Hello Going to pick up some herps this week and was looking at Bombina or red leg running frogs for this enclosure which is not very big as only size of 20 gallon long and slightly wider. I do like plants but not sure if possible with Bombina. I would like to house 3. The bin has no bottom so water drains to soil but does have screen on bottom glued on so borrowing frog can not escape. Thanks
I'm not very familiar with frogs but just a quick internet search came up with the red legged running frog needing a minimum of a 29 gallon tank for 2 to 3 frogs.... although it is a beautiful live enclosure so I would think that 2 would be ok in there Here's a link to one of the caresheets I found on them. Good luck and post pics of whatever you choose! Fantastic tank!
Thank you after reading you're site and links decided to stay with bombina for a few different reasons. Main one is Bombinas can handle cooling periods if slow and we did get two nights this winter of temps in 50's and those 2 days only in 60's, granted soil is much warmer but better stick with Bombinas.
Bombina (aka fire bellied toads) can be comfortably housed in a twenty gallon, it would suit probably up to 3 frogs, but make sure you have the tank set up right. You want a 60/40 water-to-land ratio, considering these are a mainly aquatic species. Make sure no pebbles/small rocks/bark chips etc are open to frog contact, as frogs are infamous for impaction, which is caused by something being lodged in an intestine. I suggest a filter for the water area as well, makes it a hell of a lot easier to keep clean. The land area is easily divided using well, a divider. Sadly, that enclosure won't work, due to no water being able to stay in there, FBT's NEED water, it's just how they are. I'm a pretty big contributor over at http://www.frogforum.net/ and you'll find almost ALL you'll need to know about frogs/toads over there.
It has a water area but not 60% of enclosure. filter I can not use since outside but I simply pour clean water daily or ever other day in water area flooding it and keeps it clean. It will over flow regardless during the months of rainy season. The container has no bottom just screen so water passes and waste,etc should be eaten by plants but I can also remove it . This you can see water area bit better but now realize to small and will look for same depth container to cover half of enclosure .
Keeping them outside is an even worse idea, sorry to say. There are plenty of things that would love a tasty snack like firebellied toads. Plus, trying to keep track of temperature and humidity is virtually impossible outside. If you really want to keep FBT's, I suggest inside, temperature controlled, in a 20 gallon conventional aquarium. I'm sorry, but you don't want to half-ass it, especially being a living creature.
I might not go with the Bombina now if it will not work to their advantage . I have kept Malaysian toads outside and they thrived but it was only for few months while a friend was on vacation but he does keep them out in soil enclosure. This small enclosure is in shade and might be to warm for Bombina as far as tasty snack I would use clips on screen and that is not an issue. Day geckos and countless small lizards are kept outside here and predators are not an issue but I get what you say about temp control for bombinas. I even keep cichlids outside here and they have thrived way more than when I had them inside but you're advice does not fall on deaf ears because I have never kept Bombina and different than fish. Thanks
I went to the wholesale importer on Sunday (I buy large mice from him) and you were right about the Bombina not doing well outside. He had alot of different frogs and toads . He told me the African types do well here outside and he has breed the red running frogs outside but NOT the Asian Bombina which will perish in such heat as you predicted. They have only thrived in our winter temps which average 70s/low 80s days. This is why I take a long time to buy an animal just to make sure. He said I will never see the running frogs if kept outside with soil , they will breed but I will never see them because at slightest noise or walking near enclosure they bury in right away ,so might just skip the whole thing and remove the screen and add more plants, as was interested in these two type amphibians not anything else. Thanks
Worst comes to worst, you can always set up a 10 gallon with a few frogs if you like em. Care is relatively simple, mainly consists of the water changes.
I would set up a 27 gallon which as you know same length as 30 gallon long but not as high. Have you seen the albino bombina's? I saw them in classified on kingsnake and very neat . In truth the reg bombina are prettier but one albino in the mix is nice.
