Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 38

Thread: new to fire bellied toads

  1. #1
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default new to fire bellied toads

    but they are pretty little things so i 'jumped right in' with a 30 gallon tank. chose a water design with floating platforms, fake plants and an external filter.

    the local pet store had a group of six, so I got them all.

    i'm sure to add more land to the tank in the future, but the frogs appear to have enough space to spread out, soak if they want to with more to spare.

    very cute. first thing they all did when they hit my tank is to explore, then poo. three even ate immediately.

    i can tell three of them from the rest easily so far. the others...may have to be called the triplets.

    i've seen them amplexing, but i've heard not as much as a peep. totally silent so far.

    today was their first real feeding session after they settled in for a day. between six frogs, twelve crickets were eaten at least, I saw ten of them go down, but i was otherwise busy getting and dusting crickets to see them all get eaten.

    i have no real basking area, and will probably add a higher, warmer, drier spot for them next.

    i've seen them soak on the ramp, hang out in a pile or individually. some even seem to come up to see me closer when i sit down next to the tank and watch them.

  2. # ADS
    Circuit advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Posts
    Many
     

  3. #2
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    just caught two of them amplexusing and swimming in the deep water. not for very long.

    there's seven inches of water in this tank and the pair went all the way down. long enough for me to wonder if little froggies drown doing this.

    i guess i'll have to watch for eggs.

  4. #3
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Nationality
    [United Kingdom]
    Location
    Scotland
    Age
    27
    Posts
    1,134
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    This could be the males just at it but unless the females are fat and full of eggs, nothing will really result from it.

    A lot of frogs can hold hold their breath under water for some time. Some even hibernate under the water, so this should be fine. My males regularly take the females under the water when breeding.

  5. #4
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Well, the grabee was larger, but not fat like you see in youtube videos. they are all quite animated, these frogs. i want to feed them an earthworm and see what happens.

    I have not seen any fighting like you see on youtube. This group seems pretty copacetic together.

    I guess i'll see how they adapt to their environment in the coming month. It's fascinating to watch.

    When they are hungry...and you drop a cricket into the enclosure...and six frogs all perk up and go hunting....very very cool. Some crickets last about 300 milliseconds from when they hit the floor.

    There is one with sort of odd looking eyes compared to the rest. I was wondering if it was blind. Then I saw it jump through the air and catch a cricket. lol. they are all very perceptive.

  6. #5
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Nationality
    [United Kingdom]
    Location
    Scotland
    Age
    27
    Posts
    1,134
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    They are one of the greediest frogs, never had issues with them refusing food as with some other frogs!

    I seen a yellow-bellied toad with some sort of eye problem in a reputable zoo before, it could maybe be a defect but it could be an infection which could lead to blindness. You might be able to lookup online how to cure that, if it is anything

  7. #6
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Quote Originally Posted by jasonm96 View Post
    They are one of the greediest frogs, never had issues with them refusing food as with some other frogs!

    I seen a yellow-bellied toad with some sort of eye problem in a reputable zoo before, it could maybe be a defect but it could be an infection which could lead to blindness. You might be able to lookup online how to cure that, if it is anything

    The eyes looks clear. The iris looks a little lighter than the rest, the pupils look smaller, even constricted. But when the little frog spots something a third of the tank away and makes an accurate strike, I am convinced it can see okay. Large, active hungry frog.
    I will call him Psycho Shockeye.

    No kidding about the food. Last night I dumped five crickets in and they were ALL GONE before I could sit down and watch. If a cricket gets into the plants, the frogs can easily see the bugs shadow. Drives them nuts. They even go after drowning crickets. I do not have to clean many drowned crickets out of this watery cage.

  8. #7
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    When I got them, a few days ago, the skin on my right hand's thumb and index finger dried out and disintegrated. Cracked and bled. As if I had been to the desert and had been handing sandstone for weeks. I did not touch these suckers; I minimized what I touched.

