The majority of the aqua-terrarium should be filled with water, as the toads spend most of the time floating here waiting for passing feedstuffs.
A minimum of 6 inches (18cms) of water is ideal, allowing them to dive under the surface when they feel threatened. This depth also permits the laying of eggs (as discussed later in the breeding section).
Above the land based section a basking spot should be provided via use of a hot bulb (around 25-40 watts), however, care must be taken to ensure the toads cannot harm themselves by making contact with the implement, and this is best achieved through putting the bulb the other side of a barrier, or by fitting a guard. Alternatively the bulb can be placed around ten inches (30 cms) above the basking area where it will be out of reach of even the most adventurous and persistent toads.
Temperatures in this zone should be maintained around 80-84f during the day, with a nigh time drop to around 70-74f at night. These temperatures are required to ensure digestion is done at the correct speed, and helps to avoid disease as well as induce breeding.
General temperatures within the enclosure are best kept around 72f and should never fall below 58f. This can be achieved through a submersible water heater (as used for tropical fish) though this must be protected with a guard, and ideally an under tank heating pad (as used for many herptiles) which can be placed in the same size of the enclosure as the basking spot. Be sure however to use a pad no more than 1/3 of the length of the enclosure to allow the toads to retreat to cooler parts when they need to. (All herptiles are ecto-therms, therefore they are unable to regulate their own body temps and are reliant on the ambient temperature provided). Regardless as to what method of heating is used, all heating implements should be connected to thermostats to ensure that temperatures remain stable regardless to the conditions outside the enclosure.
An external aquarium filter can be used to keep the water as free from mess as possible. Usually it is the water section of the enclosure in which the toads will defecate. However the water will still require thorough changing every three to four weeks, with a complete cleanout and disinfection of the tank every six. Replacement water can be from a tap, or ideally from a reverse osmosis system (or similar) or rainwater collected in a water b ucket. Any water used should be clean, and if tap water is used it should be allowed to stand for twenty-four hours before use to allow chlorine and other harmful components to dissipate.
Inside the enclosure a variety of plants and hides should be added. Terrestrial plants include mosses and certain ferns. Water plants should also be used to provide hiding areas in the aquatic section, suitable plants include water hyacinth and Amazon sword. Terrestrial hides can be from flowerpots or driftwood. Though be careful to use items such as plastic tubing, which can excrete chemicals into the toads through their skin and result in death.
A variety of substrates can be used, including peat, gravel and expanded clay granules (hydroton). The first is naturalistic, and plants can grow in it, but can be rather messy and harbour all kinds of pathogens, which could harm your toad. The second is also quite naturalistic, is likely to contain pathogens, but must be large enough to insure it is not swallowed accidentally during feeding. Hydroton is a newer material used for growing hydroponic plants. It is inorganic, cheap, can be cleaned easily but doesn’t look so natural. Choice is a compromise and can only be made by the individual.
If plants are to be used in the enclosure, then a light is needed to ensure they grow healthily. Decaying plant matter reduces water quality and is not good for the health of your toads. Suitable lights can be purchased from aquarists, and must be matched to the light intensity required by your plants.
All lights must be turned off at night allowing for a 16-hour photoperiod, giving the toads a chance to rest. Viewing can be achieved during this time however by using a low wattage red light of no more than 20 watts.
Adequate ventilation is mandatory and is best achieved through large areas of mesh at the top of the terrarium. Adequate ventilation reduces disease and promotes vigor in both plants and toads.
Captive Care
Feeding
B. bombina, as with the majority of amphibian species, is a wholly carnivorous animal in its adult form (feeding of larvae is discussed in the section entitled breeding). In order to ensure the captive is fed a suitable diet, one must look upon what that animal eats in the wild. B. bombina along with many other toads consumes a diet that consists solely of invertebrates. While other toads may take small vertebrates such as mice B. bombina is restricted in its diet by its small stature, though characteristic of many toads this does not mean that it won’t consume or attempt to consume anything it feels it can fit in its proportionally large mouth.
