Thekla's vivs and dart frogs

[Thekla]

I think it's about time to show off my other pets.

So, I got into the hobby of keeping dart frogs only this year. I guess it's as addictive as keeping Ts but needs way more thinking, planning and preparation (and money ) before you actually get your own little hoppers.

I started preparing my first viv in February:

It was an Exo Terra Habisphere, nice to look at, good lighting, but completely impractical because once set up you could only open a small part of the top.

Nonetheless, and because I didn't know better at the time, I bought my first two dart frogs in April. Two unsexed Dendrobates tinctorius 'Brazilian Yellow Head' froglets:


By the time I got them they were about 4 months oow, and they grew fast. Only 3 months later it became apparent they couldn't stay in that little tank (which is only 12x18x12"). So, I decided to get bigger. I ordered a custom made dart frog enclosure (16x32x20") and began the new build. And this was it 2 days before my frogs moved in:


I think it was September when one of my frogs, Bert, began to call.
I had suspected that I actually got a pair but when Bert started calling it was such a joy and actually one of the cutest things I had ever experienced or heard, for that matter.
So, to make it official, Ernie became Erna.

And here are they now:
Erna... ... and Bert

And a few more pics of the viv after 4 months of growing in:


Well, and because the hobby is addictive, I started another build and today was planting day!

It's an Exo Terra 18" cube and of course, now it has to grow in as well but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. The Neoregelia in the middle is actually the pub of the one you can see in my other viv. I still have a couple of clippings from my other viv but they need to root first before I can plant them. There are also loads of moss spores scattered around and apparently the xaxim will get green as well in time.
I also got some orchids this time, I just hope they will survive for me.

In March, there'll be an expo near my hometown and I hope to get a group of Ranitomeya imitators or a pair of Dendrobates tinctorius Azureus, I'm still a bit on the fence. I believe it would suit both species, wouldn't it? Well, there's still time...

I guess that's it for the moment... if you have any questions or advice/recommendations, fire away!

 

[Arthroverts]

Very, very cool. I wish I had put as much thought as you did into my vivariums when I was first starting out. Now I've gotta refurbish some less-than-beautiful vivs, and I don't know how to make them look good.

Thanks for sharing,

Arthroverts

 

[moricollins]

I love the setups, they're very nice.

I, too, took the plunge into dart frogs this year. Have 3 tanks set up (11 frogs total).

Great work on the new tank background. It looks great. I don't have a lot of design sense unfortunately, so my tanks aren't the most attractive

 

[l4nsky]

Absolutely stunning. Hoping to get into tree frogs this year myself. Dont know why, but I really like arboreal animals in general.

 

[Frogdaddy]

I'm going the opposite way. I've been keeping dart frogs for 10 years and now I'm getting into T's because of cost and ease of maintenance, and of course T's are absolutely fascinating creatures.
With my job occupying so much of my rime I like the thought of feeding once a week.
Thekla your vivs are looking good. If you ever want to talk about frogs you know where to find me.

 

[Vanisher]

Good work and nice frogs!

 

[Frogdaddy]

@Thekla who did your custom enclosure?

 

[Thekla]

Thanks, guys! I'm really happy you all like what I'm doing. As I'm still very new to dart frogs I always worry if I care for them the way they deserve. Well, they're still alive and thrive, so I must be doing something right. To be honest, dart frogs are a bit scary husbandry-wise, they are way less forgiving than Ts. But their sheer cuteness makes up for it a thousand times over.

@Arthroverts I watched tons of vids on Youtube and read as many blogs and websites about dart frogs. There are actually quite a few great keepers here in Germany who provide loads of amazing tutorials.
I just had to pick what I liked, what was doable for me and what I could afford.
I'm sure you'll refurbish yours beautifully!

@moricollins Glad you like the new background. The first one was kinda common as I used styrofoam, carved in some structure and attached peat/coco fibre with silicone, but I actually wanted something more simple and more natural with the new one. So, I chose xaxim plates and glued them into place. The brown bits in between is something called rainforest background, it's a mix of peat and natural binder, which is moldable while wet. Once it has fully dried up, it gets quite hard and you can re-moisten it without losing its stability. Great stuff, but it takes ages to dry.
And it's great to have some fellow new keepers. What frogs do you have?

