How to Care for Poison Dart Frogs
Buy a tank., Add flooring., Add plants and hides., Pick the right foods., Feed them appropriately., Feed them once daily., Get a light., Mist their tank daily., Add springtails or isopods to their soil., Add a humidity gage and thermometer., Do not...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Buy a tank.
You are going to need a safe, relatively large space for these frogs to feel at home in.
A 10 gallon tank is a good size for one frog.
For every frog you buy, add 10 gallons.
Most people will use an old fish tank, or go to a pet store to buy a new one.
Most tanks come with a screen lid but for dart frogs, a glass lid is recommended.
This keeps the humidity in so the frogs don't get too cold. -
Step 2: Add flooring.
When constructing your frog's home, you should add a bottom layer of clay pebbles, so the humidity and water that builds up can drain into this layer.
It’s ideal to lay the pebbles on an angle so the buildup of water will naturally drain to the lower end.
You can remove the excess water by simply using a turkey baster.
Add a substrate barrier cloth over the pebbles; this will keep the dirt from mixing into the drainage.
Once you complete those steps, add soil, sphagnum moss, and quite a few dry leaves on top of that. , Once you lay the soil, it helps the frogs feel more at home if you add plants.
The plants will grow into the soil and will be cared for every time you mist the tank.
When choosing which plants to add, keep in mind they need to be rainforest native and able to handle high levels of humidity.
Bromeliads and orchids are a few examples of some plants that will thrive in this setting.
Hides are places where the frogs can go at night or when they want to be reclusive.
The leafs you add on top of the soil can serve as hides but adding plants with big leafs are good as well.
You can also buy plastic, dome shaped hides at pet stores. , Poison dart frogs eat a large variety of insects in their natural habitat.
In captivity you have many options on what you can feed them.
Flightless fruit flies should be their main diet as they are relatively easy to obtain at pet shops or online.
Some may choose to use isopods, crickets, and even different types of beetles, but these flightless fruit flies seem to be the easiest. , When feeding the frogs, there are a couple of steps you should follow.
For healthier and more active frogs, before feeding you should put the container of flightless fruit flies into a bowl.
Release the amount you want to feed your frogs into it (adults can eat up to 50, younger frogs about 25) and coat them in nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D3 powder.
This gives the frogs nutrients that may be harder for them to obtain being in captivity, keeping them healthy and helping them grow.
Open the lid of the frog's tank; dump the bowl of coated flies on the soil.
The frogs will notice them moving and begin eating. , They are day feeders, so do so anytime from when you wake up in the morning to the evening.
It is extremely important that you feed them every day and coat their food in nutrients so they keep from getting sick and becoming weak.
Healthy dart frogs make for a better pet-owning experience. , You should obtain a UV light to set on top of their tank.
Do not use a heat lamp, it will dry out the air and if the temperature in their tank gets above 85 degrees Fahrenheit they may die.
The UV light is beneficial for not only the growth of the plants but the frogs.
It also allows you to spot any buildup of mold easier, along with more lighting for you to view your beautiful new vivarium and frog(s)! , This adds humidity to their home and this is also essential to their health and survival, since they're from the rainforest.
It is important you use R.O filtered water, it is best known to leave a residue.
Just fill an empty spray bottle with the water and spray down the whole tank well.
This also will water your plants and keep the soil damp. , Springtails are classified as hexapods and isopods are classified as crustaceans.
They are small and will help clean bacteria and stool out of the soil, keeping it nice and clean.
Most of the time they will form a culture but the frogs will also eat them, so you will only need to apply them to the soil once they are no longer present. , This is another very important step because it allows you to read the percentage of humidity inside of your tank.
The humidity needs to fall between 70%-100% in order for the dart frogs to thrive.
The thermometer is essential because the frogs are very sensitive.
The temperature (in Fahrenheit) must stay between 72-82 degrees.
Anything above or below may harm or even kill the frogs. , Unlike other exotic pets such as reptiles or tarantulas, you should not try to hold them.
They are very small and sensitive so they should be kept inside their tank at all times.
If you are looking for a playful, interactive pet these aren’t the amphibians for you.
They are more of a museum pet, which means they should be left alone and just observed.
Don’t be discouraged, this doesn’t make owning them any less fun.
They are very active, especially during feeding time. , You should only move them when you are remodeling their tank or moving them to another tank.
When you do so, scoop up the frog in your hand and cup them.
Transfer them to a container that is breathable and an appropriate size.
It doesn’t need to be too big, unless you will be leaving them inside of it for more than a few hours. , Do this before and after handling them.
Although these frogs are not poisonous in captivity there’s a slim chance that their skin may still secrete poison.
It wouldn’t be enough to harm you but it’s best to be safe.
Also wash before you handle them because you do not want to spread toxins to their skin, remember they are very sensitive. -
Step 3: Add plants and hides.
-
Step 4: Pick the right foods.
-
Step 5: Feed them appropriately.
-
Step 6: Feed them once daily.
