Green and Black Poison Dart Frog Dendrobate auratus Various Dart Pics Mint! The Green and Black Poison Dart Frog or Dendrobate auratus is a beautiful, brightly colored frog from the family Dendrobatidae.   In the wild some poison dart species are toxic enough to kill a man.  In captivity however, they don't get the same food required to help produce the toxins, making them harmless to their owners.  Priced fairly, this species is easily maintained and bred in captivity. Green and Black Poison Dart Frog-Dendrobate auratus Origin-Costa Rica and Columbia Size-1.5" Temperment/Handling-Though believed to be harmless, you should never come in direct hand contact with any of the poison dart frogs.  It isn't good for your frog, and possibly not good for you either.  Use a small cup or container for any necessary handling. Hardiness-A pretty hardy species, as long as you have plenty of fruit flies and are careful not to over heat. Housing-Poison Darts do well in glass tanks with a well secured screen lid covered 3/4 with saran wrap or with standard glass aquarium lids that have had air holes drilled out of the plastic backing. They can climb when humidity is just right and may escape if given the chance.  Setup possibilities are endless, just depending on how fancy and how much work you want the cage to be.  I recommend a 10gal aquarium for 1-3 Darts or a 20gal aquarium for up to 6.  Papertowel or Quarantine-This setup is just how it sounds, a very simple setup consisting of the bare minimun.  A few layers of moist paper towels, a water dish just big enough for the darts to soak in, a small hide spot and possibly a branch to climb on.  Soil or Vivarium-I use jungle mix bought from local pet stores for my Darts.  Start by placing a 1" layer of rinsed aquarium gravel throughout the enclosure.  Then pour 3"-4" of the soil mixture leaving a slight slope forward.  Make sure to include a shallow dish such as a petri dish covered with a coconut hut to use as a soaking/swimming/hiding area. Decide where you want to place the plants and start digging.  Plant them about 1/2" over the layer of gravel.  Pesticide and fertilizer free pothos and bromeliads are great for vivariums.  You should cover the soil with half moss and half orchid bark. Moss covering will help to keep the water dish/swimming area clean by keeping most soil off the amphibians feet.  Finally add another coconut hut at the other end for more hiding choices.  My Preference-I keep my darts in the attractive vivarium set up.  It is very self sufficent, and rarely needs cleaned. Enclosure maintenance-Papers should be changed as often as possible, removing fecal matter daily.  Soil substrates can be changed every few months making sure to remove fecal (poop) matter when deemed necessary. A well planted vivarium requires more thought at setup but helps to maintain itself much longer. Check all electrical devices as often as possible to help prevent fire hazards.  Lighting-I use a fluorescent bulb suspended above  the enclosure.  The lights should be left on 12hrs a day throughout the summer months and 9-10 hrs a day in the winter.  I recommend keeping all lighting on a timer, it saves the hassle of manually turning on and off the lights every day. Heat/Temp-Darts do well at 74F-80F during the day and 73F-77F at night.  The flourescant lights may add a couple degrees to the tank. Most homes are kept within the proper temperature range requiring very little if any additional heat. Humidity/Water-Amphibians absorb much of their moisture through their skin. Only use spring water or tap water that has been aged for at least 24 hours.  Do not use distilled water or water directly from the sink. Shallow soaking containers as well as daily misting should provide the necessary 80% to 100% humidity. Darts rarely will sit in water, often times entering for a quick dip, and running back out to explore. Diet/Food-D. auratus can be maintained on a diet consisting on flightless or wingless fruit flies.  Keep this in mind when purchasing a dart, as flies may be difficuly to purchase in some areas. It is easy to keep a extra stock of fruit flies on hand. Reptile shows sell a mixture for raising your own. You will loose flies when feeding, but it will cause no harm. Insects should be supplemented or lightly coated (the easiest way is in a small cup) with vitamins and minerals. The proper use of supplements is essential to your frogs health. I use Rep-cal Calcium/vitD3, Herptivite, and  Miner-All. All can be found at any pet store. Some people use a mix of two parts vitamin/mineral to one part calcium or calcium/D3 supplement. I prefer to offer mine seperately. Food should be offer 5-6 times a week.   Sexing- Other-Pretty like a mint.  Disclaimer-Everything on this page is a matter of my personal opinion.  This care sheet is merely meant to help get you started.  Always do lots of other research and do what is in the best interest of you and your pet. Last Updated-03/13/03 Aaron Downing            ReptileAaron@aol.com  https://www.angelfire.com/me4/pets