The key to a good, balanced, nutritional intake is achieved through offering the captive a varied diet. The keeper may choose to offer industrially raised invertebrates such as crickets, mealworms and other frequently offered prey items, and he may otherwise choose to offer wild caught invertebrates or a combination of the two. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages; wild caught food is usually of a better nutritional value due to the range of feedstuffs and the frequency of feeding. It also offers the keeper to offer a greater variety of prey items than can be found from most herpetological suppliers. A variety of invertebrates can be captured simply by running a butterfly net or similar through an area of grassland, prey items which the keeper may offer include but are not exclusive to: butterflies, caterpillars, worms, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, spiders slugs, snails and flies. Worms can be collected quickly and easily by placing a wet towel over a bed of leaves in an area of garden, the towel can usually be taken off the following day to reveal a host of wriggling foodstuffs suitable to feed your animal.
However care must be taken to recognise caught species absolutely, as many prey species may prove detrimental to the toads health, this includes wasps, certain caterpillars, heavily armoured beetles and certain other predatory or defensive insects. Care should also be taken when selecting a collection site, the area should be known not to have been treated with any pesticides, fertilisers or other chemicals which could latter prove detrimental or even fatal to your toad. Nor should any prey items be collected from along roadsides where traffic exhaust fumes can contaminate the population which will in turn prove harmful to the health of your toad. Additionally many areas may forbid the collection of wild invertebrates.
If a suitable collection site cannot be found or time or other factors decide against collecting prey items from the wild then food items can be bought from outlets which specialise in feeding herptiles or insectivorous birds. Most stockist can usually supply crickets (usually house and field varieties, though the latter can be rather pleasant or annoying depending on ones appreciation of it frequent chirping), locusts, mealworms, buffalo worms, wax worms (none of which are true worms) and maggots, though again ensuring a variety of foodstuffs is offered is of vital importance. Maggots are a rarely used food item, due to their nature of harbouring disease, as a general rule only ever feed maggots, which are free of black areas or spots. If the keeper should desire to feed bought prey items it is advisable to ‘gut load’ them first. This simply means that prey items should be offered a good quality feed of vegetables, fruit and fish flakes and/or rodent feed where applicable (the latter two are most suitable feed for crickets and the like). Gut loading insures that nutrients are absorbed by the prey items and therefore passed onto to ones captives upon feeding.
It may also be necessary to occasionally dust the feed items with a supplement such as reptivite to ensure certain nutrients often lacking in captive breed feed items are absorbed by the toad upon feeding.
Regardless as to which collection method one uses no prey item should be offered to the toad which is greater in size than half the animals head. This is done to ensure the prey item can be tackled and swallowed without to much difficulty. Toads are renowned for their appetite and have been known to suffocate from trying to swallow prey which is still alive and/or blocking their trachea.
Due to the heavily aquatic nature of B.bombina the enthusiast may wish to offer aquatic prey stuffs. These may be collected from the wild as stated before (though be careful not to offer aggressive species such as dragonfly larvae and certain species of aquatic beetle), or alternatively many live foods can be bought from aquarists, these may include daphnia (the water flea), bloodworms tubifix worms, and brine shrimp. Frozen packs of such animals as well as beef heart and other various combinations may also be offered as a supplement to the usual diet and are usually accepted readily.
Feed items are best entered into the aquatic section of the enclosure, and this is best done by adding a few in any one time, allowing the toads to eat what has been presented before adding more. This insures cleanliness of the water, and avoids prey items destroying parts of the enclosure.
Food items should be offered on every other day, the amount of which will have to be determined through a little trial and error. B.bombina will most often devour everything which it is offered, and it should be remembered that overfeeding is as detrimental to the toads health as much as underfeeding, and feeding should be reduced if the animal becomes visibly over weight and/or lethargic.