-
Step 7: Get a light.
-
Step 8: Mist their tank daily.
-
Step 9: Add springtails or isopods to their soil.
-
Step 10: Add a humidity gage and thermometer.
-
Step 11: Do not try to play with them.
-
Step 12: Only handle them to move them.
-
Step 13: Always wash your hands!
Detailed Guide
You are going to need a safe, relatively large space for these frogs to feel at home in.
A 10 gallon tank is a good size for one frog.
For every frog you buy, add 10 gallons.
Most people will use an old fish tank, or go to a pet store to buy a new one.
Most tanks come with a screen lid but for dart frogs, a glass lid is recommended.
This keeps the humidity in so the frogs don't get too cold.
When constructing your frog's home, you should add a bottom layer of clay pebbles, so the humidity and water that builds up can drain into this layer.
It’s ideal to lay the pebbles on an angle so the buildup of water will naturally drain to the lower end.
You can remove the excess water by simply using a turkey baster.
Add a substrate barrier cloth over the pebbles; this will keep the dirt from mixing into the drainage.
Once you complete those steps, add soil, sphagnum moss, and quite a few dry leaves on top of that. , Once you lay the soil, it helps the frogs feel more at home if you add plants.
The plants will grow into the soil and will be cared for every time you mist the tank.
When choosing which plants to add, keep in mind they need to be rainforest native and able to handle high levels of humidity.
Bromeliads and orchids are a few examples of some plants that will thrive in this setting.
Hides are places where the frogs can go at night or when they want to be reclusive.
The leafs you add on top of the soil can serve as hides but adding plants with big leafs are good as well.
You can also buy plastic, dome shaped hides at pet stores. , Poison dart frogs eat a large variety of insects in their natural habitat.
In captivity you have many options on what you can feed them.
Flightless fruit flies should be their main diet as they are relatively easy to obtain at pet shops or online.
Some may choose to use isopods, crickets, and even different types of beetles, but these flightless fruit flies seem to be the easiest. , When feeding the frogs, there are a couple of steps you should follow.
For healthier and more active frogs, before feeding you should put the container of flightless fruit flies into a bowl.
Release the amount you want to feed your frogs into it (adults can eat up to 50, younger frogs about 25) and coat them in nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D3 powder.
This gives the frogs nutrients that may be harder for them to obtain being in captivity, keeping them healthy and helping them grow.
Open the lid of the frog's tank; dump the bowl of coated flies on the soil.
The frogs will notice them moving and begin eating. , They are day feeders, so do so anytime from when you wake up in the morning to the evening.
It is extremely important that you feed them every day and coat their food in nutrients so they keep from getting sick and becoming weak.
Healthy dart frogs make for a better pet-owning experience. , You should obtain a UV light to set on top of their tank.
Do not use a heat lamp, it will dry out the air and if the temperature in their tank gets above 85 degrees Fahrenheit they may die.
The UV light is beneficial for not only the growth of the plants but the frogs.
It also allows you to spot any buildup of mold easier, along with more lighting for you to view your beautiful new vivarium and frog(s)! , This adds humidity to their home and this is also essential to their health and survival, since they're from the rainforest.
It is important you use R.O filtered water, it is best known to leave a residue.
Just fill an empty spray bottle with the water and spray down the whole tank well.
This also will water your plants and keep the soil damp. , Springtails are classified as hexapods and isopods are classified as crustaceans.
They are small and will help clean bacteria and stool out of the soil, keeping it nice and clean.
Most of the time they will form a culture but the frogs will also eat them, so you will only need to apply them to the soil once they are no longer present. , This is another very important step because it allows you to read the percentage of humidity inside of your tank.
The humidity needs to fall between 70%-100% in order for the dart frogs to thrive.
The thermometer is essential because the frogs are very sensitive.
The temperature (in Fahrenheit) must stay between 72-82 degrees.
Anything above or below may harm or even kill the frogs. , Unlike other exotic pets such as reptiles or tarantulas, you should not try to hold them.
They are very small and sensitive so they should be kept inside their tank at all times.
If you are looking for a playful, interactive pet these aren’t the amphibians for you.
They are more of a museum pet, which means they should be left alone and just observed.
Don’t be discouraged, this doesn’t make owning them any less fun.
They are very active, especially during feeding time. , You should only move them when you are remodeling their tank or moving them to another tank.
When you do so, scoop up the frog in your hand and cup them.
Transfer them to a container that is breathable and an appropriate size.
It doesn’t need to be too big, unless you will be leaving them inside of it for more than a few hours. , Do this before and after handling them.
Although these frogs are not poisonous in captivity there’s a slim chance that their skin may still secrete poison.
It wouldn’t be enough to harm you but it’s best to be safe.
Also wash before you handle them because you do not want to spread toxins to their skin, remember they are very sensitive.
About the Author
Virginia Martin
With a background in digital media and internet, Virginia Martin brings 14 years of hands-on experience to every article. Virginia believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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