firebelliecare

Fire Bellied Toads
(Bombina orientalis)

Family: Bombinatoridae

Origin: North East Korea & China

Size: 2 – 2.5”

Life Expectancy: 12 – 15 years

Introduction: Fire bellied toads are a semi-aquatic species that
are so called for the fiery orange colouring of their bellies.
They range from olive to bright green on top, to the bright
orange underneath.

Enclosure: These toads prefer to be housed with others of
their species as they are very communal animals. The
minimum cage size for small community of toads (about 4 - 5
toads) is a 20 gallon tank. Each toad requires about 4 gallons of
floor space.

Although they are quite happy to live with others of the same
species, different species of amphibians cannot be housed
with them as they secrete mild toxins which will irritate the
skin of other amphibians.

Temperature & Humidity: Fire bellied toads do not require a
heat bulb or heat mat unless the temperature in their cage falls
below 68°F. The ideal daytime temperatures are 70 – 78°F (21 –
25°C). If their cage does fall below 68°F during the daytime, a
small spot lamp should be enough to raise the temperature by
a few degrees to a more optimal temperature. Buying a
temperature gauge will help with monitoring these changes.

Fire bellies require only moderate humidity, in the 65 – 75%
range is best. Placing a hygrometer to measure the amount of
humidity in the tank will ensure that the levels are optimum.

Food, Water, & Supplementation: Fire bellies are quite greedy,
and to stop them getting overweight it is best to feed them
only every other day. Eight to ten crickets each every other
day will suffice. Make sure to dust the crickets with a good
quality calcium at least once a week to ensure your toads are
kept healthy.

As fire bellies are semi-aquatic, they prefer to have their tank
set up in such a way that about 2/3 of it is water, with the
remaining third as their dry land or ½ land and ½ water. Regular
cleaning of their water is important as the toxins that they
secrete can build up and make the water slimy if not cleaned
regularly.

Substrate: The best and most natural looking substrate
available is terrarium moss or sphagnum moss. These are
good because they hold in a good amount of moisture so the
humidity levels of the tank do not fall to low.