Water does not have to be provided in a separate container, and it is unlikely that one will ever witness their toad drink, as all amphibians have the ability to soak water through their skin, and this can be achieved in the water section of the aqua-terrarium.
Handling
In general it is unadvisable to handle the toad(s) unless absolutely necessary for purchase, cleaning, sexing transporting or obligatory health observation. Most if not all amphibians dislike handling and furthermore the salt content of the keepers sweat can prove dangerous, even lethal if the animal is exposed to it for extended periods. Signs of discomfort include wriggling, defecation and playing dead. B.bombina can also secrete a toxin from its glands, which can prove to be an irritant, especially if the handler then touches his eyes or mouth. It is therefore advisable to handle the animal as infrequently as possible, and when doing so I would advise the use of a pair of latex gloves which can be disposed of after use. Capture of small toads can be achieved through use of a suitably sized net, as used for fish; this may prove especially useful when the animal is within the aquatic section of its enclosure.
Toads may prove a little difficult to restrain due to their moist and wriggly nature. Smaller toads can be restrained by holding carefully (but firmly) between the thumb and curved index finger. Larger toads can be restrained by holding between the thumb, index and third finger with the thumb pressed against the left of the head when restraining with the right hand (the opposite applies when using the left hand).
The toads are best transported on days when temperatures are not at their extremities. Especially too hot which can literally cook the toads. The most suitable container would be a small plastic tub or similar, with a securely fitting lid and adequate ventilation holes. In order to retain humidity a little damp sphagnum moss should be added to the tub. This is in preference to newspaper or other materials, which could poison the toad through secreting ink or other nasty liquids through its skin. The box should certainly be protected from the sun through use of a cloth or some other external packaging.
The route home must be as direct or rapid as possible, certainly it is out of the question to detour to do shopping or see a friend etc.
It must be remembered that transportation is not something amphibians fare well to and must be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Breeding
Obviously before breeding can even be attempted, toads of both sexes are required. This is not as easy as it sounds however as sexual dimorphism is not evidently apparent.
When comparing toads or roughly the same age and/or size the male may be recognised by his proportionally larger head, or the female may be noticed by her proportionally longer legs. A more certain way of sexing is to watch for vocal activity (usually around dusk), as only males have the ability to croak. However if a croaking individual isn’t found, and the minuscule differences in morphology aren’t apparent then the best sexing method is probably observation upon breeding, though if this doesn’t occur then it may prove a good idea to make a few additions/substitutions to the collection.
In the wild breeding will occur during the summer months from May to September. This allows for the development of tadpoles before the coldest autumn months when suitable plant matter is in short supply. The females will be approached by a male and grasped from behind. Up to three hundred eggs are laid, usually dispersed in groups of around one hundred. The eggs take around two months to hatch, and the developed toads reach sexual maturity after about three years.
To breed toads in captivity it is advisable to recreate influences that the toads would normally receive in the wild. An increase in photoperiod, temperature and light intensity are all factors which dupe the toad into believing the summer months are approaching, enabling the shrewd keeper to induce breeding all year round. These should be altered to the temperatures the toad experiences in its natural habitat; the author has known this to be mimicked by watching the world weather on television, which also allows for some inconsistencies in an otherwise uniform artificial climate.
The use of a loop tape is another ace the keeper can play. Loop tapes are simply a recording of B.bombina performing its mating call. These creatures are highly sociable in the wild, in numbers most keepers will not have suitable accommodation for and therefore often will only recreate through such artificial methods.
The diagram above shows a suggestive breeding enclosure. However if all of the collection are to be cycled for breeding then there is no reason why the original enclosure couldn't be used.
Before breeding can be attempted it is advisable to winter cycle the toads. This is achieved through manipulating their environment. As autumn approaches and the days draw shorter, this should be mimicked within the enclosure. Any lighting can be controlled through use of a simple timer attached to the plug. It is quite acceptable in the U.K. to mimic our own natural photoperiod, as it is close enough to B.bombinas to fool them.
