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Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

What has changed in the past 10 yrs?
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What has changed in the past 10 yrs?
#1
What has changed in the pdf hobby in the past 10 or so years that you can think of?

When I got into the pdf hobby in 2002, I remember that most of the vivariums had some form of pillow moss as the top layer of the substrate. There didn't seem to be much emphasis on adding microfauna to the tanks. Of course, nowadays, leaf litter is the top layer of choice, focusing on magnolia leaves because they don't break down as quickly as others. IMO, I'd rather keep adding leaf litter that breaks down and provides food for the springs and the isopods. I get a kick out of watching my Leucs peak under leaves for springs - they are so so so stealthy.....

What else has changed in the hobby over the years?
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#2
By far the biggest upgrades in the last ten yrs are the Boards, Better Obligate Husbandry, The expansion of feeders, leaflitter and living vivs.

Michael
Everyday I meet someone I dislike, are you today's pick? If you dislike me it's because somethings wrong with you!

Don't Be A Hybridiot!
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#3
Can't argue that at all, especially the feeders. How about tank size/lighting? Plants? Water features? What else?
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#4
Leaf Litter instead of moss

ABG and Clay substrates more widespread

More supps - Vits

Larger vivs recommended for general husbandry and more front opening options available
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#5
The assortment of available frogs, and ones that are not so readily available any longer.
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#6
One thing that surprised me when I got back on the boards was the genus changes. It took me a while to get used to Oophaga.-
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#7
Kirsti I've had a 30 yr lay off so this is tricky as i don't quite know when stuff was implemented,ha but you guys will sort that.

1. the design of the euro viv you guys call it,bottom and top vents,less condensation the ability to see your charges.

2. misting systems.

3. enhanced vit supps.

4. froggers have turned into guys that breed bugs...not guys that hunt bugs.

5. Better availability of more suitable plants,and an awareness of SAFER plants.

6. the god damn interweb ...a guy in a hovel like me being able to quiz guys that have got the T shirt bred stuff and actually seen a rainforest,even if they live across the pond....COOL huh!!!

7. A greater appreciation of subs. and their implication to our froggies.

8. documented accounts of how to go about rearing darts,and specific implications to specific species.

9. the awareness of how to set a viv up for a given species.

10. the plethora of known safe methods of creating a viv. background.

and finally a greater awareness of how important our phibs are as barometers of an ecosystem and the heartbreak of chytrid,that once again we are probably responsible for as above rusty on the dates will gladly stand corrected,but i guess that's what i see.

regards,
Stu
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#8
That's a heck of a list, Stu, and very well thought out. I'm curious about something, and it might be for a different thread, but I'll ask anyway. Are there different flavors of darts across the pond than reside here? I love your mysteriosus, but I don't think they can be found here in the states.
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#9
guppygal Wrote:That's a heck of a list, Stu, and very well thought out. I'm curious about something, and it might be for a different thread, but I'll ask anyway. Are there different flavors of darts across the pond than reside here? I love your mysteriosus, but I don't think they can be found here in the states.
I think so Kisti,i'm a beginner so its difficult,you guys cannot keep mysties its against your laws,so i'm told,kiddo there is a thread about this posted by edward static,you'll get a lot of thoughts there .Mysties were originally smuggled out of Peru in the ninties,i believe they are legal here, ours are captive bred here,this is gonna derail your thead abit mate!!Anyway casti can be found here freely advetised too but again there is legal debate over you guys having them,as best i understand stuff, frogs from Brazil...galacs for example have never been legally exported,maybe even the humble leuc from venezuela,i think this thread about mysties is on this very section. Histrionica/us is available here in some forms as over there i don't know which are legal and which not,AGAIN from what i understand columbia exported some morphs years ago, some guys breed these and the progeny of these are legal,it appears that other frogs later have been taken from columbia,these are not legal,here or i think over there. Kirsti these matters are troubling for all of us,the lack of a paper trail i think is paramount in this, because Mysties are in trouble in their native land and because we care deeply about wild darts its our intention to chuck a percentage of any darts we rear and sell back at some phib conservation body. Because of the need for honest open discussion about this Phil put our pic of the mysties up as POTM i believe,yup it is a nice shot and hugely flattering,but the bigger picture is also at work here. Reasoned open honest debate needs to take place on these matters within our hobby,its a complicated subject for novices to understand,i have heard thoughts that macheto and another tinc,i think Lafunnee fall in this bracket,again i'll gladly stand corrected,its very confusing as different countries have different laws.
regards
Stu
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#10
Wow, what a wicked web.... How long have you been in the hobby? I have to agree with open and honest conversation, but there's a lot other stuff that goes on instead. The frogs are the most important issue to discuss; the education of new hobbyists is a close 2nd, and I'm sure that I'll be corrected if I'm wrong - maybe.

