All About Poison Dart Frogs!

Poison dart frogs are one of the most notable and popular frogs in the exotic pet industry. From their bright, beautiful colors to their care and availability, dart frogs are the gift that keeps on giving!

What Are Poison Dart Frogs?

Poison dart frogs are a group of amphibians that can be found in the rainforests of Central and South America. They prefer to be in the rainforest, close to the forest floor but, like many other species, their habitat has become a victim of deforestation. Because of the attack on their home, poison dart frogs have started to become present in other tropical environments as well. Other places that poison dart frogs that can be found include swamps, farmland, grasslands and marshes. In recent years, the number of dart frogs seen outside of forested areas has increased. These frogs are easily recognized by the wide array of colors that they come in. They are very small in size with the largest type being only around 2 inches long. Poison dart frogs, unlike a lot of other amphibians, are diurnal which means that they are mostly active during the day time. While some animals camouflage into their surroundings to hide from predators, poison dart frogs use their bright colors as a deterrent and a warning to other animals that they are poisonous!

Why Are They Called Poison Dart Frogs?

The poison dart frog gets its name from the indigenous people of South America. These people would use the poison that is secreted through the frog’s skin to coat the tips of their darts or arrows. They would then use the poison covered darts to hunt prey. Thanks to this practice, we now know the colorful creatures as poison dart frogs!

But, How Poisonous Are They?

Actually, captive bred dart frogs are not toxic at all! Dart frogs in the wild get their toxicity from chemicals in the foods that they eat. Even then, most wild poison dart frogs are considered to be toxic but are not deadly to people. The secretions from these frog’s skin may cause some adverse effects such as swelling and nausea but won’t kill a human. There are, of course, some exceptions to this. A few species of poison dart frogs are considered to be the most deadly animals in the world. For example, the golden poison dart frog can have enough toxins on its skin to kill 10 grown men. Each species of poison dart frog creates a unique kind of toxin. The toxins that they secrete depend on what they are eating. Usually, their diets consist of various insects that can be found in the forest including ants, termites and beetles. For this reason, poison dart frogs that are kept in captivity are not toxic. With that being said, even wild caught dart frogs will lose their toxicity after being in captivity for some time.

Poison Dart Frog Colors

Poison dart frogs come in nearly 200 different colors! Dart frogs can be found in almost any color from red, blue and green to pink, purple, black and white. They can have amazing patterns with mixtures of multiple colors or they can be one solid color. The possibilities are endless when it comes to dart frog colors and just when you think you’ve seen them all, a new one appears!

Are They Easy to Keep?

Another great thing about poison dart frogs is that they make amazing pets! Poison dart frogs are easy to keep, relatively low maintenance and readily available. Captive bred dart frogs can easily be found and bought from multiple breeders across the country. Captive bred frogs are much better prepared for life in captivity. Captive bred frogs will settle into their new enclosure much more easily than a wild caught frog will. Captive bred frogs are also healthier than those that are brought into captivity after living in the wild. Frogs that are born in captivity are also much less likely to harbor parasites. The best part about breeding dart frogs in captivity is that the environmental impacts of taking frogs from the wild is greatly decreased. One thing to consider about dart frogs is how long they live. Some species of dart frogs can live over 20 years while others may live five to ten years. When you take on a new pet, it is your responsibility to make sure that the pet is taken care of for its entire life so a pet with a long life span is a huge undertaking! Thankfully, their care is quite easy and straightforward. Poison dart frogs do best at temperatures in the low to mid 70’s but temperatures over 85 degrees fahrenheit are dangerous to dart frogs. They prefer the humidity to be between 80 and 100%. Low humidity levels can quickly become fatal to dart frogs. Depending on the species, some dart frogs can be kept in the same enclosure as other frogs while others may become aggressive towards tank mates. If you are keeping one frog, it is recommended that you have at least a ten gallon tank. When keeping multiple frogs, you should offer the equivalent of five gallons of area per frog. Dart frogs eat a variety of small insects. Frogs in captivity are commonly fed flightless fruit flies and pinhead crickets as well as any other tiny feeders.

As you can see, there is a lot to love about poison dart frogs! They are easy to keep and are readily available. Plus, they are one of the most unique and stunning creatures around! What’s not to love?