods in their
enclosure to maintain their biological
rhythms. (See the lighting entry above
for the specific length of this animal’s
day/night cycle.) The day period
must be light; and night must be dark.
A timer should be used to set day/night
periods. If a heat source is required to
maintain correct nighttime temperatures,
use heat mats or strips mounted below or
on the side of the tank, infrared heat
lamps, ceramic heat emitters, or a
combination of these products. This will
allow the enclosure to be heated while
remaining dark. Follow directions
carefully with all products. If ceramic
heat emitters are used always choose
fixtures with porcelain or ceramic
sockets and to protect against fires do
not place them by dry wood or flammable
fabrics. Ceramic heat emitters must be
kept out of the reach of children and
all pets, including dogs and cats.
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Diet:
Feeding Them On “Dry
Land” Is Preferred: |
Gut loaded crickets
dusted with a supplement
should form the staple
of the Fire-bellied
toad’s diet. Like all
feeder insects, they
should be offered to the
toad on the dry section
of its enclosure. Small
silkworms and earthworms
can be offered as a
substitute for crickets
on occasion. Wax worms
and mealworms are best
avoided, even as a rare
treat. Offer adults as
much food as they can
consume in one sitting
(generally 2-6 feeder
insects) three times a
week. Juveniles should
be fed smaller insects
more often. Important --
It is necessary to
provide calcium and
vitamin supplements as
part of the diet. Please
read the supplement
section below: |
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A
Note About Gut Loading |
Feeding crickets a
nutritious diet will
pass on vital nutrients
to your reptile. When
reptiles eat these
insects they are able to
absorb the nutrients.
This is why it is
important to gut load
crickets at least 48
hours before offering
them to a reptile.
Commercial cricket foods
provide a convenient way
to gut load crickets.
(Always follow
manufacturer’s
directions.) Crickets
should also be provided
with water, preferably
in the form of oranges
or a commercial water
gel product designed
specifically to hydrate
feeder insects. Putting
a shallow dish of water
in the cricket holding
tank will result in
insects drowning and
promote the spread of
bacteria.
You can also create your
own gut-loading formula.
Our vet recommends a mix
of ground up dog food,
cereal and fresh greens
with oranges or a
commercial gel for
water. |
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Supplements: |
Dust insects with
calcium supplement and
vitamin supplements. As
a rule, a growing
juvenile's food should
be dusted more often
than an adult's. Follow
product label directions
when applying
supplements, and avoid
over-supplementing food.
Too much calcium
can contribute to
calcification and
indirectly to gout. The
following is a possible
supplementing schedule
for this pet.
Our veterinarian
recommends dusting
insects with a plain
calcium supplement every
other feeding to every
feeding. (Avoid using a
calcium supplement with
added phosphorous,
unless specifically
directed by your
veterinarian, since this
can promote kidney
disease.) Our
veterinarian also
recommends dusting
insects with a D3
supplement once a week
and a vitamin supplement
two times a month. This
is only one
recommendation, consult
your veterinarian for
specific directions on
supplementing your pet’s
food, since there are
many variables that go
into determining the
best supplementing
regimen for a given
animal.
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A NOTE ABOUT
WATER: |
All water given to this
pet for drinking, as
well as water used for
misting, soaking or
bathing must be 100%
free of chlorine and
heavy metals. (Not all
home water filtration
systems remove 100% of
the chlorine and heavy
metals from tap water,
so check your system's
specifications before
using it to filter water
for your pet.) We
recommend that you use
unflavored bottled
drinking water or
bottled natural spring
water and never
untreated tap water. If
tap water is used, you
should treat it with a
dechlorinating treatment.
Do not use distilled
water, which can cause
severe medical problems,
since it lacks minerals
that are essential to
important body functions. |
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Water
& Humidity: |
Relatively high humidity
levels should be
maintained in the
Fire-bellied Toad's
enclosure with a daily
misting. However, the
enclosure must also be
well ventilated to
prevent it from becoming
overly humid. The water
used in misting as well
as in the “wet area” of
the tank must always be
clean, fresh and free of
chlorine and heavy
metals. Do not use
distilled water. |
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How to Handle a Fire-bellied
Toad:
Like
all amphibians, Fire-bellied
Toads are meant to be observed
and appreciated, rather
than handled and petted. This
toad's skin contains toxins,
which do not pose a serious
threat to people but can cause
burning. Anyone with open cuts
or wounds should not
come into contact with a
Fire-bellied Toad. When it is
necessary to move a Fire-bellied
Toad, try guiding it to a fine
mesh net or plastic cup, rather
than lifting it. If you must
lift
the toad, wear moistened plastic
gloves and lift with great care,
grasping the animal
firmly but gently around the
waist, joining your thumb and
forefinger around its chest.
Always wash your hands, and
rinse them thoroughly before
touching a Fire-bellied Toad.
The skin of these toads will
absorb residual traces of soap
or perfume left on a hand. You
should also wash your hands
thoroughly after handling any
toad.
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Look Out For This:
The skin of a Fire-bellied Toad
is toxic. Although not really
poisonous to humans, it can
cause irritation. Anyone with
open
cuts or sores should not come
into contact with this toad.
Dogs,
cats and other pets should also
be kept away.
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Recommended
Fire-bellied Toad Supplies:
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A secure water-tight
enclosure
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Smooth rocks, driftwood,
and other furnishing
that can be used for
basking and climbing
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Foliage in the form of
life or artificial
plants
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Floating plants for the
wet area of the
enclosure
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Rocks to create
"islands" in the wet
area
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Gravel to build up the
dry sport of the
enclosure
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A suitable substrate to
cover the gravel
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A UVB Reptile
fluorescent light source
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A low wattage
incandescent bulb to
create a basking spot
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A thermometer
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A hygrometer
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A misting bottle
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Aquarium Filter
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