In addition to this there should be a gradual but steady temperature drop a drop in both ambient and water temperature by about 1-2 degrees C each week should suffice. The resultant temperature should be between four and seven degrees C.
Water levels should also be reduced from the initial six inches to two.
As these environmental factors are changed it is advisable to add mosses, grasses and dried leaves to the land based section of the enclosure.
Eventually as the environment becomes cooler and less pleasant for the inhabitants one should notice their reluctance to move, and they will begin to hide in a state very similar to hibernation, with reduced metabolism, respiration rate and heart beat.
As the last of the frosts disappear (around mid spring) it is time to 'awaken' the toads. This can be done much quicker and in a couple of weeks the temperature can be raised to eight or nine degrees C. The temperature can then be continuously increased by around 1-2 degrees each week until back to normal temperature. At around ten degrees approx. 90% of the toads should have awoken, the rest should wake up within the next few days. The toads should soon become active and search for food and a warm spot to bask. Often there will be great competition to sit under the basking lamp so it is advisable that a second one be placed above the enclosure for the first week or two.
Naturally as temperature increases it is advisable to increase the photoperiod gradually until around 16 hrs/day. Water levels should also be increased until returned to around 6 inches, as room will soon be needed for spawning.
Soon one should begin to observe courtship behaviour, which helps greatly in sex determination. The males will make an oop-oop sound in order to attract the females. Where possible one should try and reduce the ratio of males to females to around 2:5. To many males can result in stress to the females and sometimes even results in drowning as several males try and mate with her.
The males in the enclosure will begin to guard a territory and attract the females into this territory with his calls, throat actions and leg trashing. It is the females who decide upon which male to choose.
Now is a good time to add various species of aquatic or semi aquatic plants to the water section of the enclosure. Ceratophyllum demersum and Elodea canadensis are particularly suitable. These are required as spawning sites for eggs and provide cover for both males and females not wishing to partake in breeding activity.
If breeding activity has still not been induced, or has only been induced in half of the individuals then the use of a watering can, spray bottle or similar is advisable in order to stimulate spring rains.
Copulation usually occurs at the height of the summer, around June/July, and most often during dawn, dusk, or the night. It is the female who selects the egg deposition spot.
Eggs are usually deposited around aquatic plants in clutches up to one hundred; often around three clutches are laid. The chosen male will hold on to the back of the female tightly fertilising the eggs as they are laid. As soon as breeding has finished the eggs should be removed into their own tank to avoid being eaten by other frogs either at the egg or larval stage.
Hatching should occur within a week, however if possible during this week the hatching tank should be placed outside (if the weather is fine) or at least within reach of natural sunlight. In order to build up algae growth on the sides of the tank. However care should be taken to ensure temperatures do not reach fatal levels. Complete metamorphosis should take around 50-60 days at 26 degrees. However higher temperatures reduce this time and lower temps increase it. Temperatures too far either side can result in abnormalities (often in size), unhealthy toads or often death.
After hatching the tadpoles can be fed on plant matter such as the algae developing on the sides of the tank) and other organic matter which can be added (various varieties of pond-weeds). At around 4cm the larvae will begin to show development of hind limbs, after the initial ‘buds’ appear development will become swift and the hind legs almost spring out from nowhere, though actually they have been developing behind the gills. Through all stages of larval development while gills are still the main source of obtaining oxygen the water supply should be aerated by means of a fish tank air pump or similar.
Once front legs develop a reduction in tail size will begin as it is absorbed into helping the larvae develop into a toad. Almost as soon as leaving the water a change in behaviour and activity will occur. The young toads will soon be seen trying to catch insects and should be offered drosophila, though the wingless varieties may be preferable as these tiny insects are so small they are sure to escape at some point. Once the toads are fully developed a month to six weeks after the eggs were laid depending on temperatures, they can be put in their own tank and treated the same as the adults in the rest of the collection. Be careful however, not to house toads together which are of great difference in size, although cannibalism is not really common with B.bombina, it can and does occur so individuals should be housed together which are of similar size.
