Newbie needing opinions

[hara]

Hello folks,
I have always admired the dart frogs. I never researched keeping them before as a long time ago, someone had discouraged me by telling me they were exceptionally difficult. I was at the LFS and the owner of the store had a pair of very young frogs on the counter. I do not think he was exceptionally knowledgeable about them but he almost had me convinced to take them home. Instead I came home and started reading. I am to the point I have myself thoroughly confused
Below is a picture of what I came up with today. It is a 10 gallon tank. I do have a very well established 30 gallon terrarium with a half buried table top fountain in it as a water feature, but it is my understanding that the froglets need something smaller so as to make finding the food easier. The lid on this 10 gallon is a solid piece of 1/4 inch glass. I intend on adding moss and maybe a couple larger leafed plants for sheltering under. I know about the supplements to dust the flies and crickets..I am however, a little confused about water. Some places I read imply the frogs drown easily. What is the best for this set up? A shallow bowl?

I am including a photo of the terrarium as well, just in case you think it is the better way to go now.
Thanks in advance for the help.

[jptrunk]

looks great need some moss and a coco hut

[Patricia Slayton]

Darts are efficient hunters and do not drown easily in water. They can all swim efficiently enough to get back to land if there is an egress, even in very deep water. The drowning reports have been mostly from fighting--one frog holding another under in shallow water, and this has been reported mostly among the tinctorius females. If you pick a specie that gets along in groups, or obtain a mated pair, you won't have this problem.

However, it is usually recommended that you keep young froglets in small, simple containers for a couple of months. These containers can be a plastic shoe box with damp paper towels for a substrate, or critter keepers with the vents sealed with clear shipping tape or Saran Wrap, etc., to insure high humidity, leaving the center lid free for feeding. You can add some plant cuttings and leaves for shelter, a small deli-cup on its side with some water and a few leaves, etc. This way, you can monitor the feeding and eating, as well as the general health of the frogs more closely, until you're sure they are doing well. I also quarantine newly purchased juveniles or adult frogs this way for a few weeks before putting them together in their vivarium habitat.

I know Patrick (Saurian) now recommends keeping each frog quarantined separately, although I still don't do this. But it's a good idea.

If you have the proper humidity between 80 and 100 percent, temperatures between 65 at night and not over 80 during the day, mist them daily, most darts aren't hard to keep at all. A water feature is nice to have, but it is not essential. You can get more fancy later, and there will be a "later," because these little gems are as addictive as crystal meth.

[hara]

Thanks for the replies. I got my frog last night. I put it in the 10 gallon as I was also paranoid about temperature and humidity and felt like this was to only way to monitor it without driving the poor frog batty..I bought the two guages and they are mounted in the tank...I put a heating pad under the tank and set it on low, I got up several times during the night and the temperature seems to stay at a constant 78-80. There is an inch of sand and 2 inches of soil so it should stay fairly stable (I hope).

I fed it this morning, it was already out and about, I saw it eat one fly and then didnt seem too concerned about hunting any others. Then I had to go to work..should I feed again this evening? or is once a day enough?

Here are pics of the finished habitat and the new guy/gal? Can someone help me decide which color variant it is? Thanks for the patience with a newbie.

[jptrunk]

Looks like a great blue and black. remember they tend to be shy frogs

[hara]

what is the trick to getting the little crickets out of the critter keeper!?! I am sure no one chases the little buggers around like I am. (I have the fruit fly thing down ok)

[Patricia Slayton]

If you put some cut-up pieces of cardboard egg cartons upside down in your critter keeper, the crickets will tend to collect on the underside of it. You can just remove a section of this and then tap them off into your tank.

[hara]

thank you!