Dendrobates tinctorius
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
Dyeing poison dart frogs are vividly coloured, day-active amphibians that reward a carefully built bioactive vivarium with fascinating natural behaviour, provided humidity and live-food supply are kept meticulously consistent.
DendrobatidaeLifespan 10–15 years in captivityCare complexity 4/5Not a beginner animal
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Dendrobates tinctorius
- Family
- Dendrobatidae
- Origin
- Rainforest floor of the Guiana Shield in northern South America
- Lifespan
- 10–15 years in captivity
- Adult size
- 4–5 cm
- Weight
- Not typically measured
- Temperament
- Bold and diurnally active for a frog, but stress-sensitive to handling
- Activity level
- Moderate; active foraging through the day, unusual among amphibians
- Social needs
- Can be kept in compatible groups in a sufficiently large, well-planted vivarium
- Intelligence
- Learns feeding cues and territory boundaries
- Noise
- Quiet clicking or buzzing calls from males
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Bioactive glass vivarium at least 45 x 45 x 60 cm for a small group, densely planted with leaf litter
- Space requirement
- Floor area with abundant cover, live plants and multiple retreats
- Temperature
- 22–26°C; overheating above 28°C is dangerous
- Humidity
- 80–100%, maintained with automated misting or a drainage layer and manual spraying
- Exercise
- Provided by a spacious, densely planted floor area
- Grooming
- Not applicable
Diet and feeding
Live flightless fruit flies and springtails, dusted with vitamin and calcium supplement
Behaviour and compatibility
Diurnal foraging, territorial calling by males, egg-guarding and tadpole transport on the back
- With children
- Look-only pet; captive-bred individuals are not toxic like wild ones, but handling still causes serious stress and skin damage
- With other animals
- Keep only with other Dendrobates of compatible temperament; never with predatory species
- Training difficulty
- Not applicable
Health
- Chytrid fungus
- Bacterial infections from poor water quality
- Metabolic bone disease from inadequate supplementation
Needs an amphibian-experienced reptile vet; handling for examination should be minimised and gloved
Special care requirements
Captive-bred dart frogs lose their toxicity because it depends on a wild alkaloid diet, but they remain delicate and should never be handled routinely