Feeding Dendrobates Lamasi

[MikeM670]

I have a question on feeding Dendrobates Lamasi 'Orange' . They spend 70 percent of their time in the top most portion of my 40 gallon vertical. When I feed them fruit flies I try and sprinkle them all over the plants and wood structure in the upper portion so as to be close to their location. A lot of flies end up on the ground or lower plants. I have dusted them in the past but it seems like the flies are able to clean themselves before they start feeding. Am I wasting my time dusting which I know should be done at least several times a week. It just seems like they are not benefiting from this or is there still enough dust left on them? I do find one or two on the ground at times hunting the flies. They are very active and seem to be doing fine.

[Tony]

The flies will remove some of the dust during their grooming process, but some will still stick and make it to the frogs. Which supplement(s) do you use? Repashy Calcium Plus is top quality and tends to stick very well because it is ground so finely.

[berksmike]

One thing you can do is get a film cannister and place some fruit fly medium from a fruit fly culture in it (larvae inc) - make a small rectangular slit in the lid and then fix horizontally high in the viv - the maggots will crawl out the slit from time to time and can be picked off by the frogs and the smell of the medium should attract the fruit flies you put in there.
Another alternative is to do the same with crushed banana - the flies will be attracted to this so craeting a feeding point high in your viv.

[MikeM670]

I did use the crushed banana to establish a feeding point for my 55 gallon tank but haven't had to do it in weeks. I'll give both those ideas a try.

Thanks

[MikeM670]

One thing you can do is get a film cannister and place some fruit fly medium from a fruit fly culture in it (larvae inc) - make a small rectangular slit in the lid and then fix horizontally high in the viv - the maggots will crawl out the slit from time to time and can be picked off by the frogs and the smell of the medium should attract the fruit flies you put in there.
Another alternative is to do the same with crushed banana - the flies will be attracted to this so craeting a feeding point high in your viv.

Ok that sounds good. I'm using Rep-Cal Ultrafine Calcium with Vitamin D3 and Herptivite Multivitamin for all my dusting.

Thanks

[berksmike]

Another more aesthetic option is to put savu seed pods high in the viv too - really saturate them with water and this will encourage mould which in turn should attract springtails (or you can put some springatil culture in bottom of seed pod itself). The springs will also feed on the bacteria on the pod surface and will like the dark interior. Plus savu seed pods are easily big enough for the thumbnails to get in.

If I have a mite ridden fruit fly culture i move them away from my other cultures and leave the mites to reporduce - tip the mites in savu seed pods in the vivs and the frogs do the rest to pick them off!

[MikeM670]

Another more aesthetic option is to put savu seed pods high in the viv too - really saturate them with water and this will encourage mould which in turn should attract springtails (or you can put some springatil culture in bottom of seed pod itself). The springs will also feed on the bacteria on the pod surface and will like the dark interior. Plus savu seed pods are easily big enough for the thumbnails to get in.

If I have a mite ridden fruit fly culture i move them away from my other cultures and leave the mites to reporduce - tip the mites in savu seed pods in the vivs and the frogs do the rest to pick them off!

Great advise about the savu pods! I might just try that when I place my next order for stuff.