Dart Frog keepers question?

[jrh3]

So I have been on the fence for a while now about becoming a dart frogger. I might be real near pulling the trigger and downsizing my Tarantula collection and going to dart frogs. I will still be keeping a few tarantulas but will mainly focus on frogs. With this said, what are some of the biggest mistakes to avoid when going into the hobby of dart frogs? Anything you would do differently? Things you thought you needed but really didn’t after you learned more. Any advice or stepping stones would be helpful, Im already researching on a few forums and groups but its always good to get sound advice from others.

 

[moricollins]

I've only been keeping dart frogs for 8 months or so, but my best advice is to read, read, and read some more.

Set up your vivarium, let it run for a few months, see if you like the way it looks when it's grown in, then add the frogs.

Pick any easy species to start with (Dendrobates auratus or tinctorius for example), then decide if you want to move to more advanced ones

 

[jrh3]

I've only been keeping dart frogs for 8 months or so, but my best advice is to read, read, and read some more.

Set up your vivarium, let it run for a few months, see if you like the way it looks when it's grown in, then add the frogs.

Pick any easy species to start with (Dendrobates auratus or tinctorius for example), then decide if you want to move to more advanced ones

Good Idea for letting it run for a few months, that way I won’t have to disturb the frogs as much. I already have a few tanks for them. I just never went to pull the trigger. I have been doing a bit of reading off and on. And watching videos seem to put a better visual when looking for a setup.

 

[Dandrobates]

Definitely get a handle on culturing fruit flies first. It takes some practice to get the hang of it. Running out of feeders is a nightmare especially if you can’t get your hands on a culture locally.

For this and a few other reasons I usually recommend any species in the phyllobates genus as good beginner as the are more forgiving feederwise.They will take larger prey items such as pinhead crickets and dubia nymphs. This is a godsend if you run out of flies.

Another point that I’ve learned is that saturated substrate does not equal high humidity. A lot of beginners believe that the substrate has to be super wet to maintain high humidity. Instead, restrict ventilation and incorporate live plants. Damp ABG mix over a drainage layer works perfectly. Leaf litter is also crucial. Most of my frogs prefer to hang out on dry leaf litter over wet spots.

 

[Dandrobates]

“The complete oophaga pumilio” is a great reference book. It’s available on amazon but make sure you get the English translation. The original is in German. It does focus a lot on pumilios which I don’t recommend as a beginner, but it does have a lot of information that applies to other species. Graphic Phoenix and Troy Goldberg have some great information on their YouTube channels as well.

 

[Arthroverts]

I agree with the others.
The main mistake that led to me being frogless was food...you'd better have enough of it. Fruit flies, dwarf isopods, springtails galore; make sure you have large colonies of those up and running before you get any frogs.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[Sarkhan42]

I've been wanting to get darts for ages- but my main concern is dealing with calling. I have no problem with it myself, but for the people around me I really can't have a frog making a racket regularly. I've only seen people selling froglets and juveniles unsexed, how feasible is it for me to get a sexed female without buying a pair or shooting myself in the foot price wise?

 

[Dandrobates]

I've been wanting to get darts for ages- but my main concern is dealing with calling. I have no problem with it myself, but for the people around me I really can't have a frog making a racket regularly. I've only seen people selling froglets and juveniles unsexed, how feasible is it for me to get a sexed female without buying a pair or shooting myself in the foot price wise?

Ultimately it depends on the species. Tincs have a quiet call and do best when housed alone or in sexed pairs anyway. Depending on the locale you get get sexed females for around 100 dollars and up.

 

[Sarkhan42]

Ultimately it depends on the species. Tincs have a quiet call and do best when housed alone or in sexed pairs anyway. Depending on the locale you get get sexed females for around 100 dollars and up.

I’ve really got my heart set on a leuc, their body shape and patterns really appeal to me for some reason, but I’ve heard the male calls can be pretty loud.

 

[SamanthaMarikian]

also i always of course love recommending bioactive in terms of an active large amount of a dwarf isopod species in the tank. High humidity, leaf litter, plants, and low ventilation sounds great for mold in some cases if any feeders die in the tank before theyre eaten. Plus - good calcium source when they come to the surface. Not to mention how easy they are to culture. Also what sized enclosure are you planning on doing? Not in gallons but in dimensions

 

[mantiscatamp]

hope they dont have no poison left in there