    Then it occurred to me. When I got them, they came from the store in 3 containers.

    I wanted to reuse those containers.

    So I washed them out.

    With my right hand instead of a washcloth or anything. Just water and my hand. Rinse off whatever is in those containers.

    waitaminit...

    Huge mistake. Apparently, I may have gotten a boatload of frog poison and it actually affected my skin. I don't know for sure. But I think trying to rinse out containers of a mildly poisonous frog with my bare hands was a terribly stupid mistake.


    Their metabolism is so fast, it's as if they poop out last night's cricket in the morning.

    Fun to watch and learn.

  9. #8
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Photo of my new setup:



    40 gallon tank with about 12 gallons of water in it. 30" by 12", 18" tall.
    Two floating platforms, one small size and one medium size. An array of artificial plants. Air bubbler and external filter keeps the water quite clean.
    Six mosquito fish in the water.

    I want to add a little more high ground, so I think i'll add one of those waterfalls.


    And three of its inhabitants:







    The artificial fern is touching the water return such that it gets a slow trickle and creates a bunch of slow drips. The frogs love to hang out under a drip.

    One of them appears to be begging right now, so i better get smoe crickets.

    I let them eat as much as they wanted last night "at one sitting". Wow.

  10. This member thanks alane for this post:


  11. #9

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Jason I have been trying to message you but your inbox is to full and can accept new messages

  12. This member thanks Froggie85 for this post:


  13. #10

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Like your set up . How is it so moist in there where is all the condensation coming from ? This is my tank set up

    adult image

    photo hosting

  14. #11

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    OH MY GOSH I have no idea why one of my photo uploads say adult image that is not what I used I used the same place for the other one that says photo hosting. Sorry about that I don't know where that came from

  15. #12
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    I'm unsure why so much condensation.
    My water temperature (74F) is above my room air temperature and there's not much ventilation. I'm also sort of over-oxygenating and over-filtering the water. And the artificial fern is serving as a big evaporation surface area.
    I figure the frogs like it that way and I should just squeegee it down when i want photos.
    or maybe some folks have some suggestions as to how to reduce condensation.

    [edit] i 'cracked' the hood and offset it so that there's a little 1/8" gap now. The condensation is going away it seems. Or it's an atmospheric thing that comes and goes; time will tell.
    Last edited by alane; January 27th, 2017 at 10:27 PM.

  16. #13

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    I would actually like to have a little bit of condensation .. I don't have any I bought an aquairium heater to warm up the water some and its only went up 1 degree by tank is reading at 71 but I am super afraid to turn it up more cause I dont want to cook them .. I also but a regular house bulb thats 40 watts thats says it only uses 29 watts for basking when I turn it on in the morning with there UVB light they seem more active , but they dont hunt or eat much still so its a little frustrating one frog gets about 2 or 3 which ismy oldest frogs my little ones seem to only get one and then the rest drown in the water I hate it but idk what else to do to fix live and learn I guess ..

  17. #14
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Overnight, i'd say that cracking the lid by just a little bit got rid of 2/3rds of my condensation. It's still plenty moist but now I can take clearer photos.

    71F is pretty far below the 'never exceed temperature' for this frog. I've heard it's range is 68F to 78F and that they don't really want a top-warmed basking spot. They want a 'rivers edge'. Wikipedia says that the oriental is found as high as 3000m.

    I use Repashy Calcium Plus which allegedly gets me out of any sort of UVB requirement. Cold white LED lighting.

    I got sang to last night by at least two of them, so I guess they are getting happier every day with the new enclosure. Bark bark bark.

  18. #15

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    I just started using Repashy calcium plus yesterday .. Because of a man names Jason up above. my pet store is stupid and gave me the wrong kind so they have onlybeen getting calcium and no vitamins . but yesterday they at least got one with the supplement . mine dont go all crazy for them so by the time they eat one its fell in the water and washed most the supplement of which annoys me to the fullest.. Today is tank cleaning day and I will move the bar up a little more on my thermometer to see if I can get it to 75 thats where I myself would like it to be .. and yes mine bark all the time doesnt matter them temp they go back and forth with each other . Then one will hop on one and they will make that other noise like get off me its so fun to hear!

