Basic Frog Care

Housing

Poison Dart Frogs are best kept and housed in what is called a Vivarium. A Vivarium is an aquarium that has been designed to create a small ecosystem. In this ecosystem, there are plants, soil, and a drainage layer to keep the soil from becoming completely saturated. This ecosystem creates a balance in which the animals waste is used by the plants. This balance creates an environment where the maintenance is almost non existent and involves adding food for the frogs and cutting plants out as they grow. No removal of waste and/or tank cleaning is necessary, the vivariums can also be seeded with small insects that can help cycle nutrients faster as well as supply an extra food source for the frogs.

The rule of thumb is that you should house one frog per five gallons of tank space. More is always better but not necessary. Giving your frogs as much space as possible leads to healthier frogs, bolder frogs (you’ll see them more in a bigger tank), and allows more options for design of the vivarium.

Temperature and Humidity

Before you get frogs, its a good idea to have a Temperature and Humidity Probe. High temperatures and low humidity can kill a frog quickly. A constant humidity of 80% and above is ideal, and temperatures should stay between 68 and 85 degrees.  This is best accomplished with a glass tank with a glass lid with a small vent for air circulation. For the majority of vivariums no heater is necessary the lighting will heat the vivarium and live plants will help maintain a healthy humidity level.

Feeding

Poison Dart Frogs eat fruit flies, springtails, rice flour beetles, phoenix worms, and other small bugs.  Tropical Ecos carries a wide variety of insects for feeding, we also carry the media to continue breeding your insects (most commonly flightless fruit flies). There is nothing worse than not having enough food to feed your frogs. You will want to dust your bugs with a multi-vitamin and calcium supplement on occasion to make sure your frogs are getting the required amount of nutrients.