Painted Frogs do best when housed in a naturalistic vivarium, consisting of live plants, soil, leaf litter, and a drainage layer to keep the substrate from becoming too saturated. In a well-designed setup, this creates an ecosystem where the frogs’ waste is utilized by the plants.
Painted Frogs are very active and enjoy as much floor space as can be provided. “Floor space” can consist of a custom background, the sides of the terrarium, vines, driftwood, plants, etc and not just the floor. They will utilize just about every inch of “floor space” in a terrarium. Depending on the species they may prefer a horizontal or a vertically-oriented tank, although all Painted Frogs will climb to some extent.
We strongly recommend against mixing different Painted Frog species in the same enclosure. They each come from unique and separate geographic locations, and each type has different adult sizes and territorial behaviors.
68-78 degrees. Temperatures above 80 degrees should be avoided.
80% humidity and higher are required. A glass top on a glass tank is the best way to achieve this in addition to misting the enclosure as necessary.
Painted Frogs stay hydrated by simply being in a very humid environment, and absorb moisture through their skin. They are also very poor swimmers, so it’s best to avoid traditional water bowls and just keep the tank properly misted down. Misting systems are a great way to ensure proper humidity and moisture levels in the tank and vastly reduces the maintenance.Fruit flies are the primary food item, but Painted Frogs will also eat pinhead crickets along with beneficial microfauna such as springtails and isopods (think of them as edible janitors). Painted Frogs have a high metabolism and should be fed at least 3 times a week, but will readily eat every day. It is essential that their food be dusted with a quality calcium and multivitamin supplement.
It is often more cost effective to culture your own feeder bugs, and can be done with relative ease.
In a proper environment, the waste of the frogs will be broken down by the microfauna (which are also a food source for the frogs) and absorbed by the plants. The only maintenance then consists of feeding the frogs, pruning the plants, and draining water from the drainage layer as needed.
Even though the Painted Frogs do not produce toxins in captivity, their skin is delicate and can absorb harmful substances on our skin, so they should never be handled recreationally.
Calcium deficiency – Symptoms of calcium deficiency include hind limb paralysis, complete paralysis, spasms, seizures, and skeletal deformities.
Painted Frog
Painted Frogs find their homes in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. There are over 150 different species of Painted Frog, all with their own unique coloration, behavior, and geographic range. Painted Frogs feed on tiny insects and arthropods that live in the leaf litter of the forest floor. These little bugs contain a cocktail of different chemicals that the frogs synthesize into toxins that are secreted through their skin. The Painted Frogs use their vibrant coloration to warn predators of these poisons. Some species of Painted Frog are exceptionally poisonous, and contain some of the most potent toxins on the planet. Certain tribal people use the frogs’ poison to coat their blow darts for hunting. Because of this, Painted Frogs are often called Poison Dart Frogs.
Fortunately, captive bred Painted Frogs are unable to produce those toxins, because they are not fed the same insects that they would naturally eat in the wild.
Size: up to 2”
Lifespan: 8-20 years
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Diurnal