# Frogs & Toads > Fire Belly Toads (Bombina) >  Bombina orientalis

## Kurt

I thought I would get this section started. 

  I have been keeping fire-bellied toads, _Bombina orientalis_ for several years now. They are really cool, they sing just about all the time. They even sing in my hands. My other frogs shut up even if I just look at them. The current trio I have are doing wonderfully. I can handle them and I think they have made the connection on where the food comes from. When I open the top of the enclosure, they look up at me and let me pick them up to put them in the "critter keeper" I feed them in (crickets drown in their watery home.)

  I love falling asleep to their calls, and I can't see my collection without them the are the coolest.

Kurt

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## John Clare

I'm a big fan of _Bombina_ toads but it amazes me how few keepers actually breed them in captivity (everything in the pet trade is wild-caught).  Have you succeeded in breeding any?  Do you have any of the other _Bombina_ species?

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## Kurt

No, I have never attempted to breed them. Though they seem to try all the time to. Maybe I have all males. Maybe I should get some more, but I find it hard to get fire-bellies that will survive. Being wild caught, they are loaded with paracites and I find most don't survive. My current trio are paracite free and I want to keep it that way.
  I have never seen any other _Bombina_ for sale.

Kurt

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## jody

I have had mine a year. they seem happy.   I expected them to grow, as I had them when I was a kid, and they were bigger.  like twice the size. are their more than one variety, where one kind is larger than another?

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## Kurt

There are eight species in the genus _Bombina_. They are found mostly in Europe. The one we are most familiar with is _B. orientalis_, it can be bright green to brown dorsally and fiery red ventrally. The bright green ones are said to be from Korea and the brown ones from Russia. I have noticed in my collection that the brown ones don't seem to get as big.
Some of the other species we occasionally see are _Bombina bombina_ - the European fire-bellied toad, _Bombina variegatus_ - the yellow-bellied toad, and _Bombina maxima_ - the giant fire-bellied toad. My understanding is maxima gets twice the size of the other Bombinatoridids. With the exception of _B. orientalis_, most of these toad are drab dorsally. 

Here is a link to a picture of _Bombina maxima_
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...0000+0803+0280

_Bombina bombina
_http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...1111+1111+4938
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...1111+1111+7579

_Bombina orientalis_ "Russian"
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...0000+0708+0066

_Bombina orientalis_ "Korean"
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...0000+0407+1263
_Bombina variegatus_
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/im...1111+1111+0023

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## jody

mine seem to be the korean variety.  thanks for the info on the other types.

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## Kurt

You're welcome. It looks from the picture that you have one Korean and one Russian. Not to worry, they are both _Bombina orientalis_.

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## Alex Shepack

Like Kurt said, the Russian and Korean variations are the same species and can therefore breed.  I personally am not a fan of those monikers because I suspect that you can probably find the two variations together throughout their range, although I really don't know.  I haven't seen other species in the hobby for many years although I know that they are present in the hobby in Europe.  When I had them they were always in amplexus although I never got any eggs, I suspect they were all males.  I do know people know people who have bred them and I don't think its that difficult.  The trick, it appears, is getting males and females.  Hahaha

Alex

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## Kurt

I have read that breading is a lot breeding temperate Colubrids. You have to over winter them. I know I have at least 3 males. I am hoping the remaining two are female. I would over winter them, but winter is almost over (thank God!) Will have to wait till next year. By then I am hoping to acquire some more "females".

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## Alex Shepack

I don't think Bombinids have to be cooled too much.  As for cooling.  I personally like the idea of cooling during the summer, at least or caudates.  That way its easier to keep them cool during the winter by just not providing too much supplemental heat and during the hottest parts of summer they will be in hibernation in a fridge or the like and cooling is much easier that way.  I'm not sure it that ramble made sense, but thats my opinion on it.  

Alex

I know that somewhere at home I have an article on breeding Bombinids.  I won't be able to post it until after I get back from Costa Rica, but i'll try to remember to then.

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## jody

I thought the russian toads had a different pattern on their bellys.   my korean relatives, though not frog experts, have written back that both green and brown toads live there. though brown is not as common as the green.  are their any other differences between the korean and russian toads besides color?  thanks for the info by the way.

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## Alex Shepack

From what I understand there is an actual "Russian" form, an all brown "subspecies" with golden orange bellies that is found in a particular location in Russia.  I strongly doubt however that this is what is sold in the U.S., rather, they are just different morphs from the same source.

Alex

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## justin shockey

nice fire belly never seen one like that

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## Johnny O. Farnen

_Quick question on this species:

I have managed to get a small colony of these for very, very cheap. I studied up on the care and breeding of them quite a bit.  

My questions pertain to feeding._

Most every site and book I have read so far on them implies that dusting crickets is mandatory.

 Is this true or is this a case of necessity due to a limited variety diet?

If dusting is necessary, what supplement do you experienced keepers recommend?

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## Kurt

I was using a calcium/vitamim D3 but it lacked vitamin A, so I got a supplement that has all three. I don't remember what the brand name is. Anyway, the fire-bellies did fine on the previous sumplement, just other frogs weren't, like my darts. I do dust everytime I feed. Some might this too much, but they way I see it most of the crickets will not be eaten right away and with _Bombina orientalis_ being a semi-aquatic species, a lot of the dust will wash off.

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## Jumpshot724

I've had my FBTs for about 1.5 years now, and I've never dusted my crix. I keep them (the crickets) in a cricket keeper cage and feed them baby carrots, Cricket Quencher, and T-Rex "Calcium Plus" GutLoad pellets. The gutload pellets have all the vitamins you find in dusting, without the mess of actually dusting. Also it's like $9.00USD for a bottle and one bottle lasts me over a year.

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## Johnny O. Farnen

Excellent. I have been researching different products for about 10 hours now. I just got more and more frustrated the more I read. It is good to see that gutloading is working well for you. We will give it a try here.

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## Johnny O. Farnen

After succesful treatment for parasites, and a few months of feeding the heck out of these little guys (and gals) I have decided to try my hand at breeding them.

I am having trouble finding a set range of temperatures for brumation.
Some sites and books say 50F, others as low as 40F! Ido not want to kill them by accident. What should I set my converted wine cooler to?

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## Jace

I was wondering at the different colours, as I have 4 green and 2 browns, and now I know.  My two browns are definately male and very insistent in their behaviour!!  I love listening to their calls, and when all my males get going, I can hear them over the air conditioning, fans and television.  I have absolutely no interest in breeding mine, but I wish Johnny all the best and I hope that you keep us informed of your success!

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## Kurt

I would try 50F and see hw that goes.

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## Johnny O. Farnen

Sounds like a plan! They will be eased down to 50F starting today, in 5 degree increments from 70F.

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