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Care Sheet: Striped Poison Frog (Phyllobates vittatus)

Common Name: Striped Poison-arrow Frog, Golfodulcean Poison-arrow Frog.

Scientific Name: Phyllobates vittatus.

Distribution: Costa Rica.

Size: 3cm.

Sexing: It is quite difficult to determine the sex of these frogs, the most reliable way is if the males can be heard calling for a mate or to mark its territory. Females do tend to have a more rounded body shape but this is not always reliable.

Colouration: The dorsum of these beautiful little frogs is a glossy black, with two wide golden yellow/orange dorsolateral stripes. The limbs are a mottled green colour.

Requirements: These small frogs are very territorial and so require a fairly large terrarium. A 15-gallon tank would be adequate for a group of 4 - 6 adults. They require a well-planted woodland type set-up with a substrate of bark chips or topsoil covered with live moss. Furnishings such as logs, cork bark and live plants (Ferns, Bromeliads, Tillandsia, and Orchids) can be arranged to provide a number of climbing, perching and hiding places. A small water bowl (no deeper than the frog's height at rest) must be provided with clean de-chlorinated or spring water. The water will need to be changed daily to avoid the build up of ammonia and bacteria in the water whilst changing the water it is a good idea to visually inspect the tank and remove, clean and replace any soiled items. The tank will need to be heated to a daytime temperature of 25 - 28°C with a drop at night to 20 - 22°C this can be done with an under-tank heat-mat controlled by a thermostat. It is not advisable to use spot / heat lamps with amphibians and so a separate light source should be provided by the means of a fluorescent UVB tube. Once every two-three weeks the tank and its contents should be completely cleaned and sterilised using an amphibian / reptile friendly disinfectant.

Feeding: Adult frogs require feeding every day, they will take a mixture of suitably sized insects including small crickets, ants, termites, whiteworm, and fruitflies. A calcium and vitamin supplement should be used once a week. Young frogs will take hatchling crickets, aphids, springtails and fruitflies, these should be fed several times a day and a calcium and vitamin supplement used two-three times a week.