Dart Frogs
Difficulty
Intermediate
Size
1.5cm with a few of the species growing up to 6cm.
Life Span
Up to 20 years
Diet
Insects
Humidity
80-100%
Temp
21-26C (70-800F)
Introduction
Buying any pet is a big decision, so there are several things you may want to consider first to make sure that a Dart Frog is the pet for you:
• Are all the people in your household happy with a frog coming to live there? • Are you prepared to look after an animal that could live between 10-20 years? • Is there someone that you can ask to look after your Dart Frog if you are away? • Are you happy to feed live insects to the Dart Frog and have insects in your home? • Would you be okay with an Amphibian that you cannot handle ?
Equipment Needed
Housing
Glass Terrarium
Heating
Heat Mat or Ceramic Heat Bulb
Lighting
UV Tube (12 hours on/off cycle)
Substrate
Arcadia Earth Mix or Habistat Jungle Bio
Water
De-Chlorinated water pool / Humidifier / Hand sprayer
Types
Dart Frogs come in a variety of colours, with more than 100 different species available. These have a very diverse colouration range.
Buying Dart Frogs
- Check before buying:
- The Dart Frog is feeding well?
- Any reputable pet shop should be able to provide answers on how often the Dart Frog is being fed - and what type and size of live food it enjoys most.
- The Dart Frog is healthy.
- 5 point animal health check:
- Make sure the Dart Frog is alert and responsive.
- The skin should be clear of any sores.
- The eyes should be open without any swelling or sores.
- The Dart Frog should be able to manoeuvre around the Terrarium without noticeable issues.
- The Dart Frog should be feeding without issues.
Top tips
A humidifier will aid hydration and humidity when used throughout the day.Being diurnal, they are active during the day.A fresh body of de-chlorinated water is still always needed within the Terrarium despite being mostly a land-based species.Most Dart Frogs do well in small groups of 4 or 5 providing you give them plenty of room.The use of a plant growth light as well as UVB will not only benefit the Dart Frog but plants also.They are a fragile species and will deteriorate if the proper care isn’t adhered to.Housing
The following are perfect options for forever homes for a single dart frog. If you add to your collection then you may need to consider a different size • HabiStat Terrarium – 45x45x60 • HabiStat Terrarium – 60x45x60
Environment
Heating
Dart Frogs are ectothermic (cold-blooded) so all their heating requirements come from an external source.
Heating a Terrarium
Using a heat mat on the outside side of the enclosure will help or as an alternative you could use an overhead incandescent bulb. Both should always be used in conjunction with the relevant thermostat: • A Mat Stat or Pulse Stat for the Heat Mat. • A Dimming Thermostat for the bulb.
A thermostat is designed to regulate the temperatures within the setup by placing the thermostat probe in a suitable location. The power to the chosen heat-source will reduce/stop once the set temperature is achieved within the setup, preventing any overheating. Once the temperature has stabilised and it is safe to do so the heat source will return to full power. To safely regulate the temperatures we recommend placing the thermostat probe as close to the main basking area as possible and set accordingly. Ensure the Dart Frog/s cannot touch or lie on it as this would affect the readings. For the heat-mat, place the probe in the same area as the heat-mat but on the inside of the Terrarium.
Temperature and Monitoring
As a guide, ambient daily temperatures should be in the range of 21-260C (70-800F) as any higher could cause stress and in turn potential illness. A night-time temperature drop is needed – around 200C (71.60F) throughout is a good range - with all light and heat being turned off (12 hour on/off day/night cycle). Make sure temperatures are checked regularly to ensure there are no extreme fluctuations. The use of a digital probed thermometer placed at the top and bottom of the terrarium will help monitor these temperatures. Ensure the Dart Frog/s cannot touch or lie on it as this would affect the readings. To achieve 80-100% humidity levels throughout the day we recommend regularly spraying the enclosure as well as using live plants, cork, and a soil-based substrate. The use of a humidifier running a few times daily will also aid humidity and a hygrometer will help to monitor.
Lighting
Being a diurnal species (active during the day) UV Lighting is required for the wellbeing of the Dart Frogs. For a Terrarium, the Arcadia Pro T5 UVB Kit ShadeDweller 7%, 8w placed on the mesh lid will provide the required UV exposure to the frogs on the surface of the Terrarium as well as benefiting the plants within. To aid the continual growth of the foliage in the Terrarium, as well as providing more full-spectrum lighting to the Terrarium inhabitants, an Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED Bar would be beneficial.
Substrates and Decoration
Personal choice will dictate how to decorate the surface of your Terrarium. The following is just a guide:
Both Habistat Jungle Bio or Arcadia EarthMix will help with the humidity. Use a mixture of live moss and leaf litter to finish your forest floor.
For decoration, real plants and a fresh de-chlorinated shallow water source are a must. The water source could be either a water bowl or a shallow body/pool of water created in the habitat in conjunction with a suitable water conditioner.
Diet and Water
Being a small insectivore species, a varied insect diet is ideal. Young Darts will eat daily feeding for a few minutes only on suitably sized feeders such as Fruit Fly, Springtails, and Micro-crickets. Adults will feed approximately three times a week with just a few suitably sized insects each time (similar size to the young darts). For hydration, regular spraying of the enclosure, as well as the Humidifier and supplied water source should offer ample hydration options. Using a hygrometer will aid keeping the humidity in range when checked regularly.
Supplementation
Dart Frogs require additional supplementation within their diet to aid overall health. We recommend using a Calcium, magnesium, and multivitamin mix regime as needed.
Health & Hygiene
We recommend the following cleaning routine to keep your Dart Frog healthy and happy:
| Water | Substrate | Enclosure | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily | • Change water in bowl • Daily Spraying • Check humidifier water levels | Spot clean | Check branches and plants for breakage and stability |
| Weekly | Disinfect water bowl | Agitate substrate to prevent any bacterial build up | Wipe down glass / mesh / walls with a reptile safe disinfectant |
| Monthly | Full or partial substrate change | Carefully wipe down the enclosure, and décor with a reptile safe disinfectant- ensuring you do not spray near the frogs |
Always wash your hands, surfaces and equipment with warm water and disinfectant immediately before and after handling or feeding your Dart Frogs, their food, enclosure and any other equipment.
Additional Information
• Dart Frogs are a fragile species. They can quickly deteriorate if the setup parameters are not adhered to. • All captive bred Dart Frogs are non-toxic despite the common name of ‘poison dart frog’. The toxic / poisonous trait is only present in the wild.
FAQs
We recommend using a small sandwich bag or similar with a little of the required supplement. Add the chosen insects to the bag and shake to coat the feeders in supplement. Then add the feeders to the Terrarium.
Being a very small species, small feeders are needed. Micro crickets, springtails, isopods, fruit fly are all great options. Just be sensible.
Dart Frogs are not for handling they are strictly display animals. We recommend using surgical gloves if you need to handle the Dart Frog for a vet visit for example.
Your Dart Frog will live up to 10-20 years in captivity depending on the species.
01353 655 794
info@elyexotics.co.uk