Classification
Order: anura
Family: bufonidae
Genus: bufo
Species: bufo raddei
Habitat
Mongolian toads are native to the south of Eastern Siberia (Baikal, Chita, Buryatya regions) and to the Far East of Russia (Amur, Khabarovsk, Prymorye), as well as to Korea, Mongolia and the south of China. It is often found in dry areas; these toads prefer sandy soil.
Outward appearance
Adult toads reach the length of about 9 cm.
Mongolian toads have flattened bodies with rounded head. Paratoid glands are oval and elongate. The hind legs are short, toes are thin. The skin is covered with numerous warts (they are smooth in females and have spikes in males). The coloration varies greatly. The spots have different shapes and color; they form a complicated pattern which is particularly clear in adult females.
The toads have a clear light stripe that stretches along the back. Their backs can be beige, light brown, light gray or golden colored with dark (brown or dark olive) spots. Sometimes the spots cover almost whole back of the toad. The belly is grayish or yellowish. On average the color of these toads can vary from light sandy color to dark olive one, depending on their condition and the terrain.
Character
Mongolian toads love woodland and steppes, river valleys and basins between mountains; they prefer open lowlands. Sometimes they occur in mountains up to 3800 m above the sea level; at times as far as 1.5-2 km from the nearest water body. They can often be found in villages or towns.
During the mating season toads are active at daytime and otherwise they got out at dusk. For shelters they use crevices in the ground, grass and shrubs, tree roots and burrows; sometimes they bury themselves in sand. If they live near people, they gather in lit places at night and hunt insects there. They hibernate from October to April in rodents’ burrows, under stubs or in basements.
Maintenance care
Mongolian toads need an aquatic horizontal tank 60x30x40 cm for 3-4 specimens. For substrate you can use a mixture of potting soil and sand or sand rock. You will have to clean the tank every second or third week with mild disinfectant agents. If the temperature in the tank goes below 15 degrees, you will need to use heating. For light you can use fluorescent lamps. You can put in the tank pieces of bark, stones and plants (real or artificial). Your toad will need some shelters.
Feeding
Mongolian toads eat ants, beetles, butterflies, caterpillars, spiders and centipedes. Young toads eat mostly mites and aphids. Tadpoles eat algae or detritus.
Features
Don’t forget that these toads are passively poisonous, and the toxin from their skin can cause bad irritation or even poisoning if it gets on your mucous (eyes or mouth).
Diseases
Mongolian toads are hardy animals that very rarely get ill. Average life span in captivity is 10 years.
Breeding
The mating season occurs immediately after hibernation: between March and July, depending on the local climate; eggs are typically laid in shallow puddles.
