# Frogs & Toads > Fire Belly Toads (Bombina) >  Fire belly toad gender

## missclick

I recently purchased 3 B. Oreintalis 
when i picked them out i chose 2 smaller ones and one large one, thinking the larger of the three would be female and the other two male. (their names are Red, Green and Black hehe)
after only one night i realized i was very wrong, turns out the smallest of the three is a female and the other two male. this is simply because of age/poor feeding im sure.
i did alot of research trying to figure out how to sex them

Males:
-Call
-have rougher pimplier skin
-have thicker forearms/front legs
-do a special "unmounting call" when another male accidently goes into amplexus with it
-have nuptial pads

Females
-dont call
-have smoother skin
-tend to be slightly larger ( but not always)

I also read something about the coloring of them but I dont think it is reliable information.

anyways this is based on my research and own observations i just thought id share, i might be wrong on some of this stuff too, its not set in stone or anything

i will try to get pictures/videos soon

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## Jace

Just when I think I've figured out how to sex them, I usually end up wrong!!  Out of 7, I only managed to get one right, but it's a step in the right direction.  However, I have to say that my females are just as bumpy as my males.  The only way I can really sex for sure is the calling and, in my observations, only the males will mount anything and everything.  Oh, and the nuptial pads, which aren't visible on really young toads.

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## Kurt

Congratulations on the new _orientalis_.

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## missclick

thanks for catching my typo haha, i cant figure out how to edit my post, oh well. 

and i agree, even if you look for all these things the only real way is by their croaking and need to mount nearly everything

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## Kurt

Actually, I hadn't noticed the typo until you mentioned it.

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## Jace

When I buy, I don't really care about the sex...the plumpest, or the longest jumper, or the neatest pattern usually catch my eye and then I go from there.  I've attached a photo of my favourite, a girl I named Lichen.  She is the only one I properly sexed and I picked her because she has been the only one I have seen with the two tone colouring.  Makes her very unique and easy to spot with the others!

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## missclick

thats a gorgeous frog! love the coloring  :Smile:  i really want some of the brown ones too, its so hard not to buy them all haha  :Smile:

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## Jace

Thanks.  I literally have to make myself NOT buy one when I go to the pet store.  They are my version of the puppy in the window.  There is just something about them.  I have one brown one, a male I call Barkley.  My other brown one, Oakley, recently passed away.  I find the brown ones a lot harder to find, but as soon as I see another one, I might scoop it.

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## missclick

i wish i had gotten a few brown ones when they still had them, i think theres one left, hopefully it will still be there i really like that theyre active throughout the day

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## nana

I have 2 lime green,10 brown,2 nearly black and 3 two tone. From the calling and constant hugging reckon I have 7 males to 10 females......its getting very noisy lately lol

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## Jace

Oooh, I've never seen a mostly black one.  They must be gorgeous!  I think the two tones are my favourite so far.  I really like the noises they make.  I sometimes can't get to sleep unless I hear them barking away!

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## nana

The black ones are amazing hunny will try post pics when I master how to do it lol

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## Jace

That would be great-I would love to see some pictures of your toads.  I'm trying to figure out how to post a video or two.  I sometimes hate being computer illiterate!! Where is my 13 year old when I need her-lol!

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## missclick

Albino Fire Bellied Toads - C.B. Babies - $159.95 theyre selling albino FBTs i want one so bad, too bad they cost so much!

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## Jace

Wow-I'm not a fan of albino anything, but those guys look pretty cool.  Very pricey, though!  I wouldn't be able to justify that cost to anyone.  Speaking of colours, my toads were incredibly dark today.  Even my normally bright greens were almost black.  However, after a feeding and fresh water top-up, they are back to normal.  Could this be a temperature thing, you think?

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## Kurt

Maybe.

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## scribbles

Congrats on your new FBTs. I thought my two green ones were a male and female because they were in amplexus frequently and for long periods of time, but the one I thought was female started calling.

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## nana

I must admit I don't like the look of this toady and never thought I would say that about a fire bellied toad. Think I'll stick with the ones I've got

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## 1beataway

I have to admit I do not like the look of the albino at all.

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## nana

> I have to admit I do not like the look of the albino at all.


They are well minging are'nt they lol

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## missclick

YouTube - fire belly toad eating a worm

my biggest fbt LOVES worms for an occasional snack  :Smile:

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## Jace

That was so cute!  Definitely likes that worm.  I wonder if I can find some smaller ones to feed my gusy?

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## missclick

i caught these worms in my mom's yard/woods the bigger ones i found are snacks for my Whites Tree Frogs and chubby frog but the little ones are for the fbt's 

heres another video:
YouTube - amazon milk frog eating

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## Jace

I love your little Amazon Milk Frog!!  I have never seen one before but it sure is a gorgeous little one.  Are they a type of tree frog?  I think I am going to have to do some research on them.  I have found some small worms in my backyard, but my city is rather pesticide loving and I am worried that the worms might be loaded with chemicals....I might have to check out my community garden and see if I can beg a few worms off of them.

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## missclick

yeah theyre tree frogs, i have two babies  :Smile:  you could start a worm bin theyre super easy to take care of, its basically a big rubbermaid bin with dirt/newspaper and veggie scraps in it and you get to raise worms and compost all at once! i would keep it outside though they tend to stink. you could possibly get worms from somewhere that sells them as fish bait, but im not so sure where those worms come from either.
Cheap and Easy Worm Bin!

Frog care gone Green!

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## Jace

Thanks for the info-I just might have to look into that.  I buy large worms from a place that sells them as bait, but they are way too big for my little toads.  And I don't have the heart to cut them up smaller.  Now I have a new goal!!  Lol.

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## missclick

i am going post crazy today haha, but anyways i finally took time to take some pictures of my fbt's so you can see the difference between male and female

this one is a male named RED, as you can see he has very rough pimply skin, and thick forearms


this one is a female named BLACK and she has much smoother skin, thinner forearms (hard to tell kind of in this pic) and longer toes


i tried to get pictures of the pads on the male's feet but he was not cooperating at all 
i hope this helps you all

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## Jace

Hmmmm-I'm going to have to have a close look at my toads and see if I can see the difference.  I love the longer toes!

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## Toadz

Another way to tell is the males are usually more brightly colored than the females.

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## Kurt

I would not rely on that.

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## Rocko

Sorry to resurrect this topic, but I was told by someone you can identify males from females based on the vent area, rounded being female and pointed being male.  I was wondering if there was any truth to that?

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