Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can any other herp species be kept SAFELY with Fire-bellied Toads?

Thanks!

Though it is possible to house different species together in living viviariums, you really need to do alot of research on the behaviours and 'nature' of each species involved. You also have to look into size differences, social nature of the animal etc, as well. Some are very shy, even with other species, others are very territorial and will attack anything they view as competition for space/food/etc. Also, you need to know about what to put in the cage besides the animals, the plants, rocks, branches, etc. Reptile Magazine has had nice articles about setting up vivariums in the last few months. Also, all the inhabitants of the cage don't have to be amphibian, some could be fish, turtles, lizards, insects etc. They all just have to be beneficial to each other in some way or unaffected by cage mates. Also the cage will of course have to be large enough to comfortably house all the animals.

Thanks for the info.
The reason I am asking is that I have a 15 gallon tank with a trio of firebellied toads at work (I work at a pet store). I usually prefer to keep only like species together, if at all.

However one of my fellow employees is driving me nuts with wanting me to order in a red-eyed tree frog. I have told him no on numerous occasions saying I cannot house one at the moment. He insists that I can put it in with the fire-bellied toads if I was to add more vertical cage decorations.

Knowing the skin secretions of the fire-bellied toads, I would prefer to keep them separate.

What do you think?
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Molly Denton
http://arcreya.tripod.com

Owner and lover of:
5 Spoiled doggies (Koda, Babs, Utah, Mace & Scooby) 1 Savanna Monitor (Mackoi), 3 fat Toads (Talya, Basil & Chippy) and 2 cute mice (Kami and Pepper).

Ah...NO. That is definaltey not a good Idea.

1) RETFs are very sensitive, especially after being shipped. F-B secreate a higer ammount of toxins from their skin, it alone wouldnt kill the RETF, but it combanation with stress is might.

2) tree frogs are not good swimmers, and I'm assuming you have a lot of water for the F-Bs, so there is a drowning risk if the red eye cant get out.

3) 15 gallon is to small to mux much of anything. you could try F-B salamanders, but other than that, F-Bs arent good for mixing.

Thanks so much! LOL Now I can tell my co-worker to bug off.

We actually don't have that much water in our Fire-bellied Toad cage. We have one of the extra large ExoTerra water dishes... it takes up about half the tank. The other half is moist coconut bedding with a fake plant and a little hide box. The tank has a light over it... it stays between 80 to 90 degrees. They seem to prefer all areas of the cage, and they much prefer hopping out onto land to catch crickets and things.

Like I said, I really don't like mixing things with the fire-bellies. When I first started working there they had only one semi-aquatic tank with anything and everything that was semi-aquatic living in it... not a good thing for the inhabitants. They all do much better now that I have separated them and cut back on the numbers of things ordered in.

Thanks for your help!!!
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Molly Denton
http://arcreya.tripod.com

Owner and lover of:
5 Spoiled doggies (Koda, Babs, Utah, Mace & Scooby) 1 Savanna Monitor (Mackoi), 3 fat Toads (Talya, Basil & Chippy) and 2 cute mice (Kami and Pepper).

Your very welcome! It sounds like youve done good things for your store!

Where is it that you r working

I work at Ruffin's Pet Center in Simcoe. It's a very small store, not many herps or herp supplies at all. We only have 10 enclosures for all our reptiles/amphibians/invertibrates and such. I honestly wish I had more time to devote just to the herps when I'm working, but puppies and kittens take up most of my time, with all their messes and things they get into.
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Molly Denton

Owner and lover of:
3.2 Spoiled doggies (Koda, Babs, Utah, Mace & Scooby)
1.0 Savanna Monitor (Mackoi)
1.0 Veiled Chameleon (Mr. Beefy)
2.1 American Toads (Talya, Basil & Chippy)
0.0.1 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Bones)
0.2 cute mice (Kami & Pepper)

I have had good luck keeping Green Tree Frogs with Fire bellied toad. I have had both green treefrogs and fire-bellied toads living together for years without a problem. I think the treefrogs and aquatic toads compliment each other, each can haver their own habitat in one cage which makes it kind of interesting.

-Matt