Health
One essential piece of equipment that every budding herpetologist should acquire is a quarantine enclosure. This is fundamentally the same as the main enclosure, (though it may be a little smaller). But it is advisable that the quarantine enclosure be kept as free from contaminants as possible. This includes plants and unnecessary aesthetic additions.
Ideally this should be set-up in a separate room. This enclosure should be used as standard procedure for any new arrivals so they can be observed for around three weeks before introducing them to the main collection.
Under appropriate conditions B.bombina is remarkably resistant to disease and entry of disease into a collection is usually from some fault of the keeper.
Signs of good health in B.bombina include, activity, (especially at feeding times) a good appetite. Clear, clean skin, free from lesions or sores. Reaction to stimuli such as disturbance or sudden noise, good colour, clear bright eyes. Normal behaviour specific to the species – including playing dead, floating on and spending large amounts of time in, water.
However it is likely that at some point disease will enter the collection here follows a list of the more common diseases and ailments that B.bombina is likely to encounter.
Red Leg
Red leg is certainly the most notorious disease affecting the captive anuran. It is caused by a parasite called Aeromonas hydrophila. Animals infected with the parasite often become lethargic and may well go off their food they may also be noticed to become bloated. However the most noticeable sign of red leg will be the reddening of skin on the belly and the inner thighs.
Animals noticed to have contracted the disease should be put into quarantine isolation (as previously discussed).
Generally red leg is caused by stress. This may include unsanitary conditions, low temperatures and overcrowding, though any degree of poor husbandry can be to blame.
Red leg itself is caused by enlarged and broken capillaries resulting in subcutaneous bleeding.
Generally most amphibians that contract red-leg don’t survive long, those caught early enough may be immersed in a 2% copper sulphate (or potassium permanganate) solution.
This may be helped further through antibiotics such as tetracycline being orally administered twice a day at a rate of 50mg/kg.
It must be remembered that this disease is fatal in most cases, and can easily be prevented. Insuring the enclosure is well maintained cleaned regularly, and that all the toads natural environmental factors are kept to should prevent the disease from occurring. However, should the disease occur it is advisable to seek advise from a suitably qualified vet.
Intestinal Impaction
Toads are notoriously greedy animals, and will often try and devour anything, which passes in front of their heads. This can cause problems when substrate (or various other non-food items) are swallowed. Grains of sands and fine pebbles should pass through the gut without many problems; however, larger items will probably require a trip to the vets for surgical removal.
Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD)
Metabolic bone disease is a disease common among many captive herptiles. It is caused by a deficiency of calcium and vitamin D3, which should normally be provided to ones toad through supplement powders or gut loading techniques. However by the time the deficiency has become so severe to be noticeable (though skeletal abnormalities) it is likely that the resulting deformities are irreversible. Though possible supplementations done through guidance of a vet may help.
It will also be noted here the importance of not over supplementing ones toad, over-supplementation can result in failure of the kidneys in a condition called hypervitaminosis.
Dropsy
Dropsy is an unusual retention of bodily fluids, it may be caused by bacteria but is more likely caused by problems within the toads metabolism, which in itself could be caused by an incorrect diet or low temperatures.
Symptoms include bloating, abnormalities around the abdominal region, lethargy and reluctance to feed.
It is not recommended that the average keeper attempt to try and drain the fluids himself, therefore a qualified veterinarian should be consulted.
Ameoba Infections (Internal)
Amoeba infections are as simple as they sound; they are an infection caused by an invasion of parasitic amoebas. It is usually caused by unsanitary conditions or poor diet and the symptoms can be hard to detect. Faeces should be examined for blood, however to be sure of such infections a veterinarian should be consulted.
Treatment for such infections should be left to the veterinarian due to the medicines required.
