Dart Frog Care Sheet

Dart frogs are colorful, diurnal amphibians native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. Captive-bred dart frogs are non-toxic and make excellent inhabitants of bioactive terrariums. They have an average lifespan of 10 years, with some individuals living up to 20. Sizes range from tiny "thumbnail" species to larger frogs reaching 2.5 inches. They are completely nontoxic in captivity. They eat insects in the wild that contain toxins and as they digest the insects the toxins are excreted through their skin.

Enclosure Size:

• Thumbnail species (e.g., Oophaga, Ranitomeya): A 12x12x18 inch enclosure is suitable for a pair, but larger is always better.

• Larger species (e.g., Tinctorius, Phyllobates): A minimum of 18x18x18 inch cube or a 20-gallon aquarium is recommended for a pair.

• Vertical space is often preferred, especially for Ranitomeya and Oophaga species, but some will prefer more terrestrial space do your research

• A general guideline is to add 10 gallons of space per frog.

• Use a mostly glass terrarium with a secure, well-fitting lid to maintain high humidity.

Bioactive Setup:

• Dart frogs thrive in bioactive enclosures which replicate their natural environment

• Ensure plants are free of harmful fertilizers and pesticides.

• Provide ample hiding places, climbing branches, and other forms of enrichment.

• Ensure you have springtails and dwarf white isopods as part of your bioactive cleanup crew

• Leaf litter is a crucial part of your set up, it offers the frogs places to hide and serves as a food source to your bioactive crew

• Substrate should consist of an ABG mix, a mix that holds moisture but does not stay wet

Enclosure Temperature/Humidity:

• Maintain a temperature range of 70-75°F (21-24°C).

• Do not allow temperatures to drop below 65°F (18°C) or exceed 80°F (27°C).

• Maintain a high humidity level of 80-100%.

• Allow the enclosure to dry slightly between mistings to prevent stagnant conditions.

• A misting system is highly recommended. For example, I use a mistking system with 4 misting cycles of 15 seconds each, per day.

Diet:

• Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila hydei) are the staple diet for all dart frogs. They must be dusted with a calcium supplement every feeding. Replace supplements every 6 months

• Frogs will also eat springtails and dwarf white isopods 

• Can feed pinhead sized crickets, bean beetles, rice flour beetles and small roaches on occasion 

Melanogaster

• Cultures feed ready in 10-14 days

• Reproduces quickly

• Smaller flies (requires more to feed

Hydei

• Cultures feed ready in 21 days

• Reproduces slower

• Larger flies (requires less to feed)

Feeding Frequency/Technique:

• Juveniles: Daily, 20-30 fruit flies per frog.

• Adults: 4-5 times per week, 50-75 fruit flies per feeding.

• Use a separate container and put in some calcium supplement

• Transfer flies from the culture to the dusting container by gently tapping the culture before opening it so the flies drop down and then tap it again once opened over the dusting container to collect the flies

Communal Frogs vs Non-Communal Frogs:

Some species do better in groups and some do better in pairs. In tinctorius species, the females tend to be the aggressive ones and will jump on the back of another frog and squeeze the other frog. This will stress out the frog and it may stop eating. If you observe this behavior, you need to split the frogs up into separate enclosures. See the table below for how to best keep frog species. There are always exceptions to this “rule” and it is important to monitor your frogs behavior.

Communal Frogs

Epipedobates

Phyllobates

Auratus

Leucomelas

Galactonotus

Ranitomeya 

Best in Pairs

Tinctorius

Azureus

Oophaga

Here you will see my plans for the 2025 gecko pairings I am planning for 2025.

Basics of egg and tadpole care.

See one of my males calling!