Classification
Order: anura
Family: bombinatoridae
Genus: bombina
Species: bombina variegate
Habitat
These toads can be found in Central and Southern Europe. They dwell in mountainous and hilly areas near small bodies of water. They find shelters under stones or driftwood and in crevices in rocks.
Outward appearance
Adult yellow-bellied frogs are between 35-55 mm long. The back is gray-brown with light spots. The belly is gray-blue or black-blue with bright yellow spots. Tadpoles are dirty gray color.
Character
This is a diurnal species. They eat worm and beetles that they find on the ground, on the water surface or in the water. At the sight of danger yellow-bellied toads take a special defensive posture. They turn on their backs and show the predator its belly while they cross their front legs above the head and raise the hind legs. These toads mainly perceive low frequency sounds.
Maintenance care
Yellow-bellied toads need semi aquatic horizontal tank at least 25x15x15 cm for 1-2 specimens. The tank has to be equipped with a heating lamp or a reflector. You can also use a heating cord or a heating pad. The temperature at the basking spot should reach 28-30°С at daytime and the ambient temperature should be 20-26°С at daytime and 16-20°С at night.
Feeding
In captivity yellow-bellied toads eat crickets, cockroaches, mealworm, bloodworm and other insects. Food items should be covered with vitamin and mineral powder. Adult toads should be fed three times a week.
Diseases
These toads are quite hardy and normally don’t often get ill. Under proper care they can live up to 25 years in captivity.
Breeding
The mating call of the males can be heard in late spring and early summer. As the species does not have a vocal bladder, in contrast to the red-bellied toad, its call is quite gentle.
The eggs are laid in loose clutches of two to 30 eggs in grass or often in patches of plants. The eggs are medium brown on the top side, bright brown on the bottom, and measure on average 1.5 to 2.0 mm, while the jelly layer is 5 to 8 mm thick. The principal spawning time lasts from May to June.
At their highest, the edges of the fins of the 55-mm-long tadpoles reach to the middle of the body; the tail ends are rounded off. They are a dirty grey in colour and shine in all colours of the rainbow.
