# Fire bellied toad v White tree frog



## reptilemad123 (Nov 15, 2011)

Dear All,

I am trying to get my wife into the hobby of reptile keeping.

I currently own two lizards and she had said she quite fancies the idea of a frog or toad.

My question is what the best out of the two for a beginer i.e whats the easiest to look after?

What are the pros and cons of both and which requires the easier set up.

Any help you can give me will be great.


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## RhianB87 (Oct 25, 2009)

I only have FBTs so can only comment on them.
But they are really easy to keep, you dont need any extra heating (unless if your house is freezing) They do well in a group and are really active. 
You can keep them a variety of different ways to all water with bits sticking up for land or all land with a bowl of water.
The only con I have found is that you need to make sure the tank is really secure as they are great escape artists!
Apart from that brilliant for beginners and you can make their tank as interesting as you want. :2thumb:
I dont know if room is an issue but they take up a lot less room then whites as well.

But I will admit I love how fat and squishy whites are :flrt:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

The FBTs are quite a bit easier, and also up during the day rather than deafening you at 3am with their calling....

FBTs don't require any heating, where White's usually need heating as they like it warm (it's White's tree frogs by the why, as in belonging to somebody with the surname White). FBTs are also smaller and take up less space, eg. I have 4 in a 45cm cube Exo Terra, where my White's I have 3 in a custom built 80cm x 50cm x 60cm high glass vivarium, with 2-3 doing best in at least a 60cm x 45cm x 60cm viv (the hight been very important as they are truly arboreal frogs). To give you some idea:-

My FBT setup










My White's tree frog setup










Ade


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## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)

One frog will not be enough they are addictive :lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:
The one thing with fire bellies is that they escape and as a girl it got me very upset whilst keeping them,whites tree frogs are cute,how about african clawed frogs?


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Never had an FBT escape yet keeping them in an Exo Terra viv.

As to ACFs, I wont allow them in the house.

"The oldest known chytrid fungus infections are from museum specimens of African clawed frogs (_Xenopus laevis_) collected in 1938. These specimens have been used to argue for an African origin for _B. dendrobatidis_. It is believed that the chytrid was then spread to other continents in the 1960s and 70s through commercial trade of these African frogs."

CISR: Chytrid Fungus

Ade


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## reptilemad123 (Nov 15, 2011)

Cheers people.

Could I get away with the largest flat fortarium, silk plants good substrate and a largish water bowl


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

reptilemad123 said:


> Cheers people.
> 
> Could I get away with the largest flat fortarium, silk plants good substrate and a largish water bowl


You could- although I prefer mine in a tank, 75% or so water so I can see them above and below water. They are very adaptable, though, and much more active during the day than Whites. 

@Wolfie; I've kept the same colony of ACFs for over 25 years with no issues- although one of my females died this year. They are the X tropicalis version, though.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

You wouldn't have problems with the ACFs Ron, they're carriers meaning they have hightened resistence. The risk is to other amphibians in a collection that don't have this resistence. Given my fairly nice sized collection of rather expensive poison dart frogs, I'm just not willing to take the chance on cross infection from them. All the best practice with anti cross infection procedures in the world aren't fool proof, as proven by hospitals nearly constantly. lol

Ade


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Wolfenrook said:


> You wouldn't have problems with the ACFs Ron, they're carriers meaning they have hightened resistence. The risk is to other amphibians in a collection that don't have this resistence. Given my fairly nice sized collection of rather expensive poison dart frogs, I'm just not willing to take the chance on cross infection from them. All the best practice with anti cross infection procedures in the world aren't fool proof, as proven by hospitals nearly constantly. lol
> 
> Ade


Yeah, mine were bought in the 90's though, and so far haven't brought anything into the collection. I totally take your point with new introductions, though.


EDIT: Actually, thinking about it, they are the oldest 'phibs I have!


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## ephiedoodle (Oct 22, 2008)

FBTs very active,pretty,and attractive enclosures you can watch
them using.


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## TIMOTHY AND MATILDA (Oct 31, 2008)

I can completely understand why you wont have them in your collection :no1:

Ron I think its fab that you have had them so long!!you dont look that old either xx :flrt:


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

TIMOTHY AND MATILDA said:


> I can completely understand why you wont have them in your collection :no1:
> 
> Ron I think its fab that you have had them so long!!you dont look that old either xx :flrt:


Lol. Clean living and camay soap...


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## reptilemad123 (Nov 15, 2011)

Fire Bellied Toad Enclosures - Complete fire bellied toad kits

would that be okay?


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## ephiedoodle (Oct 22, 2008)

hmmm i couldn't say,as i made mine all up from
the stuff i had,only had to buy the toads,
have a look on here for equipment,you could pick up a bargain.


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

reptilemad123 said:


> Fire Bellied Toad Enclosures - Complete fire bellied toad kits
> 
> would that be okay?


