Instructions for the Feeding & Care of Fire Belly Toads

Fire-bellied toads come from northeastern China, Korea, southern Japan and southern Russia. They usually live in slow-moving ponds and streams. They look green with black spots from above, but their lower bodies have a red-and-black coloration. When threatened, they show their bright underside to warn predators about the toxins their skin releases. These toxins don't harm humans through skin contact, so the toads are safe to keep as pets. However, creating and maintaining the appropriate environment for fire-bellied toads requires time and effort.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-gallon aquarium
  • Wire-mesh aquarium lid
  • Peat moss or compacted potting soil
  • Bottled water
  • Driftwood, aquatic plants and rocks (optional)
  • Fluorescent light bulb
  • Insects
  • Multivitamin powders
  • Calcium supplements
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a 10-gallon aquarium on an even surface in an area that you can easily observe.

    • 2

      Lay about four inches of peat moss or compacted potting soil over about one-third of the bottom surface of the aquarium. Add some peat moss or compacted potting soil at the edges to create gentle slopes.

    • 3

      Fill the aquarium with bottled spring water to a depth of about three inches.

    • 4

      Place pieces of driftwood, aquatic plants and rocks in areas where the water is deepest as resting places for the toads.

    • 5

      Lay a tight-fitting wire mesh on the open top of the aquarium as a lid to prevent the fire-bellied toads from climbing out. The mesh allows air to freely flow in and out of the aquarium.

    • 6

      Place a 15- to 25-watt fluorescent bulb over the aquarium so the toads can bask on the land areas. Turn on the lightbulb for 10 to 12 hours, then turn it off for another 10 to 12 hours before turning it on again.

    • 7

      Place four to eight live, medium-sized insects or their larvae in the aquarium as food for each toad two to three times a week. Crickets, mealworms and wax worms are among the live food appropriate for fire-bellied toads. Cover the insects or larvae with multivitamin powders and calcium supplements before placing them in the aquarium.