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Wednesday, April 16th
April's meeting will focus on how to safely handle and present your reptile to the public. Please feel free to bring your own animal to show off.
Meetings start promptly at 8pm in the Alumni Room of Medaille College.
Annual Banquet
PLEASE NOTE: The annual banquet and recognition dinner will be rescheduled due to conflicts. The new date will likely be a Saturday in May, please contact a board member for more information.
Fire Belly Toad Care Sheet and Information
Please click here for a printable PDF version.
Common Name: Oriental Fire Belly Toad
Latin name: Bombina orientalis
Native to: China, Korea, and Southeast Asia
Size: Generally from 2 to 2½ inches in length
General appearance: The fire belly toad's coloration ranges from grass green to forest green with black blotches. The underbelly ranges from a flame red to a weak orange in color. The brightly colored belly acts as warning coloration to other species. The fire belly toad secretes a toxin when stressed.
Housing requirements:
Enclosure: A 10-gallon aquarium with a secure lid should be adequate for a pair of fire belly toads. When housing toads together it is important that they are the same size as they can be cannibalistic. A 50/50 ratio of land to water is usually the best way to maintain these animals for breeding. A strictly forest floor type of enclosure is fine if you will not be breeding.
Temperature: Air temperature should be maintained at 68° to 75° F with a basking spot of 74° to 85° F. Water temperatures should be 76° to 78° F.
Heat/Light: Room temperature is usually adequate for fire belly toads. Using heat bulbs can create basking spots. Water temperatures can me raised by using an aquarium heater.
Substrate: Materials like Bed-a-Beast®, sterilized potting soil, or sphagnum moss can all be used as substrate. Gravel is not recommended as the top layer of substrate because the toads may ingest the gravel and cause an impaction.
Environment: Semi-aquatic
Diet: Fire belly toads can be fed crickets, mealworms, and wax worms. Adults have also been known to eat pinkie mice.
Maintenance: If using a forest floor type of setup, spot clean regularly and replace the substrate as needed. Fresh dechlorinated water should be offered daily. If using a 50/50 ratio of land to water setup, spot clean the land portion as above and use a filtration system for the water. Partial water changes are recommended weekly. Be advised to not hand the toads excessively since the oils found naturally on our hands can harm the toads with frequent handling. Whenever handling the toads or cleaning the cage or cage accessories it is always recommended to wash you hands thoroughly when finished.
Other references or recommended reading:
Amphibians in Captivity, Staniszewski, Marc, TFH Publications 1995
Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians, Breen, John F TFH Publications 1974
The Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians, Halliday, Tim R. & Adler, Kraig eds, Facts On File 1986
Frogs & Toads of the World, Mattison, Chris. Facts On File 1987
Remember that in many places it is illegal to take wildlife out of the wild without the proper permits from local, state, or federal authorities. Please do not release any captive reptiles or amphibians into the wild as this will disrupt the natural order of our environment. See our amphibian and reptile adoptions page for more information on what to do with unwanted herps.
Help reptiles in need by donating to our Adoption Fund! Your donations will help feed and house reptiles waiting for adoption.