  19. #16

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    THIS IS MY 4 YEAR OLD

    upload an image

    AND THIS IS MY TWO YOUNGER ONES THAT ARE SMALLER ONE OF THESE GUYS I NEVER SEE EAT.

    upload pic

  20. #17
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    today, i cleaned up the bottom of the tank and i picked up four tiny little stones that were the shape and size of a frog poo, but were rocks. Those didn't come from me. Those came from the store. they have little rocks in their media.

    that gives me an idea of how long it takes for stuff to go through their system. although they are constantly eating and pooing, those rocks took 48-72 hours to pass.

    i hope they feel better now. i would hate to have to **** a boulder, myself.

  21. #18
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Nationality
    [United Kingdom]
    Location
    Scotland
    Age
    27
    Posts
    1,134
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Oriental fire-bellied toads will bask at temps as high as 85F. A lot of keepers and breeders believe a basking spot is essential, but many have been kept without so long as daytime temps are at least 72F. Any cooler than that for too long will probably impair digestion unless a basking spot if provided. However, night time lows of 65F are fine and cooler temps in winter along with reduced feeding.

    Calcium plus does have vitamin D3 in it, but whether dietary D3 is enough alone depends on the species. Since fire-bellied toads are cathermal, bask and mainly insectivores, they probably would use sun for most of the vit D needs or at least be exposed to UVB. If we look at another frog, such as a pacman frog, it is entirely nocturnal, burrows most of the time and feeds mainly on frogs, but also on whatever passes. This frog would most likely get its vit D3 from the diet as whole vertebrate prey contain this vitamin, but insects don't and so would do better with dietary D3 rather than UVB.

    Here's a recent study on Oriental fire-bellied toads, one of the few on UVB with amphibians. I can't find the full text for free access anymore, but you can see the summary. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...+inconvenience.

    This is also a good article to read

    http://www.jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150/89

  22. #19
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Nationality
    [United States]
    Posts
    225
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    I have an old "eprom eraser". Basically a bare 4W germicidal bulb. One of those blue-glowing UVB mercury fluorescent lights.

    Do you have any idea what sort of intensity the frogs need? 4W is one of the smaller bulbs. is this something i could use maybe by affixing this tube to my hood? this is the sort of light you aren't really supposed to look at; It's 254nm uv. i worry it would erase them or smoething. But maybe using this thing would get me out of buying a light for my frogs.

  23. #20
    100+ Post Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Nationality
    [United Kingdom]
    Location
    Scotland
    Age
    27
    Posts
    1,134
    Blog Entries
    1
    Picture Albums: Member Photo Albums

    Default Re: new to fire bellied toads

    Arcadia has some guidelines http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/wp-co...belly-toad.jpg

    Keep in mind these recommendations are when the tube is used inside the tank with a reflector, a tube over mesh loses a lot of potentency, so you go from a 2% minimum inside the tank to a 5% outside and so on, depending on the distance from the light and frogs

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Fire Bellied Toads
    By Tylerman in forum Vivarium, Terrarium & Enclosure Discussion
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: September 16th, 2014, 06:55 PM
  2. Wanted: Brown Fire Bellied Toads/ Yellow Bellied Toads
    By CinnamonPearl in forum Wanted
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: March 11th, 2014, 06:57 AM
  3. Replies: 2
    Last Post: February 17th, 2013, 03:39 PM
  4. New to Fire Bellied Toads!
    By emfroggy in forum Fire Belly Toads (Bombina)
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: January 18th, 2013, 01:31 PM
  5. New to fire bellied toads
    By MaxVanity in forum Fire Belly Toads (Bombina)
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: July 7th, 2012, 08:39 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •