[yojon3000]

Hello everyone this is my first post because I just joined .
I'm 14 going to be a sophomore. I just found out(last night) that PDF can be kept as pets?
And I am really interested in them, i've always liked frogs as a kid and i would love to have a pet PDF but...
I have a few questions.(I already read the beginer threads but i still have questions D:
1. Do I HAVE to get in pairs or can they live alone?
2. Do they need uvb/heating.
3. Do theyre fruit flies need supplements? (calcium, calciumw/o d3 or more?)
if so what would a good schedule be?
4. could i use RO water i have a crested gecko and I buy RO. unless i need to
buy 2 different kinds of water
5. What is a good website to buy PDF cheap? cause i know shipping is
expensive >.<
6. I read about the bottom of the vivariums like for drainage but is there good
videos on how to setup a PDF vivarium (i think thats what its called)

sorry i have so many questions i just found out about them last night so im a big noob at these
Thanks so much
oh and what would be a good first PDF to be

 

[frogface]

1) no they don't have to be kept in pairs

2) they don't need UVB lighting or heating (unless your house gets below 60ish).

3) yes they need supplements. Vitamins and Calcium. There are a few different combinations that people use. I use Repashy products. You can also use products found in pet stores. Do a search on Supplements for more info.

4) you can use RO water. You can also use tap water if you have decent tap water and dechlorinate it.

5) you can get very nice frogs from people on this board! Depending on where you are, you may be able to avoid shipping and pick them up from a fellow frogger. Also from sponsors in the 'Sponsor Classified' section.

6) lots of good info on setting up the tank in the Construction section. Also a few videos that are probably posted there.

IMO the best dart frog to get is one that you really want.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Dart Frogs

 

[Baltimore Bryan]

I agree with Frogface. As far as what species to get, that is up to you to research and decide. If you are tight on cash, auratus, leucs, and tinctorius are good starter frogs that can generally be found easily and for under $40 each. See if you can find someone local that keeps frogs to save some money by not paying shipping, and having a backup in case the fruit fly cultures crash in an emergency.
Bryan

 

[johnyrocks]

1) They can live alone, but I keep mine in pairs.

2) No UVB/heating is needed. At the bottom of the rainforest about 95% of UVB is filtered out and it's around 70f down there.

3) I feed my flies high vitamin foods and dust them in rephasy products, but don't put your FF in over plants, the power kills plants.

4) Not sure on RO, i'd do with frogface, where I live our water has nothing in it so I just use tap.

5) Again, frogface is right. You can even get free ones on here that people might have extra of.

6) The drainage layer can ether be LECA balls (clay balls) or egg crate wrapped in wire mesh or landscape fabric (I use the fabric).

My first PDF was a luec, they're usually very bold and easy to care for.

 

[Ed]

2) No UVB/heating is needed. At the bottom of the rainforest about 95% of UVB is filtered out and it's around 70f down there.

This doesn't mean that the frogs can't use UVB to manufacture UVB...There is actually good evidence that subcanopy animals are able to synthesize D3 with a lower intensity exposure than animals living in high UVB areas. The only reason the hobby gets by without having to use UVB is because the supplements contain an adequate level of D3 for the animals.

3) I feed my flies high vitamin foods and dust them in rephasy products, but don't put your FF in over plants, the power kills plants.

If you are feeding your flies anything that contains vitamin E or tocopherols, then you are putting the frogs at risk as unlike vitamin A or D3, the flies uptake and store vitamin E and tocophorols to levels that can be several thousand times that in the media. This can result in conditional deficiencies in the frogs as vitamin E (tocopherols) compete for uptake with A and D3.

The flies also cannot have thier calcium levels increased as they are very efficient in excreting the calcium so thier base level remains the same and they have a very poor calcium to phosphorus ratio.

As for the RO it is fine to use and if you have questions as to why see http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/beginner-discussion/70300-water-discussion.html

Ed

 

[ryan10517]

yojon, glad to see you joined! dendroboard is a great place to find information, and solve any problems you might encounter. This is probably the best thing you could have done as a beginner hobbyist! I'm still a noob, and i'm on here like 24/7 haha. Just don't be scared away by any heated debates going on. Most of us are nice people . Oh and never ever start a thread about mixing frogs! you will never hear the end of it. PM is a much better option if you are unsure of that aspect of the pdf hobby.

GRIMM has a lot of cool videos on how to build a dart frog tanks, so you might want to look at some of his threads. Also, the parts and construction sub forum contains a lot of build threads that show you step by step how to put one together.

The biggest thing you need to do to prepare yourself for this hobby is research, research, and research!!! even read the boring threads in the sub forums that aren't that entertaining... (like food and feeding, general health and disease treatment, and beginner discussion... blah blah blah) I know us teens don't have a huge attention span haha.

Start with a cheap species at first (like auratus), just in case something happens and they die. that way, you won't be out a huge amount of money! Get a decently sized tank like a 20 high (some people use ten gallons, but there is less room for error when working with a slightly larger tank) get it set up and planted, seed it with microfauna, get your fruitfly cultures producing steadily, make a quarantine/ growout container, obtain your frogs and quarantine them, then finally put your frogs in there final home.

Darts are easy to care for. They just need high humidity, 70-80 daytime, and ~65 nighttime, lots of hiding spots like leaf litter and plants, and a readily available food source like fruit flies and springtails. With lots of research and planning, i am confident you will be a great hobbyist! As many have said before, welcome to the most addicting hobby in the world!

live long and prosper,

Ryan