[Tijl]

About temperatures, the temperatures that island pumilio are in the wild is around 28 degrees and my pumilio are perfect. About the uvb, I use it as i think it’s a more natural way of getting the frogs to get the vitamin D3 assimilated. I personally havent had any problems with uvb and the frogs are great and are really active. And i know a lot of people who use uvb and their froglets grow healthy and strong (not saying that yours don’t) but I think that’s how they live in the wild and that if I can replicate their habitat they can be better. I use a low uvb from arcadia the T5 forest uvb 12% and they seem to sun bask on some ours of the day.

Both the high temperature you handle and the uvb come with quite some risk especialy exposure long term.

For example, just a small increase of this temperature would be lethal to the frogs. It's impossible to recreate the vision of 'how they live in the wild' since we keep them in small enclosures. Meaning they have no possibility of escaping or sheltering from the conditions we create.

That is why I advice the OP not to follow your advice of keeping them, it simply doesnt leave room for much 'failiure'.

 

[Pepepepe]

Both the high temperature you handle and the uvb come with quite some risk especialy exposure long term.

For example, just a small increase of this temperature would be lethal to the frogs. It's impossible to recreate the vision of 'how they live in the wild' since we keep them in small enclosures. Meaning they have no possibility of escaping or sheltering from the conditions we create.

That is why I advice the OP not to follow your advice of keeping them, it simply doesnt leave room for much 'failiure'.

That’s true, the thing is that i have a climatized room so the temps don’t go up from that because if they go up the aircon goes on. I use uvb just for a couple of hours per day and they have many shades where they can hide from it and hey choose to go to the uvb. I also think that if you dont have a climatized room you should try and keep them at around about 26 during the day and 21 at night (i keep mine at around 27-28 and 21 at night)

 

[Tijl]

That’s true, the thing is that i have a climatized room so the temps don’t go up from that because if they go up the aircon goes on. I use uvb just for a couple of hours per day and they have many shades where they can hide from it and hey choose to go to the uvb. I also think that if you dont have a climatized room you should try and keep them at around about 26 during the day and 21 at night (i keep mine at around 27-28 and 21 at night)

This is very important aditional information and this potentialy makes a big difference in understanding for the readers of this topic and the OP.

 

[Pepepepe]

Your totally right, I don’t know why I didnt say it as I thought about it.

 

[Chris S]

There are a ton of blue jeans floating around in Canada (and presumably the U.S. as well) that are imports from Costa Rica right now. They are claimed to be farm raised but are likely wild caught. With that said, they are legally being exported and there doesn't seem to be a issue with them in the wild right now in regards to numbers and population. From what I have read, and take this with a degree of hearsay, they have been able to adapt extremely well to changing topography and development there and have thrived in the face of change.

If they are your first dart frogs, they are not really that difficult to keep, but you might find some of the larger Dendrobates species are less shy or more interesting for a first time keeper.

 

[Philsuma]

I have been to Costa Rica and Panama several times. Pumilio have ZERO problem adapting to urban and disturbed areas. Many populations can be seen 'flooding' entire areas and up against buildings and in trash strewn lots. That said, certain phenotypes, 'morphs' and unique populations are at risk geographically. Escudo comes chiefly to mind. Are you SURE they are Costa Rican blue jeans and not Nicaraguan? Costa Rica has been closed so long. There is one guy than 'talked a lot' on mewe and is partnered with a big company that starts with a 'J' - talking about several Panamanian exports to the US including vicentei.

 

[Fahad]

One other thing, @Drachenblut ... your post title references 'Strawberry' darts which immediately brings me to 'Blue Jeans' which have been coming in en masse as Nicaraguan (although @Chris S mentions CR) ... however, there are a few different localities that look similar to each other.

Have you talked to the seller and asked what they mean by 'Tesoros' line, and the exact locality/morph they think they are?

 

[Chris S]

One other thing, @Drachenblut ... your post title references 'Strawberry' darts which immediately brings me to 'Blue Jeans' which have been coming in en masse as Nicaraguan (although @Chris S mentions CR) ... however, there are a few different localities that look similar to each other.

Have you talked to the seller and asked what they mean by 'Tesoros' line, and the exact locality/morph they think they are?

I have a feeling these are coming from CR, as they are on the same lists wholesalers have with other frogs, like Agalychnis callidryas. I can't find any actual exports through the cites database of any pumilio in the last two years though. It might not be up to date however.

 

[Drachenblut]

That’s true, the thing is that i have a climatized room so the temps don’t go up from that because if they go up the aircon goes on. I use uvb just for a couple of hours per day and they have many shades where they can hide from it and hey choose to go to the uvb. I also think that if you dont have a climatized room you should try and keep them at around about 26 during the day and 21 at night (i keep mine at around 27-28 and 21 at night)

Okay so it sounds like I'm keeping them at the proper temperatures! That's great.
Thanks @Pepepepe and @Tijl for your awesome info!
A climate controlled room would be awesome, and the heavy shading I could see working well for some UVB. I wont try UVB for now until I am ready, but if I did what % UVB would I use? What brands?

 

[Drachenblut]

I have a feeling these are coming from CR, as they are on the same lists wholesalers have with other frogs, like Agalychnis callidryas. I can't find any actual exports through the cites database of any pumilio in the last two years though. It might not be up to date however.

They could be CR. They seem quite happy in their terrarium and like to nestle up in the crooks of the bromeliads, otherwise I see them quite readily

 

[Philsuma]

Unless you can vett the seller, you have 'pumilio' - no locale, let alone country.

 

[Drachenblut]

Well, then no worries. I have O. Pumilio. I am not looking to proliferate them for profit.

 

[Tijl]

Okay so it sounds like I'm keeping them at the proper temperatures! That's great.
Thanks @Pepepepe and @Tijl for your awesome info!
A climate controlled room would be awesome, and the heavy shading I could see working well for some UVB. I wont try UVB for now until I am ready, but if I did what % UVB would I use? What brands?

You realy should not use uvb lights simply because it puts the frogs at to much risk for no advantage that proper supplements will provide you.

 

[Pepepepe]

I personally don’t agree with this but I can understand why you say it, I use a 6% uvb from Arcadia the t5 and it works perfectly

 

[Fahad]

Well, then no worries. I have O. Pumilio. I am not looking to proliferate them for profit.

Did you ask them why they called them 'Tesoros Line'?

 

[Drachenblut]

Sadly I did not. I'll be moving on now with how best to care for them and if I encounter any issues

 

[Tijl]

I personally don’t agree with this but I can understand why you say it, I use a 6% uvb from Arcadia the t5 and it works perfectly

Can you explain what you mean by 'it works perfectly' and for how long you have experience with using UVb lamps for your oophaga?

 

[Pepepepe]

What i mean is that I see my frogs more active and really healthy, i have been using uvb for my tinc and oophaga for a year more or less, I personally don’t know how the oophaga act with out the uvb because I have always kept them with uvb but my tinctorius defenetly became more active and they all ”sun bask”. I started with uvb in my pumilio tanks because some people from here that breed a lot told me that it helped.

 

[Chris S]

What i mean is that I see my frogs more active and really healthy, i have been using uvb for my tinc and oophaga for a year more or less, I personally don’t know how the oophaga act with out the uvb because I have always kept them with uvb but my tinctorius defenetly became more active and they all ”sun bask”. I started with uvb in my pumilio tanks because some people from here that breed a lot told me that it helped.

What UVB readings are you getting where they are basking?

 

[Pepepepe]

In the tinctorius tanks low (2) and in the oophaga tanks moderate (4-5) in this scale