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Getting into dart frogs

TailsWithScales

TailsWithScales

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Hello all. After almost 6 years of waiting, oooohhh awww-ing I decided to slowly get into dart frogs. I've done a lot of research but I'm having a tough time finding recent care sheets.
I'm starting with Dendrobates auratus (green and black) and maybe one other species.
Is there anything more I should then what the old care sheets I've read says?

I'm starting small and working my way up. Small as in only 1 or 2 frogs.

Thank you.
 
I don't know what care sheets you have available to you, but Saurian Enterprises has some really good ones that you may want to check out. Black Jungle has some information in their Learning Center about Darts, Vivs, etc. as well as some youtube videos if you search for them. Josh's Frogs has some really great videos as well as how-to guides.

After reading/watching all of this you'll have a TON of info!
 
Christine -

Reading a reasearching is a good thing.

Get the tank set up and planted before hand and give it a few weeks to cycle before you get the frogs. make sure you seed the tank with springtails. This will give them chance to get established before you put the frogs in.

Also make sure you have the concept of culturing fruit flies down as well.

Make sure you buy CB and make sure they are from a reputable breeder.

If you get the tank set up and the culturing down you should have no problems.

Pm or email me with any questions or post here. I have kept darts for a few years and I am more than willing to help out in any way that I can.
 
Thank you for the replies. I'm still in the reading /studying phases of this and am currently looking at enclosures, which will be Zoo Med or Exo Terra. I'm buying it at PetSmart since that seems to be the cheapest plus I have a $5 off coupon. :D
Looked on here and all over eBay for caging but so far something hasn't come up at the size, style and price I need.

What I've read so far is to get really small aquarium rock and put that at the bottom, then soil, then moss /leaf litter and then add plants etc. I haven't seen where heaters are required if the room temp is around 75-82o during the day but UVB /UVA lighting is of course required. 75-100% humidity.

I've found a few breeders on here for frogs whom I'm interested in but will definitely be accepting word of mouth referrals. But yes the frogs will come much later.

I also have found fruit fly suppliers online but I'm also looking locally to see if a reptile shop here may actually have them. By what I've ready the cultures are easy but I still want to make sure I know (for the most part) what I'm doing before little amphibian lives are in my hands. When a life is at stake it's never good to have butter fingers.

I hope to have the cage this week or next then will move on to phase two. I'm sure y'all will be hearing more from me. :D
 
Instead of using the small aquarium rock which will make the tank really heavy try using either hydroton or Lava rock. Make sure you rinse them realy well regardless of what you use.

The one reason I do not like the zoo meds or the exoterras is the screen lids. You cannot have a screen lid with darts frogs so it wil have to be modified. and neither is very fruit fly prood so plan on so me FF escapees.

Try to avoid letting them get as high as 82ish as that is a little high for dart frogs in my opinion, so no heaters are needed. Also UVA And UVB lights are not needed either.

When you say you are starting with auratus and another species, do you mean in the same tank?
 
Each species would have it's own terrarium.

So what cage is recommended??? I was going to seal off the top with a piece of cut glass that's glued (safely) so that it seals it. But I'm still open to other cages.

Keep them blow 80 for warm then?
 
TailsWithScales said:
Each species would have it's own terrarium.

So what cage is recommended??? I was going to seal off the top with a piece of cut glass that's glued (safely) so that it seals it. But I'm still open to other cages.

Keep them blow 80 for warm then?
Click to expand...

I use fish aquariums for 99% of mine, with glass tops. The exos are nice to look at but the backgrounds are a pain, the frogs can get behind them, the doors and vents are not really fruit fly proof. The glass top you are taking about putting on should work fine just the doors that caused me issues.

Yes try to keep them below 80.
 
Excellent. Thank you so much Kristy. I will start looking at a tall fish aquarium then instead of the Exo Terra etc.

I was thinking of getting just a regular PVC or so type cage or should I just stick with a fish tank?

Edit: I've also just learned a whole lot from reading this months Reptiles Magazine which features a large article on dart frogs. At least with the aquarium it will probably be a whole lot less expensive. :laugh:
 
yes using just a regular old fish tank in any size or shape that you can find normally is a little less expensive and they work wonderfully.

