Why are thumbnails harder to care for?

[chibikaie]

I can't properly speak for amphibians specifically, but I can attest to the effects of people thinking that small animals must be easier than big ones because they eat less or take up less space.

They do not take up less space just because they can be physically crammed into a smaller enclosure. That depends much more on activity level than size. And if you put too many in the same enclosure, there is usually one on the bottom of the pecking order who gets beat up. This is the one who comes to me with bite wounds, or the one who comes to the clinic because she's become sick due to the extra stress, while the other animals are reported to be "fine" (I know they are not, but cannot prove it).

Eating less is also a big trap. I have seen people buy dry commercial food in bulk, which loses nutrition while the bag sits open in their humid, room temperature house. I have seen people vastly overfeed small animals because they can't gauge how much to give them - all with the best intentions, but they will offer too many sugary treats and again, the animal suffers from a poor diet due to nutritional deficiencies. And if one doesn't master rearing appropriate size and well fed live food, frogs will likely suffer in the same ways. People don't see the effects right away, but they are more prone to diseases, infection, parasites, everything. And in a tiny animal, you are very limited in what supportive or palliative care you can provide. There is no room or time for an error.

I want to stress that I'm not saying proper care cannot be provided. But it can be very difficult. I know I'm not at the level of dart frog care - that's why I have a pacman.

[Lady]

I am getting a Dendrobates Leucomelas Fine Spot for my first frog. They are said to be more beginner friendly. I intend to get Ranitomeya Variabilis at some point after I am more confident with the frogs. I expect to build bigger enclosures in the future and limit my numbers of frogs in an enclosure to avoid problems. I will also make sure I plug any holes over with apropriate materials. Sorry that your two thumbnails got out Bill.

~Lady