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Fire-bellied toad Facts

Fire-bellied toad Facts
Fire-bellied toad is a species of frog that can be found in the Europe and Asia. There are 8 species of fire-bellied toad that mainly inhabit China. Fire-bellied toad lives in habitats near or in the water, such as marshes, wetlands, rainforests, lakes, ponds and slow-flowing waters. Main threat to the survival of the fire-bellied toads is habitat loss, which is the reason why Apennine yellow-bellied toad is on the list of endangered species. Other threats include pollution, changing of the habitat (draining of swamps), diseases…Fire-bellied toads are also popular as pets, but they need to be maintained properly (they require special temperature, moisture and ventilation) in order to survive.
Interesting Fire-bellied toad Facts:
Fire-bellied toads are medium sized toads. They usually reach between 1.3 and 5 inches in length and between 0.7 and 2.8 ounces of weight.
Back of the fire-bellied toads are usually dark colored (black, brown, grey or green) with small bumps called tubercles.
Skin on the belly of the fire-bellied toads is smooth and brightly colored. Depending on the species, belly can be yellow, orange or red in color. It is covered with dark irregular blotches.
Just like in many other brightly color animals, fire-bellied toad is poisonous. This phenomenon is called aposematic coloration or warning coloration, which animal uses to advertise its capability to hurt anyone who tries to eat it.
When faced with danger, fire-bellied toad makes an arch with its back or even flips on its back to show its brightly colored belly. This behavior is known as unken reflex.
Main predators of fire-bellied toad are foxes, cats, lizards, snakes, large fish and birds.
In the case of fire-bellied toad, poison is located in the skin. It prevents bacterial and fungal infection and attacks of larger predators.
Poison of fire-bellied toad cannot kill a man, but it may induce skin sensitivity.
Fire-bellied toads are carnivores (meat-eaters). They eat different types of insects, spiders, crustaceans, mollusks, larva, worms…
Fire-bellied toad uses its long, sticky tongue to catch its prey.
Fire-bellied toad spends part of the year (during negative environmental conditions) in hibernation. Most species hibernate from September to May.
During hibernation, some fire-bellied toads hide themselves in the water (bottom of the rivers) or under the rotten trees and leaves.
Fire-bellied toads mate in the late spring. Female is able to produce between 50 and 300 eggs that will be laid on the plants or leaves that are positioned above the water.
Tadpoles hatch after several days and drop directly into the water. They are usually 0.5 inches long. Tadpoles feed on algae, fungi and plants. It takes several years before tadpoles fully transform into adult animal.
Fire-bellied toads have a long lifespan in the wild. They can survive up to 20 years.


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