Dart Den
Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...
Dart Den

Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

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Some beginner Questions
#1
Hi as you can imagine i am a beginner to the dart frog hobby i have been rather keen on getting an exo terra 40x40x60, is this a bad idea? should i get a custom one which is already planted and fitted etc. i would like to small time breed these frogs but i have no idea what i would b doing. i am not sure whether to go for thumbnail species or larger species are thumbnails really tiny? or is it better to go for a bigger species? i was rather interested in the varadero species i thought they looked stunning! how do i setup a background in which i can stick plants in? Is it worth getting orchids and other plants or will they just wither and die, i don't know how to care for plants. Is it worth buying a £60 misting system or should i just use a spray bottle? that will do for now i still have a ton of questions but i do realize i have already overloaded u! any advice at all is appreciated. I am only 13 btw and have limited space.
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#2
Welcome to Dart Den !

There are @ 10 other active U.K members here and they will probably PM you with more help.

Exoterras are excellent choices. That particular size tank is a little on the small side. You should buy the next larger model as it will house a trio (three) of frogs much better.

"Thumbnail" size frogs are not recommended for beginners as they are so small and have several other concerns that a new hobbyist should not have to worry about. Go with azureus, Tincs, auratus or leucomelas as your first frog - they are bigger and easier to care for in an overall way.

Orchids are something you will need to become very knowledgeable about before you try them - many species do not do well in dart frog vivariums. Not a good beginner plant.

Use a spray bottle - no need for a misting system costing over 100.00 to start with.

Please have a look at all the beginner threads / stickies .If you see an existing thread, go ahead and tack your question onto it and we will be sure to see it and help answer.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#3
thnx the main reason i wanted thumbnails was because most of them were arboreal, are there arboreal species of larger frog?
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#4
I think I got the centimeters conversions wrong on your tank......that looks to be the larger tank and should be fine.

Even the thumbnails are found to be 50/50 - found in the upper part of the tank as well as in and amongst the leaf litter on the ground.

Dart Frogs are not like tree frogs. They really are not arboreal. When you get a chance to look at their feet, you will see they more "walkers" than "climbers". The species mentioned above WILL climb and spend some time in the upper portions of a tank.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#5
thnx, is there anything i will need to start breeding these frogs?? as in i have seen lots glass shelves you can buy with lots of individual tadpole holding squares.
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#6
There's not a lot of "big $$" purchases other than the tank ect - to get you started.

Here's a U.K Group thread with 6 other Brits. PM them and ask them for locations in England to buy goods and frogs.

u-s-regional-groups-shows-gatherings-and-events-f40/u-k-froggers-here-t4584.html

It would help to introduce yourself and list a location in your profile as well.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#7
umm how do i list a location on my profile?
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#8
I see ya got it....
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#9
how do i make a background that i can stick plants like bromeliads into??? what do i need? :?:
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#10
There's a few ways. You can use great stuff, kitty litter w/moss to make it a clayish texture, cork or gorilla glue. Im sure more people will chime in on the details of how to go about using each one. I used great stuff for my 55g, just because its so big.
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#11
i am struggling to get my head round misting with the right water, do i hav to buy an expensive ro system? will my aquarium water de-chlorinater work? should i buy lots of bottled water? should i get lots of tap water and let it stand for a few days? plz help me on this one!
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#12
I have an RO unit. You do not need this. You can just buy 1 gallon of DI water. It will last longer than you think. I dont like the de-chlorinater stuff, but thats just because Im a reef guy. It could work but I really dont know. Never used it.
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#13
hi.

This thread will give you an idea of what to look up in the forums. A checklist , if you will. I tried to look up my post here, but Phil renamed it and took it as his own, so I had to cite the DF thread.

The search function is your friend. Each and every single question you have asked is answerred many. many times here and elsewhere. Good luck.

P.S. , also, as suggested before , and intro would be nice , so we know exactly who we are 'talking to'...
Darts with parasites are analogous to mixed tanks, there are no known benefits to the frogs with either.


If tone is more important to you than content, you are at the wrong place.

My new email address is: rich.frye@icloud.com and new phone number is 773 577 3476
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#14
Here it is Rich...

beginner-questions-and-comments-f27/potential-dart-frog-hobbyist-read-this-first-t4134.html

oh..and whats that ? A credit to the author ? It's been there for months and months.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#15
i went to a reptile shop and they said that keeping fruit flies are a nightmare, especially in an exo terra tank, they said that they escape really easily. What should i do???
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#16
They are incorrect.

Fruit flies are easy to culture and deal with - MUCH easier than crickets. Culturing and dusting them DOES take a bit of practice and confidence. Thousands of Dart Frog hobbyists culture FF with no problems.

Some of the larger black coloured flies - Hydei species, are known to climb and escape more than most of the smaller melanogaster - which is the type we recommend to new hobbyists.

You can also cut some clear aquarium airline tubing down the center and pop that onto your glass door edges and silicone some screen mesh to the exoterras for some modifications if you wish.

Fruit flies and possible escapes are no biggie compared to the joy and rewards of keeping Dart Frogs IMO.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#17
I was thinking and I am not sure if I should switch from getting the arboreal viv or going wiv a more terrestrial vivarium, any thoughts?
also, I went to London zoo to see the leucomelas thy had there and I noticed that there were 2 lizards in the tank with them. If you happen to know anything about these lizards i would love to know, i don't know there name though Smile.
regards reuben
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#18
The type of viv is dependant on whats best for the type of dart you want. For most beginners, leucs, arautus and azureus are good frogs to start with, all of which would use a more terrestrial tank. Pick the frog first, and then that will determine your tank.
Derek
1.5 kids and a bunch of frogs
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#19
I am not sure how to purify the water I wil be using for misting etc. I considered an r.o system but decided I didn't have space and that it was too complicated, what would you guys recommend?
any idea on lizards you can put in with dart frogs in a viv, it did look really cool!

regards reuben
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#20
Buy RO or Distilled water (misting only) from your local grocery store shelves.

Lizards and most other animals make very poor additions to a small vivarium containing a dart frog. It will almost assuredly end in - Fail.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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