Keeping bombina outdoors

K

killian

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Does or has anybody ever kept/ bred any of the bombina species outdoors?
Or know what species would be suitable, I heard bombina orientalis can be kept out all year and will breed.
 
I have bred B. orientalis in a 40 gallon barrel in my back yard. I drilled a hole in the side about 6 to 8 inches from the top to keep the water level from getting to high. I used no filters and lots of pond plants. I have also kept Pipa parva this way in the summer. The parva didn't breed outside but the orientalis did. I brought both in for the winter.
 
If you can provide a frost free area for them to hibernate in the winter you should be able to keep B.orientalis, B.bombina and members of the B.variegata complex outdoors all year round. Many breeders here in England keep their Bombina in outdoor enclosures.
It is not just the jumping ability (highest I have seen one jump is 6" not sure on travel) you have to be aware of but also their climbing ability, it is a must to have a good overhang at the top of the walls to stop them from climbing out. It is also a good idea to fit some type of mesh screen over the top to not only stop the toads jumping out but cats, birds and other predators getting in.
 
Good advice from Andrew. Personally, I'd be a bit wary of keeping B.orientalis outside all through the winter, but the other members of the genus should be fine if, as Andrew says, they have a frost-free refuge.
 
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