Pet poison dart frogs

[herpinjim]

If dart frogs got their toxins solely from alkaloids you would be able to feed D auratus the same insects as D terribilis and they would be equally toxic. I assume they process the toxins differently. I have also talked to a couple people who have claimed to have had toxic reactions from captive terribilis.

[Tom Highum]

They were probably wild caught. If wild caught they can keep there poison for a long time but the amount and the potency decreases.

[Ron]

Different types of toxins in auratus and terribilis: I believe auratus contain pumilotixins and terribilis have histrionitoxins. They're not the same thing. Even in the wild you can pick up and handle the vast majority of poison dart frogs--out of the hundreds of different species, there are only three (in the Phyllobates genus) that are would be seriously harmful if handled (and you had a cut that allowed the toxins into your bloodstream, otherwise the particle size is too large to pass through skin).

I doubt the terribilis he handled were wild-caught. They have not been collected and/or imported in years.

[Kurt]

I remember hearing that captive bred P. terribilis were toxic.

[Tom Highum]

Hmm interesting. Do you think they are as poisonous as in the wild?

[Kurt]

I don't really know.

[Mike]

Some captive bred terribilis: http://www.frognet.org/albums/mjm23-frogs/DSCN1999.mov

[Kurt]

The link appears to be out dated.

[John]

Works fine for me. Thanks for finding that Mike - I had seen it a while ago but couldn't track it down.

[Mike]

I was there when it was filmed, the person is still alive .

[herpinjim]

The P terribilis that were being kept were captive bred. The first person I talked to mentioned a slight burning reaction on their hands after handling their frog. I didn't know this person very well and just talked to him in passing. The second person to mention a reaction from P terribilis to me is a curator at a aza accredited zoo. I would mention the name, but don't know if he has plans on publishing anything on it or not. Ive personally have never kept P terribilis or even handled one.

[Kurt]

Works fine for me.

Still not working for me, for some reason.

[Mike]

A paper published by John Daly in Science (1980) showed that WC terribilis maintained toxicity after being in captivity for several years but at the same time that F1's produced by then in captivity were not toxic. I don't have the reference on hand but will find it later.

[Tom Highum]

Wait were those frogs attacking the persons fingers? I was under the assumption that darts were kind shy and not aggressive to large things.

[John]

Phyllobates terribilis and P. bicolor are without doubt the most bold of all poison dart frogs.

[Mike]

Wait were those frogs attacking the persons fingers? I was under the assumption that darts were kind shy and not aggressive to large things.

Well I wouldn't say attacking, more like they thought the fingers were food and tried to eat them . Some darts are shy while others are bolder. But I would really classify any of them as aggressive to humans.

[Purpleskull]

That is actually kind of interesting. I think I asked something related to this in my intro. I guess CB are ok but stresses them out. Do all frogs get stressed?

[Kurt]

They all can become stressed and the degree of stress will depend on the species and the situation.

[Alpha Pro Breeders]

Terribilis are the most aggressive eaters I know. I've had them jump inside of my feeding cup on several occasions. Never noticed any toxicity at all the few times I had to grab them when they jumped out while feeding. Boldest dart frog I own, always out in the open.

Well I wouldn't say attacking, more like they thought the fingers were food and tried to eat them . Some darts are shy while others are bolder. But I would really classify any of them as aggressive to humans.

[Mike]

But I would really classify any of them as aggressive to humans.

Meant to say wouldn't.