I will help you out as much as I can. So ask away :)
 
Okay, do you mind if I crash this party? I was unsure where to post this. I'm also interested in df's and I was also looking at the Exo Terra tanks. They have some that are all inclusive habitats with light, vines, this and that. So the consensus is an aquarium? So if the lid is to be glass and not screen, what about air flow and oxygen? It seems with no air flow things would get a bit stale.

Thanks.
Barry
 
Barry,

As my understanding, and please someone feel free to correct me if I wrong is that the only spot that wouldn't have glass would be where the light bar is located. So 1/2 to 3/4's of the top would be glass.

Also it was recommended to use live plants which really help create the perfect environment for oxygen and humidity. Also opening the enclosure will create plenty of air flow.

I think I'm for sure going to get the aqurium as it appears to yes be cheaper on initial price, most come with a glass top and the plants themselves are easy to get.

I really cannot think of anymore quests. But I'm sure that'll change with more thought.
 
The whole top needs to be glass not just 1/2 or 3/4 of it.

With using the live plants for the oxygen exchange the tanks do not get "stale" at all. There is also enough air exchange with opening the top to feed them.

And yes the best thing to use is aquariums with a full glass top. I have mine set up on racks with using just shop lights and they do wonderful. The frogs and plants are thriving. The plants do not need any extra or special lights at all.
 
Okay. Thanks to both of you for the help. As far as plants, can anyone recommend a source for for plant that are pesticide and fertilizer free? Oh and soil.
 
I see what you're saying Kristy. I won't have the ability to have that type of setup so I would have to have a light hood with it because of where the cage is going to have to go.
I would just be concerned that the light housing might over heat or something. I will have to take a look at the way the tanks are set up when I go to purchase.
 
So it begins. In my local classified section I see an ad for a forty gallon tank for$25.00. I call, she still has it. I say "I'll be right there". I get there, the tank is in good shape, a few water spots nothing excessive. Then she tells me that she kept baby sliders in it. Now, the first thing I think is salmonella and how am I going to clean this thing. I didn't get the tank. I was to worried about cleaning it and getting it rinsed well enough to house dart frogs.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. This something I don't want to rush into. These are not disposable animals and I want to provide the best non toxic environment I can for them.
Again any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Barry
 
A light hood ( just the light section ) works just fine. I try to make sure it sits a little bit up off the glass so there is some heat exchange and it does not over heat the tank.

You can use any tropical plants from ( lowes, homedepot, online vendors, etc) just make sure you rinse all the soil off and wash and rinse the plants well. I have been doing it that way for years and have never had any problems.

As for the soil, I use a mixtures of the cocofiber ( the stuff that comes in bricks) spag moss, leaf litter, peat moss and orchid bark. You can use just the cocofiber as well.

Soaking the tank with hot water and a mild bleach solution and then rinsing the heck out og it repeatedly should work just fine. When you think you have rinsed enough rinse some more and then let it dry completely.
 
Leaf litter. Dont forget the leaf litter.



After you get the tank set up and planted, put down a layer of leaf litter ( sea grape, magnolia, oak, etc). The leaves offer as a way to keep the frogs directly off the dirt as well as giving a place for the microfauna ( spring tails, isopods, etc) to hide and reproduce.

Did you get to pick up the tank yet?
 
I'm not sure if you're asking me directly but I'm going to answer. :D

I have not picked up anything as of yet. I'm waiting till I get paid and hopefully no more unplanned expenses come up.

I will make a list of all you put down as far as plants go and pick those up. Where would one get leaf litter????? I've not seen anything like that anywhere here, especially not locally. Would the leaf little be something or order online also???

There was something else I was going to ask but forgot. If I remember I shall return! :D
 
TailsWithScales said:
I'm not sure if you're asking me directly but I'm going to answer. :D

I have not picked up anything as of yet. I'm waiting till I get paid and hopefully no more unplanned expenses come up.

I will make a list of all you put down as far as plants go and pick those up. Where would one get leaf litter????? I've not seen anything like that anywhere here, especially not locally. Would the leaf little be something or order online also???

There was something else I was going to ask but forgot. If I remember I shall return! :D
Click to expand...

Actually it was to both of you :)

Leaf litter you can order on line. I do carry it on my site as well. But if you happen to have a magnolia tree in your yard you can use those too :)

I know what you mean about unplanned expenses.... They suck :censored: .
 
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