Unless somebody else has something to add, I guess it's safe to say that the poison dart hobby has been status quo since at least 2002.

Great stuff, Stu - thanks!
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#11
guppygal Wrote:Wow, what a wicked web.... How long have you been in the hobby? I have to agree with open and honest conversation, but there's a lot other stuff that goes on instead. The frogs are the most important issue to discuss; the education of new hobbyists is a close 2nd, and I'm sure that I'll be corrected if I'm wrong - maybe.

Unless somebody else has something to add, I guess it's safe to say that the poison dart hobby has been status quo since at least 2002.

Great stuff, Stu - thanks!
Hey Kirsti,I kept many of the basic amphibians as a child,hlya cineria/versicolor? Salamandra salamandra Xenopus leavis,and also opperated a rearing programme of taking a tiny bit of native spawn Rana temporia and also Bufo bufo,and messing with the odds would rear lots and then put back...my mission to spread them about...now that would be foolhardy and unwise with things like chytrid and ranovrirus then as a kid,intentions were good and it worked hugely so.I messed with amphibians for around 7/8 yrs i guess,not sure exactly. I actually discount what that kid(me) learnt but that little sod haunts me :lol:
Around june 2 yrs ago i got it into my head via a friend,whom new about my previous misdemeanors,that me and my lady,might set upon breeding darts,it would be good for her,(she's not well) and i'm already nuts about this stuff. We got our first darts after much reading learning and erm building stuff :oops: on feb 25th this year. Now tis head down go for it,total focus,on both counts,we are a good team,different thought processes that compliment.Ha its was meant to be a slow and gradual build up,maybe think about breeding next year,bought some young superblues as you know,but its seems nobody told them breeding was next year.
ah well we get to play tads/baby frogs now
bring it on
Stu
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#12
Hey, I think it's super cool that you and your lady both enjoy the hobby. There's lots of 'kids' where one digs the frogs, and the other simply tolerates them. I'm very lucky that my husband enjoys the pdf hobby as well. He helps me do a lot of the building, especially the water features.

This is my first year to try my hand at thumbs. I have a lovely proven pair of Cayo Nancy and a couple of cuties - Dot and Dash - which are a sexed pair of Intermedius imitators. He has dots, she has dashes, and I believe the offspring will be in Morse code. They're a wonderful addition to my collection. Each pair has their own tank - a 20gal vert for the imis and a 29gal vert for the pumilio. I have them setup in the dining area and I get to watch them frequently. I get attached to my frogs.

I'm glad you made it into the pdf hobby - it's all good !
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#13
guppygal Wrote:Hey, I think it's super cool that you and your lady both enjoy the hobby. There's lots of 'kids' where one digs the frogs, and the other simply tolerates them. I'm very lucky that my husband enjoys the pdf hobby as well. He helps me do a lot of the building, especially the water features.

This is my first year to try my hand at thumbs. I have a lovely proven pair of Cayo Nancy and a couple of cuties - Dot and Dash - which are a sexed pair of Intermedius imitators. He has dots, she has dashes, and I believe the offspring will be in Morse code. They're a wonderful addition to my collection. Each pair has their own tank - a 20gal vert for the imis and a 29gal vert for the pumilio. I have them setup in the dining area and I get to watch them frequently. I get attached to my frogs.

