Classification
Order: anura
Family: bombinatoridae
Genus: bombina
Species: bombina orientalis
Habitat
The oriental fire-bellied toad is native to Korea, north-eastern China, southern Japan and eastern parts of Russia. It is a semiaquatic species and usually is found in warm and humid woodland.
Outward appearance
Adult toads reach about 5 cm in length.
These toads have bright green backs with black pattern and red, orange or yellow belly with black dots. The back is covered with small warts. The oriental fire-bellied toad has skin toxin that makes the protection against predators easier.
Character
These toads spend most of their time on the ground near the water. It is a diurnal species and it is active at daytime. These toads are skittish. They spend the winter in groups up to 6 specimens in rodents’ burrows, under tree roots, in fallen leaves and stones. Some specimens spend the winter on the bottom of ponds or lakes. A lot of toads die from cold in winter, especially if it doesn’t come a lot of snow. Only 1-2% of all toads make it to the age of 2 years old. The hibernation lasts for 150 days from October to the end of April.
They can be kept together in small groups. They are very hardy amphibians and make excellent pets for beginners. Although it is not very toxic, it is not recommended to wash your hands thoroughly immediately after touching the frog or cleaning the frog.
Maintenance care
Oriental fire-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. The water temperature has to be around 16-22°С.
Feeding
In captivity Oriental fire-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.
Features
It is a passive toxic amphibian. If you get its toxin on your mucous, you get headache and lethargy.
Diseases
These toads are quite hardy and normally don’t often get ill. Under proper care they can live up to 20 years in captivity.
Breeding
Breeding takes place in the spring with the warming of the weather and increase in rain. Males call to the females with a light barking croak. They jump onto the back of any other fire-bellied toad that happens to pass by, often leading to male-male confusion, but rarely any sort of fighting. Females lay 40 to 100 eggs in a large cluster, usually around submerged plants, near the water's edge. Tadpoles hatch from the eggs in three to 10 days depending on the temperature of the water. The tadpoles begin to develop legs in 6–8 weeks, and are fully metamorphosed and begin venturing on land in 12–14 weeks.
