How To Set Up A Dart Frog Terrarium

Q: How Humid Should My Poison Dart Frog Terrarium Be?

Poison dart frogs do best in temperatures of 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Daytime temperatures between 75°F and 84°F (23.5°C to 29°C). Lighting: Frogs need light to see their food, and full spectrum lighting is needed to maintain the plants.

Q: What Type of Lighting to Use for Dart Frog Terrarium?

The best lighting right now is LED lighting. If you're on a budget, look at beamswork 6500K LED lights, preferably the ones with 3W bulbs. If you're looking for a day/night cycle, I would go with the Finnex 24/7.

Q: Do Dart Frog Tadpoles Eat Spirulina When in a Terrarium?

Yes they do. 2 to 3 ml of Spirulina suspension per 30 tadpoles daily is sufficient for them. High in beta carotene, vitamin A, B, C, and E (spirulina is one of the highest natural sources for vitamin B12), this green powder is very nutrient dense

Dart frogs, also known as Poison Dart Frogs, are some of the most poisonous reptiles there are out there. They are usually noticeable by their bright colours. Though don’t be fooled by them as they use these bright colours to attract their prey.

Just like any other reptile, the Dart Frog belongs to the tropical forest where it remains humid, almost hard to picture one without the other. In this case, a terrarium with tropical plants and high humidity would be best suited to rare these cute little frogs. However, how do you ensure that your terrarium is built to perfection? Here are the items we listed to help you make your first dart frog terrarium

1. Dart Frog Care

Although it may look hard, caring for your dart frog is relatively easy. However, certain living conditions should not be neglected. For instance, dart frogs actually prefer temperatures around 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This would be the ideal temperature, as anything above 85 degrees will be deadly for your frogs. To prevent this, you can set up your terrarium first before placing your frogs in while monitoring the temperature. Once you get the green flag, only then do you put your frogs in.

Another thing you should keep in mind is the humidity in your dart frog terrarium. As mentioned, dart frogs live in tropical forests where water and moisture are in high concentration. Do make sure there is a sustainable amount of humidity in your terrarium.

2. Poison Dart Frog For Sale

Dart frogs are relatively rare to be seen in pet stores as they are poisonous. However, if you are looking for them, you might be able to find them from only sellers. The price ranges from as low as $34.99 to $299.99. Due to the huge price gap, we suggest you go for a cheaper one if this is your first attempt caring for Dart Frogs. If you made any mistakes, at least you wouldn’t be too disappointed about it.

Thought bare in mind that you should only purchase these tropical frogs from reputable sellers only. You can identify each of them by looking at their reviews and sales history.

3. Dart Frog Terrarium Plants

There are numerous plants which you can choose from which are safe for your Dart Frogs, such as pothos, ficus vines, tropical gingers and bromeliads. These plants will be able to set the environment in your terrarium for your frogs. On the other hand, it also serves as an eye-catching display for you. Bromeliads may stand out more due to their bright colours, which is favourable for dart frogs to homologue themselves in case of danger.

4. How Do You Make The Dart Frog Terrarium

4a. Container

One of the many things which you should first consider is the size of your dart frog terrarium. It is most suggested that you decide on the terrarium size depending on the number of dart frogs you are about to have. Obviously, you would want it to be horizontally extensive. Although a 10-gallon aquarium offers enough room to keep a pair of many poison frog species, an enclosure this small limits the ways you can landscape and plant your terrarium. If you are new to terrarium building, I recommend starting with something around the size of a 20-gallon high aquarium or slightly larger

Another important thing you should take note of is the type of container. We suggest you get an aquarium with a top opening instead. This is because of the humidity the frogs and plants need in the terrarium. Having a top opening terrarium will be able to trap the vapour from overflowing as it is locked tight when closed. On the other hand, it would be much easier for you to manage the frogs as they wouldn’t be able to jump out directly from the front.

The container should not have any ventilation system as well. Do remember that you are building a terrarium and not an aquarium. You will want to trap the vapour in it instead of releasing it. Hence, a water-proof and non ventilated aquarium would be the best option for you.

5.Design and Plants

Designing is one of the most entertaining parts of making your dart frog terrarium. You would want to make a terrarium that is not only pleasing to the eye but also suitable for your dart frogs to live in. Start by designing the background. This is to set an overall theme for your terrarium. We suggest going for something rocky as it portraits the side of a cliff or waterfall.

Next, you want to place your plants carefully. Plants are what makes the terrarium a whole. The plants will be able to cycle the water in the terrarium, ensuring that humidity is maintained. Though you should not rely on this to be a water source for your dart frogs as water may still deplete. On the plus side, when your dart frog excretes, it provides nitrate to the plants in it.

Choose dried wood barks to be placed around your plants. Your dart frogs would need a platform for it to rest on. Having just plants would make the terrarium look flat and overly plain. If you don’t mind going the extra mile, try making a small pond in it. Frogs are amphibians, which means they can both live on land and water. Having a little pond or swamp for it to swim in emphasized more into the ecosystem which they are living in.

5a. Lighting and Temperature

As previously mentioned, dart frogs are best suited under specific temperatures. Hence if your living area is in a rather hot state, you can consider investing in a small cooler to cool your dart frog terrarium. This ensures that they are constantly living at the right temperature. On the other hand, artificial lighting will be able to control the overall light that is exposed to your terrarium. Dart frogs are living things too, which means they need sleep. Having constant light would mean death for any living thing if they can’t sleep. However, if you really have to open your artificial lighting 24/7, consider adding more shaded leaves or a dimmer light to your terrarium.

FAQ

How Humid Should My Poison Dart Frog Terrarium Be?

Poison dart frogs do best in temperatures of 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Daytime temperatures between 75°F and 84°F (23.5°C to 29°C). Lighting: Frogs need light to see their food, and full spectrum lighting is needed to maintain the plants.

What Type of Lighting to Use for Dart Frog Terrarium?

The best lighting right now is LED lighting. If you’re on a budget, look at beamswork 6500K LED lights, preferably the ones with 3W bulbs. If you’re looking for a day/night cycle, I would go with the Finnex 24/7.

How to Set Up a Dart Frog Terrarium?

There are a few factors; the environment, the humidity, the lighting and temperature, design and plants and the container. Once you have you set these up, then you are ready to give home to your dart frog.

Do Dart Frog Tadpoles Eat Spirulina When in a Terrarium?

Yes they do. 2 to 3 ml of Spirulina suspension per 30 tadpoles daily is sufficient for them. High in beta carotene, vitamin A, B, C, and E (spirulina is one of the highest natural sources for vitamin B12), this green powder is very nutrient dense

How to Drain Terrarium Dart Frog

Use a turkey baster. Hold it to the end with me fingers. Then tsqueeze a bit to get the vacuum coming. And once you’ve got that the water will start to drain from the tank. Repeat as necessary.

Conclusion

Hopefully, through that, were you able to get a general idea of how to make a dart frog terrarium. However, we do remind you that you should only attempt to rare these creatures if you have the time and capability too. A dart frog has lived, and it should not be treated as a plaything.