Home | Livestock | Shop | Care Sheets | Feeding | Health | Articles | Q&A | Gallery | Events Diary | Guest Book | Links | Forum

Care Sheet: Yellow and Black Poison-arrow Frog ( Dendrobates leucomelas)

Common Name: Yellow and Black Poison-arrow Frog, Bumblebee Poison-arrow Frog.

Scientific Name: Dendrobates leucomelas.

Distribution: Venezuela and eastern Guyana.

Size: 3.5 - 4cm.

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.

Coloration: These stocky little frogs are marked with a glossy black background, with variable deep yellow or orange bands and blotches.

Requirements: These small frogs are fairly territorial and do best in a large terrarium. A 15-gallon tank would be adequate for a group of 4 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, Orchids) can be arranged to provide a number of climbing, perching and hiding places. A large shallow 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 28-30°C with a drop at night to 25-26°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 sterilized 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, waxworm, ants, termites, and fruitflies. A calcium and vitamin supplement should be used once a week. Young frogs will take hatchling crickets, whiteworm, aphids, springtails and fruitflies, these should be fed several times a day and a calcium and vitamin supplement used two-three times a week.