Worms
Internal worms such as tapeworms, and flukes can prove very dangerous to fire bellied toads. They are generally caused by infected foods, poor hygiene and exposure to other infected individuals. They can be seen by increased appetite, lethargy (two conditions not normally associated and quite specific to an internal worm infestation). The worms or their eggs may also be seen in the faeces. Antibiotic treatment is required to control minor infestations. More serious infections can result in death. However whenever worms are suspected a vet should always be referred to.
A Quick Reference To Other Amphibian Diseases & Ailments
Bumblefoot
Bumblefoot is an infection usually found within the toes, especially where sores or lesions have developed. It may also be found on other parts of the body where lesions have occurred.
Treatment – A wide spectrum antibiotic can be used (consult your vet), the solution usually requires dilution and involves soaking the animal twice each day for ten minuites until the condition has cleared.
Fungal Infections
Due to the nature of warm moist environments one of the most common ailments affecting B.bombina are fungal infections.
Symptoms – Inflammation and/or reddening of the skin. Yellow or white furry growths, sores, lesions and discoloration of the skin.
Treatment –In the early stages, a fungal infection can be treated with a topical antiseptic, such as diluted hydrogen peroxide (75% strength for adults, 50% for young or small individuals) or fungicides. Apply the treatment daily until cleared, and address the cause of this secondary infection. Another treatment often used is one 5-minute dip in a 2% solution of malachite green. If there is no improvement, the dip may be repeated up to three times (once a day), but arrangements should be made to have a vet attend to the animal after that.
Sourced from - http://www.klsnet.com/sickamph.html
Gas Bubble Disease
Gas bubble disease is caused through a build up of gases, which have been taken in through the toads skin. This may be caused by excessive aeration of water, or the use of untreated tapwater.
Symptoms – Bubbling on the webbed areas of the feet, and an inability to stay submerged, difficulty in eating, haemorrhaging and skin ulcers.
Treatment – Altering the environmental influence, which is causing the problem. This may mean reducing the amount of air pumped into the tank, or by insuring tap water is treated (most easily done by allowing it to stand for twenty-four hours before being used).
Heat-related Muscle Spasm Syndrome
Caused by prolonged exposure to excessive heat. Spasms occur mainly in the hind limbs. There is no known adequate cure. If the disease is noticed then temperatures in the enclosure should be checked, and lowered if necessary. Be careful not to lower temperatures too greatly. Low temperatures can decrease metabolism, lower immunity and even prove fatal.
If one member of the collection shows symptoms of heat related muscle spasm syndrome it is likely that his tank mates will also show similar symptoms.
Mouth rot
Mouth rot is caused by an infection of Flexibacter coulmnaris, Aeromonas hydrophilia or Pseudomonas vectors.
Symptoms – Poor diet, difficulty in eating, visible puss around the mouth area, deformity of the skin surrounding the mouth, lethargy and signs of the infection on other parts of the body (especially where sores or lesions occur.
Treatment - First, cleanse the affected area with povodine-iodine (betadine). Mix a bath solution of fin rot medication used for fish by mixing 5 drops to one pint of water. Soak the animal twice daily for 5 minutes at a time. Any material that comes loose during treatment should be gently removed and discarded before the animal accidentally ingested the infected material. Apply a topical antibiotic after the soak.
If the infection becomes severe, see a vet for antibiotic injections. A culture may have to be done to determine the exact bacteria causing the infection and the proper medication for it (usually baytril or gentamicin).
– Sourced from - http://www.klsnet.com/sickamph.html
Spindly Leg Syndrome (SLS)
There is no known cure for this disease. It is caused by poor diet and irregular temperatures in larvae and newly metamorphisised toads. Animals suffering from the ‘disease’ are best euthanised.
Symptoms – Thin and/or fragile legs in developing larvae.
Spring Disease
Spring disease is found in many temperate species, and is caused by a bacteria called ranicidia, unfortunately this disease is usually fatal.
