Care guide
Caring for frogs
This guide covers Dyeing poison dart frog and the other species that need the same care. Ask the seller about anything particular to Dyeing poison dart frog.
- Kind
- Frog
- Adult size
- About 5 cm
- Typical lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Eats
- Insects
- Handling
- Best watched, not handled
- Suits
- Some experience
- Temperatures
- 22–26°C
- Humidity
- 80–100%
- UVB lighting
- Needed
- CITES
- Appendix II
Pet frogs, from pacman frogs to dart frogs, need stable humidity and temperature, dechlorinated water, and live insects. Most are best watched rather than handled.
Skin and water
Frogs absorb water and chemicals through their skin. Use dechlorinated water for misting and soaking, and never handle them with lotion or soap on your hands.
Enclosure
Tree frogs need tall enclosures with branches and plants; dart frogs do well in planted, misted vivariums; pacman frogs need a shallow, damp substrate to burrow in.
Keep most frogs between about 22 and 28°C; overheating is dangerous.
Diet
Feed live, gut-loaded insects dusted with calcium and vitamins. Dart frogs need tiny insects such as fruit flies and springtails.
Disease and dart frogs
Chytrid fungus has killed frogs worldwide. Buy only captive-bred frogs and ask if the seller swab-tests for chytrid. Captive-bred dart frogs aren't toxic because their toxins come from wild insects.
Further reading
General information to help you prepare, not veterinary advice. Every animal is different: ask an experienced vet about yours. Reviewed by PerfectPal on November 2, 2026.