Fire Bellied toads

[5Bettamom]

I have seen some living in half full aquariums, is this what they are supposed to live in? I have always felt sorry for the ones in the pet store that live on the dry tanks, because they cram together in the water bowl. But is that what they are supposed to live in? And are they aggresive/poisonus?

[jm1212]

they like to have some access to water, but they were probably huddling in the water bowl because their air was so dry.

[5Bettamom]

What I am really curious about though is if they are poisonus? Because I saw a post that brought me to wonder..

[jm1212]

i dont think they are, but it wouldnt be advisable to put them in your mouth :D

[tepelus]

yah, they should be in a setup where they have water to swim in and land to come out and hunt for their food. they are not aggressive but should be kept by themselves as their skin is mildly toxic and shouldn't be kept together with other frogs, newts, etc. prolly wouldn't keep them with fish either but i'm not sure. i hate seeing them kept in a tank where all they have is a small bowl to "swim" in, poor little guys, or seeing any frog in a tank with dry substrate.

[tepelus]

and also, frogs will not eat food if it does not move, unless you have the frog trained to eat from your fingers. so live food is a must for them (crickets). they may even try to eat something that may be too big to swallow, like a tank mate, only to give up after a bit when realizing its too big. my whites tree frog often bit my hand when i got it close to her face, thinking i was dinner...lol

[legendaryfrog]

and also, frogs will not eat food if it does not move, unless you have the frog trained to eat from your fingers. so live food is a must for them (crickets).

I hate that about frogs....

my sister has 4 firebellies in a 80(?) gallon tank. its got a really wet gravel substrate and is filled 1/4th with water.(volume-wise)

[Siren]

I hate that about frogs....

my sister has 4 firebellies in a 80(?) gallon tank. its got a really wet gravel substrate and is filled 1/4th with water.(volume-wise)

Has she ever had any problems with them eating the gravel? I've had both a pixie frog and a pacman that would put anything in their mouths...

I'd really like to set up a tank with a couple of these guys in the very near future...just trying to get some info :)

You can get frogs to eat from forceps too if you wiggle it enough. When the local reptile store was closed during their move, I could get my frogs to eat small bits of egg from forcepts. Took some practice, but it can be done :)

[J double R]

i had 6 in an amphib set up that had water throughout, then a raised area for the crickets and mealworms that they GORGED themselves on. they also bred quite often, i was able to keep a good stock of tadpoles which my eastern painted turtle thought were VERY yummy. :) also, if i managed to not run out of tadpoles when they turned into little frogs, the adults thought those were tasty.

[tepelus]

i know that a peat based substrate is best for pacmans (and other frogs) cuz it not only holds in moisture better for the frogs and helps keep humidity high, but they like to bury themselves with only their eyes and mouths showing in the hole. also, if they swallow dirt, it won't hurt them, but gravel will.

[Esoter1c]

I don't know much about toads, but I've read this in a few different places, and I don't see it mentioned anywhere else, but fire-bellied toads secret a toxin that will make other toads sick, I don't know if it will make humans or other livestock sick, some more research would be needed, but thats what I've read.

[fishcatch22]

FBTs are mildy toxic and should be kept by themselves. it will not immediately kill anything, but if the toxins build u[p it will and I suspect the poison will put stress on other creatures.

[momar]

Firebellies are best kept in a tank with a water portion of around 4-8" deep and at least 6x8" with a sloping access point. they are poisonous, but with a good sized water area and large water changes every week this won't build up. The poison is only a danger to other animals if they try to eat them - it must be ingested or get into the bloodstream. So don't keep them with anything with a head big enough to try to swallow them. Many people have kept them successfully with small lizards like anoles and similar sized frogs as well as many newt species.