New owner to FBT, Tank setup suggestion/other help/advice

[11TNS]

hello, im getting FBT's today with a 10 gallon tank to house 3/4 of them, i wanted to set up an terrarium or a vivarrium but it seems like to much work for my first toads, i was just thinking some moss a water dish plants and some other decor, also can they live with newts cause thats what i have been told? any other advice?

thanks

[tearsmith]

Welcome. FBT's are a good choice as they are hearty and easy to care for. Here is the #1 thing to remember... Every person you speak to, including your vet, will have a different story or suggestion or advice for you. Some is right, some is very wrong. I have found the best way is to go with "majority rule" and figure out what works best for you on the other things. With that said, I will share my advice. I have 4 toads, 3 bullfrogs and 1 leopard frog and they are all healthy and happy. So, suggestions....

1. A ten gallon tank is really only suitable for 2 toads. In the pet store they dump 20+ frogs in there sometimes and others put 1 toad in a Kritter Keeper. Not healthy either way. FBT are not like tree frogs or pacman's or other mostly land frogs. They need a good amount of water. Don't use moss and a little water dish. Too much risk of unwanted ingestion and waste buildup and not enough swimming for them. You will be cleaning out the moss alot unless you don't care about the amomnia smell. If you have a ten gallon for 2 toads or a 20 gal long for 4/5 you are good.

2. No need to spend alot of money on tank decorations, your filter is more important. A regular fish filter will only add air and very slight filtration to the water. Not adequate for the solid waste and debris in a toad tank. Use the ReptaFilter and you are good to go. A partial water change every other weekend and a full change once a month and you should be good.

3. A strong, latching lid. They can climb the glass and lift the lid if it is not clipped down. They are stonger than they look. If one does get out, follow the walls to find him. I mean that they will generally hop along the base board until they come to a damp place. If they can get in your closet, check your shoes. It never fails!

4. Use small crickets or small meal worms to feed them. The large mealworms are too tough for them to digest and have been known to chew their way out of the toads. Death!

5. Here's the tricky one.... housing them with other pets. This is where you will probably get the most conflicted info. I did it... I heard you can do it.... Don't do it.... so forth and so on. General rule of thumb...DON'T DO IT. Not to be hypocritical, I have mine with 4 fish. A betta, a cory, and two bumblebee catfish. Key is, I introduced them to the betta first because neither harms the other and they don't see a Betta as prey fish. (I have put small feeder guppies in there and I can tell you the toads ate them in less than an hour.) The catfish were put in next. They are stealthy and stay under the rocks and leaves and have never bothered the toads. They are over 2 inches long though so the toads don't see them as food either. I did have one of the catfish get dropsy from the buildup from amonnia in the water a few months ago. Took treatment and water changes and a pain in the butt actually. As for newts, absolutely NOT! Here's why... the toads and the newts are both land eaters that hunt by movement. They will grab each other's limbs and chomp down. A newt, when it's over 4 inches or so can rip the foot or entire leg off a toad in a second. The toxins are another problem, though not as much. Habitat is the difference too. A newt is land dwelling with need for small amounts of water and a place to hide. FBT's need more water with land items to climb out on periodically. They like to hang out in the water even with given the choice. One ideal tank is not ideal for the other, in other words.

5. Decorating your tank can be very inexpensive or even free. I use only a few pebbles on the bottom because the food particles and waste get trapped and don't filter well. Never use gravel, the FBT will eat it sometimes and get it stuck in them. Go to your nearby lake or stream where the water is tidal or fast moving. Get interesting rocks that can be used for the toads to climb out on. I also used foam covered in grout to look like rocks (method is described all over the forum thread on tank setups) and used greenery from Michaels for them to hide under and around. My tank set up is on the forum under my profile. If you find an interesting vine or stick you want to use, no problem as long as you seal it first. I use spray on sealer from Home Depot. Give it 3 or 4 coats and let it dry for about a week before you put it in there. It will not grow algae and rot that way. Otherwise, seeping sap from some vines will throw your water into PH hell... time consuming and sometimes difficult to correct.

6. Don't use any chemicals in the water other than dechlorinator. Toads breathe through their skin and are very sensitive to chemicals of all kinds, especially anything soap based or oil based. Clean the tank and the decor with one same scrub brush and mark it for them only.


Other than this, it's all I can think of right off my head right now. If you have any questions about them, be sure to post. You will get so much great advice on this forum. Congrats on your new pets!

[FinnyBird]

ILuvHoppers hit the nail right on the head as far as the setup suggestions.

As for newts and toads: do not mix them. Just don't. It is not worth the risk. It is a general rule among all reptiles that you should not mix species, and this is especially stressed with amphibians that excrete toxins. Both may have the name "firebelly" but their toxins are not similar enough for them to be compatible. It is not worth it, and no decent herpentile keeper of any sort would respect that. People get dirty looks for mixing newts and lizards, turtles and anoles. Firebelly toads and newts are a big no-no. There's actually not much "controversy," just ignorant people liking the novelty. I have heard of housing FBTs with certain types of tree lizards, however, as neither ever comes in contact with another and have two entirely different water systems. But that would take a huge investment of time and careful planning as far as setup goes.

[adinco]

ditto everyone else! welcome!

[crossfrog]

i have a 20 gallon tank with fire belly toads i place top soil first then moss and have 2 big bowls of water you are going to love them they are so fun to watch