@l4nsky Tree frogs are very cool! Make sure to post pictures if/when you get them!

@Frogdaddy You can't do anything wrong with having both hobbies!
Oh, I will definitely take you up on that offer. Do you breed as well? I hope my pair will breed for me at some point, but it's also a bit scary having to take care of those tiny tads. So, I probably will have loads of questions, although I'm already watching loads of tutorials and reading up on their care.
Oh, and I had my tank made by HX Terraristik, a guy here in Germany. He makes all kinds of enclosures, basically whatever you need, and for a really fair price.

 

[moricollins]

Thanks, guys! I'm really happy you all like what I'm doing. As I'm still very new to dart frogs I always worry if I care for them the way they deserve. Well, they're still alive and thrive, so I must be doing something right. To be honest, dart frogs are a bit scary husbandry-wise, they are way less forgiving than Ts. But their sheer cuteness makes up for it a thousand times over.

@Arthroverts I watched tons of vids on Youtube and read as many blogs and websites about dart frogs. There are actually quite a few great keepers here in Germany who provide loads of amazing tutorials.
I just had to pick what I liked, what was doable for me and what I could afford.
I'm sure you'll refurbish yours beautifully!

@moricollins Glad you like the new background. The first one was kinda common as I used styrofoam, carved in some structure and attached peat/coco fibre with silicone, but I actually wanted something more simple and more natural with the new one. So, I chose xaxim plates and glued them into place. The brown bits in between is something called rainforest background, it's a mix of peat and natural binder, which is moldable while wet. Once it has fully dried up, it gets quite hard and you can re-moisten it without losing its stability. Great stuff, but it takes ages to dry.
And it's great to have some fellow new keepers. What frogs do you have?

@l4nsky Tree frogs are very cool! Make sure to post pictures if/when you get them!

@Frogdaddy You can't do anything wrong with having both hobbies!
Oh, I will definitely take you up on that offer. Do you breed as well? I hope my pair will breed for me at some point, but it's also a bit scary having to take care of those tiny tads. So, I probably will have loads of questions, although I'm already watching loads of tutorials and reading up on their care.
Oh, and I had my tank made by HX Terraristik, a guy here in Germany. He makes all kinds of enclosures, basically whatever you need, and for a really fair price.

I have 2 Dendrobates auratus "microspot" females, a 1.2 trio of Ranitomeya uakarii (and some tads, including one that is ready to be a frog any day now!), a group of 6 Ranitomeya sirensis "Rio Pachitea yellow" (not sure of the sexes but have at least one pair as I have a tadpole in a cup in the viv)

 

[Dandrobates]

Cheers all around! It’s nice to find fellow dart frog enthusiasts on here and if anyone ever wants to compare notes or chat I am more than willing.
I’m not a big fan of the dart frog forums for reasons I won’t get into, but I will say I prefer the vibe here on arachnoboards.

@Thekla Your vivariums are lovely and from what I understand Germany is far ahead of the US in terms of the hobby so that’s no surprise.
It’s also totally normal to stress over your frogs. I think we all do it. I have 14 vivariums going with 20 individuals so I’m constantly monitoring things like timers and misters, making cultures, testing media recipes, trimming plants, and generally obsessing lol. I’m usually down in my frog room for at least an hour a day.


Frankly, I got into tarantulas because I needed a hobby that would get my mind off my frog hobby. Lol

 

[Dandrobates]

A few pics

 

[Frogdaddy]

Part of the frog room. The bakers rack has over 200 tadpoles growing up.

 

[l4nsky]

View attachment 326572
Part of the frog room. The bakers rack has over 200 tadpoles growing up.

This has my curiosity. What's your tadpole care like with that quantity, like daily time spent on care? Has anyone in this hobby pursued some kind of gravity fed water change system or would that even be advantageous?

