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Thread: Beginner dartfrogs?

  1. #1
    Skelly98
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    Default Beginner dartfrogs?

    So, i was planning on getting a pacman frog, and i have done a lot of research into both pacman frogs and darts. The more research i do, however, the more i get swayed to getting a dart, and not a pacman. I enjoy the extra amount of maintenance (I am an axolotl breeder, after all- the little ones give me something extra to do with my time), and i love the look of a nice, planted dart frog viv. I have all the materials to set up a naturalistic terrarium, and i think that darts are what i want to do. So, in a fashion true to me, i am asking some questions... :P

    1) Are P. Terribilis a good beginner species? I have heard some good things about them... what are some other good beginner species?

    2) What plants are frog-safe?

    3) Can i feed other prey if my fruit fly culture crashes? I would have more than one culture regardless, but just in case...

    4) Does anyone have a good resource as a guide for setting up a viv for darts?

    Once again thank you to whoever takes some time to answer,

    Mitch.

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  3. #2
    Skelly98
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    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    Also, i have an extra light fixture for reptile and aquarium bulbs (30w, adjustable size (1.25in- 1.5in). How should i install this?

  4. #3
    Skelly98
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    Default

    Sorry one more.. For the drainage layer, would pebbles work, or do I need those hydroball things from the pet store? Kind of wondering...

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    1) P. terribilis are phenomenal starter frogs, so long as you can make sure they don't get too hot. Any Dendrobates sp. would be good as well (although I prefer D. leucomelas)

    2) They're basically all frog safe. Focus on tropical plants that do well with high humidity and don't need seasons or dry soil.

    3) Yes. Pinhead crickets work for most dart frogs, as would springtails or some similar small food source.

    4) Check the care sheets here or do a google search. There are good resources out there. I know there are some books published by reputable breeders that are pretty inexpensive, but i don't know what they are like for content.

    Lighting is for the plants. You want a bulb with a temp of about 6500K, that should provide the best plant growth.

    And pebbles would be fine, they just make for a very heavy tank.

    Cheers!
    Alex
    Ranitomeya reticulata
    Epipedobates anthonyi "Zarayunga"
    Oophaga pumilio "Cayo Nancy"
    Ranitomeya benedicta
    Ranitomeya vanzolinii
    Ameerega pepperi
    "Abiseo"
    Epipedobates trivittatus "Baja Huallaga"
    Cruziohyla calcarifer
    Hylomantis lemur
    Dendrobates leucomelas

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  7. #5
    Skelly98
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    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    Awesome, thanks! I'm building the enclosure right now... I have a coco fibre substrate with a drainage layer, and a few plants. I know spider plant is safe (put that stuff in enclosures for lizards for years.), but are these ferns OK? Will they die in the enclosure? I don't know if they need seasons or not...

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

  8. #6

    Default Beginner dartfrogs?

    The ferns will be fine. They will die off at first while they acclimate to the humidity, but will grow back once they acclimate.
    1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
    0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
    0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
    0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
    0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
    0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
    0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
    0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
    1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
    0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
    0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
    0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
    0.2.0 Canines
    1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
    2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
    0.1.0 Bed Bully

  9. #7
    Skelly98
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    Cool. Do I remove dead leaves, or leave them in? And how do I clean them for the enclosure? Thanks for the help

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

  10. #8

    Default Beginner dartfrogs?

    You can remove the dead leaves. I normally just rinse my plants off under cold running water. But that's just me, everybody has their own methods. Some grow then out first, some bleach dip, then grow them out, ect.
    1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
    0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
    0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
    0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
    0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
    0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
    0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
    0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
    1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
    0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
    0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
    0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
    0.2.0 Canines
    1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
    2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
    0.1.0 Bed Bully

  11. #9
    Skelly98
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    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    Thanks! I'll have some photos up once i'm done transferring over the plants...

  12. #10
    Skelly98
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    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    Name:  uploadfromtaptalk1391045368733.jpg
Views: 198
Size:  66.9 KB. Alright.. So here it is so far. Now all I need is a good bulb, heater, and of course a thermostat And a frog or two... :}

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

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    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    Here is a good resource for setting up Dart vivariums: http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...aludarium.html .
    Remember to take care of the enclosure and it will take care of your frog !​

  14. #12
    Skelly98
    Guest

    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    Also, It's a ten gallon tank.. if i wanted to get more than one medium-large frog, how would i go about doing that? Is it even possible in a tank that size?

    Sorry about all the questions, i have next to zero frog-specific knowledge...

  15. #13
    Skelly98
    Guest

    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    Alright, so i have everything i need now (except the frog). I've decided to wait to turn on the heat pad in the tank, as the temperature already varies from low to high seventies depending on the part of the enclosure during the day.. Now, for picking the frog...

    I am really torn between P. Terribilis and D. leucomelas. Both seem to be able to do fine in my enclosure, and both really grab my interest. Also, how many could i fit in here? Or should i just get one?

    LOL I'm really getting into this

  16. #14

    Default Beginner dartfrogs?

    What's your humidity? Both frogs are good beginner frogs, depends on your taste. You may want to stick with just two for the time being. Got your fruit fly cultures up an running?
    1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
    0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
    0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
    0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
    0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
    0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
    0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
    0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
    1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
    0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
    0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
    0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
    0.2.0 Canines
    1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
    2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
    0.1.0 Bed Bully

  17. #15

    Default Beginner dartfrogs?

    And don't forget to quarantine them for a month too.
    1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
    0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
    0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
    0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
    0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
    0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
    0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
    0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
    1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
    0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
    0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
    0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
    0.2.0 Canines
    1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
    2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
    0.1.0 Bed Bully

  18. #16
    Skelly98
    Guest

    Default Re: Beginner dartfrogs?

    They/it are going into a separate room from my other pets, and by quarantine, do you mean paper towel style, or just removing the enclosure from all of my other pets? And as for fruit flies, i was going to buy two cultures at the expo, that way if one fails, i can feed from the other (not that it matters, i can get pinheads and fruit flies from two of my local reptile stores that are within ten minutes from my house, plus local reptile food breeders usually have them for sale).

    Humidity is about 85-89%, measured with a digital hygrometer, and temp is in the seventies, low-high depending on where you go in the enclosure.

    Also, if i get them from the same source, do i still need to quarantine them from each other, or do i just put them in the enclosure (or paper towel lined tub if that's better) and quarantine them as a unit?

  19. #17

    Default Beginner dartfrogs?

    Excellent. Remember that fruit flies take about 2 weeks for a culture to really start sustaining itself.

    You can quarantine them in a tub lined with paper towels together. Lynn (flybyferns) wrote an amazing article on quarantine procedures. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it. She's a smart lady and knows her frogs.

    Otherwise, sounds like you are all set!
    1.0.0 Oophaga Pumilio 'Black Jeans'
    0.0.10 Phyllobates Vittatus
    0.0.3 Phyllobates Terribilis 'Mint'
    0.0.3 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Patricia'
    0.0.5 Dendrobates Leucomelas
    0.0.2 Dendrobates Tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
    0.0.2 Ranitomeya Variabilis 'southern'
    0.0.3 Epipedobates Anthonyi 'zarayunga'
    1.2.0 Phyllobates bicolor
    0.0.3 Dendrobates tinctorius 'azureus'
    0.0.1 Avicularia Avicularia
    0.0.1 Gramastola porteri
    0.2.0 Canines
    1.0.0 Tabby/Maine Coon Mix
    2.1.0 Genetics Experiments
    0.1.0 Bed Bully

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  21. #18
    Skelly98
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    Default

    Awesome! Thanks for all the help!

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

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