If you like been robbed maybe. :lol2: Besides, you'd only fit about 2 in there.

Viv: Reptilekeeping The Online Reptile Shop, Selling Livefoods Reptile Accessories and Equipment.

Block of coco cumus (Eco Earth) from your local [email protected]

Bag of large size gravel from you local B&Q (the rounded sort, not slate, and avoid limestone. I like the chinese black pebbles myself).

Some nice pieces of bogwood from your local [email protected]

Optional: One of these Micro Jet Filter.

Optional: Some wandering jew or other easy to grow plant.

Shouldn't cost any more than that naff kit, and will allow you space for 3-4 toads. You can do it cheaper still using a small aquarium, but then you have the problem of trying to find a tight fitting lid that still allows good ventilation but can keep the toads in.

Ade


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Why is it, I wonder, that nearly all 'complete kits' are anything but, or only suitable for youngsters, or over-priced. 

Don't even get me started on 'complete turtle kits'! :devil:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

Ron Magpie said:


> Why is it, I wonder, that nearly all 'complete kits' are anything but, or only suitable for youngsters, or over-priced.
> 
> Don't even get me started on 'complete turtle kits'! :devil:


Because the newbies who don't use forums like this, and go in wanting the right kit and thinking the shop would surely sell them one, are probably in the majority. It's a real shame.

I did however buy a beardie kit on ebay once that was actually pretty good. Came with a 40 inch wooden viv, spotlight holder, basking light, UV tube, light controller, ceramic lamp, reflector heat lamp and a large shallow bowl. I binned the UV tube (replaced it with a more powerful Arcadia one), spotlight holder (replaced it with an Arcadia clamp one), never used the basking spot or ceramic (use an Arcadia halogen spot, and bought an AHS), but at least the kit was in the right direction. :lol2:

Ade


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## reptilemad123 (Nov 15, 2011)

Hi all thanks for the advice. I have a spare 45cm by 30cm by 30cm komodo viv and was thinking of using this. I was going to use a large water bowl at one end and then use the coco fibre for the rest. I was going to get a hollow log and silk plants and rely on heat from flat as apose to a heat mat. Would that be okay and if so how many could I have in it


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

reptilemad123 said:


> Hi all thanks for the advice. I have a spare 45cm by 30cm by 30cm komodo viv and was thinking of using this. I was going to use a large water bowl at one end and then use the coco fibre for the rest. I was going to get a hollow log and silk plants and rely on heat from flat as apose to a heat mat. Would that be okay and if so how many could I have in it


You could have 2 or 3 in that; I rather like the Komodo vivs. I do prefer live plants, but they're not essential.


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## reptilemad123 (Nov 15, 2011)

Hi Ron,

I was going to use the following below for the water bowl:

Large Water Dish by Exo Terra | Pets at Home

This is the spare viv i have:

Komodo Leopard Gecko Starter Kit 16x12x14" - £99.00 - Reptiles - Habitats - The Pet Express

I was going to fill the rest up with coco fibre and silk plants and put a log in for hiding.

Could I still have two?

I will be relying on heat from the flat as appose to a heat mat.

One other question how can i heat the water or will it be okay at room tempreture.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

reptilemad123 said:


> Hi Ron,
> 
> I was going to use the following below for the water bowl:
> 
> ...


Ok, a bit smaller than I anticipated, but yes, you should be ok with two. You don't need to heat the water at all, unless you live in a fridge; people assume because of their exotic colouring they must need tropical temperatures, but they don't. If anytrhing, they do better at slightly cooler temps, although 'room temp' should be fine. The water bowl should also be fine; bear in mind though that they have an amazing talent for dragging soil into water and vice versa- it could be worth topping off your soil with moss.


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## iwantacrestie (Feb 18, 2012)

Atm where I'm planning to keep my fbt tank is only about 18c. Would that temp be ok or would the tank need abit of heating?


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## reptilemad123 (Nov 15, 2011)

Ron Magpie said:


> Ok, a bit smaller than I anticipated, but yes, you should be ok with two. You don't need to heat the water at all, unless you live in a fridge; people assume because of their exotic colouring they must need tropical temperatures, but they don't. If anytrhing, they do better at slightly cooler temps, although 'room temp' should be fine. The water bowl should also be fine; bear in mind though that they have an amazing talent for dragging soil into water and vice versa- it could be worth topping off your soil with moss.


Hi Ron maybe i should just get the one. If I got the one would that be okay?

The bowl is quite deep as I hear the water needs to be approximatley 4 inches.


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## reptilemad123 (Nov 15, 2011)

iwantacrestie said:


> Atm where I'm planning to keep my fbt tank is only about 18c. Would that temp be ok or would the tank need abit of heating?


My understanding is that it needs to be between 21 and 26 c and can go as low as 16 at night time.

Please correct me if wrong


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