 

[moricollins]

View attachment 326572
Part of the frog room. The bakers rack has over 200 tadpoles growing up.

@Frogdaddy you have it going on! That's a lot of tads. And here I am getting worked up about the 5-8 tads I have on the go right now lol.

 

[Frogdaddy]

This has my curiosity. What's your tadpole care like with that quantity, like daily time spent on care? Has anyone in this hobby pursued some kind of gravity fed water change system or would that even be advantageous?

I don't want to hijack this thread.
Thia is Thekla's thread. But i will happily answer your question.
There are some people who have looked into and experimented with an automated water change system, including models adapted from fish keeping systems. Think of a system for betta fish with a circulating pump. There is nothing being produced commercial to the best of my knowledge.
As far as tadpole care, dart frogs fall into three different categories. One category is comprised of the Genra Phyllobates, Epipidobates and Ameerega where the tads can be raised communally. I do mine in a 20 gal long tank about 1/2 filled with water. The second Genra consists of Dendrobates and these tads are cannibalistic and must be raised individually. This is what is being raised in the individual deli cups.
The third Genra consists of Oophaga and Histronicus are obligate egg feeders. These are best raised by the parents as the female will lay unfertilized eggs for the tadpole to eat. This is their only food as tadpoles. So far there has been a minimum of success trying to raise these tads on an artificial diet. Best to let mom feed the tads.

When I raise my tads individually they get fed three times per week and they recieve a full water change twice a week. This is probably unnecessary as in the wild they are raised in very small, stagnant pools of water such as the axil of a bromeliad. I don't know how many hours per week I spend on frogs but its a lot. In addition to all the adult and tad care I also culture two different flightless fruit flies. About 10 to 15 cultures each per week in addition to springs and isos.
That's a big reason why I want to scale back on frogs and get into more T's.
Edit: I actually left out many Genra commonly known as thumbnails, yes adults are as small as your thumbnail. I don't keep many as I prefer the bigger frogs.
I will post a thread of my own soon. I'm posting via my phone and all my good pics are on my PC.

 

[Frogdaddy]

@Frogdaddy you have it going on! That's a lot of tads. And here I am getting worked up about the 5-8 tads I have on the go right now lol.

I still find joy in it. I find it so rewarding when I can provide everything an animal needs, diet, environment, etc. And they can do what comes naturally, which is reproduce successfully.
That to me is the ultimate compliment. Still there are days when I come home from work and I feel like I'm starting my second job.

 

[Arthroverts]

I too love dart frogs, but the No. 1 reason I do not have any as of now is cost, and to a lesser (but still important) extent time and space. Raising dart frogs is no cheap matter in any of the above if you want to do it right. In the meantime I'll enjoy your photos and hope that one day I can afford something like that. That's one of the glories of the invertebrate hobby in general I think. So little time and space is needed, and again to an extent a smaller amount of money is required to get started.

Thanks for sharing,

Arthroverts

 

[Dandrobates]

@Frogdaddy awesome

 

[Thekla]

@Dandrobates I love your close-ups! They are beautiful!!! What species they are exactly?

@Frogdaddy Wow! That's pretty amazing. I love your dedication!
I wouldn't have the space nor the time, but I really look forward to taking care of a couple or maybe a dozen tads. So, prepare yourself, when I come pestering you for information.

Now, I have a question for all of you who have thumbnails. I think I really would like to have a group of thumbs in my new viv. As I said before, it's an 18" cube, and you have seen the setup...

What species of thumbnail would you recommend for a beginner? Any bold ones that are relatively easy to keep? Pros and cons in general?
And how many do you think would be comfortable in my tank? I was thinking about a group of 3 or 4.

Thanks a lot in advance for any input you can give me.

 

[moricollins]

I'm no expert, am pretty new to dart frogs, but my Ranitomeya uakarii are pretty fantastic. When set up properly, with shaded areas and foliage to hide behind, and leaf litter, they're quite visible and bold.
They are out on the "open" most of the time. He's what my 12*12*18" vivarium looks like:

Other people say that some of the Ranitomeya imitator morphs are also very beginner thumbnail friendly.