Frog Care

Poison dart frogs thrive in captivity, and with a few simple guidelines, caring for them is straight forward. Below are some general guidelines for dart frog care.  Feel free to contact us for additional information or questions.

 

An Overview of Poison Dart Frog Care

• Eggs should be kept on a moistened paper towel in an enclosed container (eg 8 oz deli cup) to maintain humidity, but with a few small holes for air exchange. Eggs should not be submersed in water.

• Hatched tadpoles can be raised at room temperature in 4-8 onces of spring water (eg in 16 oz deli cup). Feed tadpoles every 2-3 days with a small pinch of FNT's Fortified Tadpole Chow. Water should be changed when cloudy. 

• Once all 4 legs emerge (~3 months), place tadpoles in a tilted container so that they can climb out of the water when they are ready.

• Froglets should be kept in a small (<5 gal) container with constant food availability until they learn to hunt and eat well (~2 months out of the water).

• Most adult dendrobates are best kept in pairs in at least a 10 gallon vivarium although there are exceptions and non-dendrobates species often do well in higher numbers. Contact us regarding specific species.

• The temperature should be maintained at ~72-78°F during the day, although brief fluctuations between 68-80°F (such as during cool evenings) are tolerated.

• The humidity should be maintained at >90%. This can be achieved by covering the tank with a glass canopy and misting thoroughly with distilled water 1-2x per day.  As long as there are water droplets between mistings and substrate is moist, the vivarium is plenty moist.  A small amount of water in the false bottom will help keep the substrate moist during less humid weather.

• A false-bottom aquarium containing a heater and a waterfall is a convenient way to maintain both temperature and humidity especially during the winter months. 

• Frogs should be fed ~3-4 days per week. An adult frog will eat >20 D. malanogaster flies/feeding. Flies should always be dusted with a mixture of calcium and vitamin supplements. We recommend Repashy Calcium Plus as an all-in one. Dendrocare and/or a 1:1 mix of Repashy Supercal and Supervite can also be added to the rotation. Vitamin A can be given to adult frogs 1-2x per month to help egg/tadpole viability, particularly during heavy breeding periods. Please adhere to supplement expiration dates as potency rapidly declines over time.