Early last summer, Milo begged and begged us to let him get a pet. While the true wish was for a rabbit, we decided that would be unwise, given the track record of our Jack Russell Terrier (who has murdered countless squirrels, rabbits, birds, moles, mice, etc. in her 14 years. Gruesome, I know). We decided on fire-bellied toads, which are actually frogs that just look like toads because of their bumpy skin.
These three guys have proven very easy to care for, requiring only the daily live cricket or two, or even the occasional house fly, plenty of aquatic greenery to make them happy, and a clean habitat (partially aquatic, partially land). Indeed, they may last us ten more years! Milo and I enjoyed catching live crickets in our back yard last summer, along with small earthworms to feed them. Plus, the males make the prettiest sound when they are content that resembles a little ringing bell!
The bright green guy above is aptly named “Insano” for his erratic behavior, particularly his habit of jumping at your face if you come close to the glass, obviously instigating lots of giggles! They are pretty cool, and add a natural, calming element to the boys’ bedroom with the constant sound of trickling water and toad calls. If you’re in the market for an easy-to-care for pet, fire-bellied toads are a great choice!