Symptoms – Excessive yawning, skin discolouration (or colour loss) and lethargy.
Treatment – Unknown, though a veterinarians are beginning experimentation with wide ranging antibiotics.
A Word On Stress
Stress is one of the most common causes of disease and is almost always caused by mismanagement on the keeper behalf. Besides this stress itself can kill an animal, however if good husbandry and general care is maintained then the keeper should rarely if ever experience such problems.
A list of possible causes of stress follows, however if one has thoroughly researched their toad and followed the suggestions in this guide there should be no such problems.
- Transportation
- Owner mistreatment
- Over handling
- Loud environment
- Constantly disrupting environment
- Tapping on tanks glass
- Crampt over overcrowded living areas
- Improper tank set up:
- Lack of, or too small of a bathing area
- Lack of climbing areas
- Lack of hiding spots (retreats)
- Tank humidity too high or too low
- Tank temperature to high or too low
- Lack of a "basking" area
- Light source being constantly on
Unsanitary living conditions
Animals suffering with stress must be allowed time to recover, preferably with reduced light levels and higher temperatures. Indeed higher temperatures have proved useful in treating many herptiles Certainly the stressed animal should be allowed to recover somewhere quiet, and away from other animals if necessary.
Poor health in toads is almost always the keeper’s fault. Prevention is always better than cure; it is easier to implement, less risky and often cheaper.
Conclusion
No matter how much one writes about the subject there is always more to be written. This small booklet gives an insight into what must be thought of before purchasing a toad. Both husbandry and care are of utmost importance and are necessary knowledge for any budding keeper. More than this the breeding process has been noted, something which is important for keepers to understand, especially because toads have a variety of life stages. My suggestion would be that anyone wishing to keep toads should read further into the subject to gain a better understanding. When purchasing any animal it is vital that the keeper become acquainted with his subject. Every action, every happening, every influence the animal undertakes is a direct bearing from the keeper, therefore firstly he must gain a sound knowledge in theory before attempting practical study thereby preventing unnecessary suffering to his subjects hence the need for documents such as this.
Introduction
Before keeping any animal it is advisable to gain a theoretical knowledge beforehand. The most accessable way to do this is to read from literature on the subject. This assignment is designed to help those wishing to keep fire bellied toads (B.bombina). It covers taxonomy, morphology, distribution and longevity, giving a general idea about the background of the toad. Further to this more detail is taken into enclosure design considerations, especially those specific to the species.
Captive care of the fire bellied toad is likely to be different to its situation in the wild, and this presents a variety of problems for the keeper. Ways in which these problems can be dealt with and how to ensure the animals are kept in full health are discussed with the thought in mind that prevention of disease is better than cure.
However it is understood that disease is likely to enter any collection at some point, usually because of human error. Therefore the assignment has included details on a wide variety of diseases no only exclusive to fire bellied toads but to amphibians in general.
Colour images have been used extensively throughout, including images of the author showing appropriate handling and restrain techniques.
Bibliography
Websites
www.repticzone.com
www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/5741/disease.html#red
http://www.klsnet.com/sickamph.html
PDF Files
Breeding, rearing and raising the red-bellied toad
Bombina bombina in the laboratory
Otto Kinne, Jens Kunert, Waldemar Zimmermann
Plus own experience, and work from other assignments.
All unsourced images were taken from the Google imaging database.
Extra notes
While I appreciate it is quite unusual to write extra notes at the end of a paper. I feel here it is quite appropriate. This guide has been written on bombina sp. With great emphasis on Bombina bombina. However after observing the animals within the collection, which was used for several of the photographs, it would appear that the species kept in the collection be B.variegate due to the yellowness of the belly. While I understand there is great differentiation between individuals of a species it should be noted that all individuals in this collection showed this trait, and that the vibrancy of the yellow led me to make this statement. However before drawing a conclusion upon the subject I shall seek a referral.