I'm glad you made it into the pdf hobby - it's all good !
Sorry slow erm....dartfrogs/plants/work/vivbuilding/work/ sleep,thankyou for the last line we aim to be around for a while and all the luck with your thumbs...hmm sounds a bit like a bad session with a manicurist :roll: ,we have a pr of summersi just settling in,i'll be happy when the fella starts calling ...he's old enough!! But i'm gonna be happy enough with that,for the mo. we are experiancing a conveyer belt of eggs and tads,for some reason this week hatches of both breeding species have been hugely protracted,might be massive weather variation,we haven't a clue really,got the last little mysties tad into the water and,the auratus are laying and 2 more mysties tads from the next lot are hatched,trying to keep up,my tad gizmo if it works will be utterly inadequate,and we are gonna take shares out in a company that makes glasses :lol: .
Seriously Kristi thanks,for the warmth,we are loving it,a tiny bit bewildered by it all,but we should know better really,we graft hard with our animals and they always give us back...ace init
Stu
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#14
You want to try something cool Stu? Record barometric pressure drops with egg laying. It's a fun little project and in time you will see a pattern. Smile

http://weather.lgfl.org.uk/console.aspx

We have a major cold front and storms expected tonight. Guranteed the dishes are full over the next day or so. Feed heavily before the pressure drops. :lol:
Glenn
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#15
frogfreak Wrote:You want to try something cool Stu? Record barometric pressure drops with egg laying. It's a fun little project and in time you will see a pattern. Smile

http://weather.lgfl.org.uk/console.aspx

We have a major cold front and storms expected tonight. Guranteed the dishes are full over the next day or so. Feed heavily before the pressure drops. :lol:
Oh well i do try to stay on topic well for a while anyhow :oops: ,great shout Glen,haven't got a barometer but i feel this stuff,I work outside alot...don't like getting wet,don't get caught often!! I am aware of the tie in, I would never thought of a good feed before though!!!! I also try to up the spraying as the lows hit. I guess its just trying to stay close to nature,really good thoughts Glen melikes.....nematodes to you sir :lol: ...sorry Kirsti,he sort of made it happen
not quite guilty this time, apolologies,but i'm sure you'ld find that interesting too :roll:
Stu
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#16
I'm afraid the barometric pressure is all in my head, literally. Every time the weather changes, I get a migraine. I think I'll get my sweetie to check it out for me the next time the pressure changes. I have heard that storms will cause frogs to go nuts with their egg laying. My boys have been calling all day today. Maybe it has something to do with the tropical storm just east of us, which is super if it will bring us some rain. It's a regular symphony around here. Oh, and you know what the best part is? Today is the first day in over 2 months that we haven't been over 100 degrees farhenheit. Gosh, it sure felt good.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot - my thumbs are good to go Wink
cya!
kristi
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#17
guppygal Wrote:I'm afraid the barometric pressure is all in my head, literally. Every time the weather changes, I get a migraine. I think I'll get my sweetie to check it out for me the next time the pressure changes. I have heard that storms will cause frogs to go nuts with their egg laying. My boys have been calling all day today. Maybe it has something to do with the tropical storm just east of us, which is super if it will bring us some rain. It's a regular symphony around here. Oh, and you know what the best part is? Today is the first day in over 2 months that we haven't been over 100 degrees farhenheit. Gosh, it sure felt good.

Oh, yeah, almost forgot - my thumbs are good to go Wink
cya!
kristi
Ahh mate tis all good apart from your megraine,try acupressure,yeah i know derailment complete,there is a pressure point in your hand at the juncture of thumb and first finger,if ya get it right it'll make ya feel abit sick,but for some folks nails the head,sorry not frogs but hell,hate seeing folks suffer am sure Phil won't mind,have a look on interweb kiddo,might help!! Gonna pop up our new auratus viv pics so that'll make some amends for me misdemenors eh?
Oh and rain here our dark SB popped a double clutch of 10,perfectly seggregated 2 x 5,plus leucs calling in the middle of the day,unusual for them,but still too young, honest!!!!
best of luck with the thumbnails mate(frogs) if i don't reply when they come good kick me i want us to see
Stu
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