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Care sheet

Green and Black Dart Frog

Dendrobates auratus

Also known as: Green and Black Poison Dart Frog

Dendrobatidae · Anura

IntermediateCITES IIIUCN LC
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Temperament
Hands-off
Adult length
1–1.6 in
Adult weight
3–8 g
Lifespan (captivity)
10–15 yrs
Native range
Central America — Nicaragua to northwestern Colombia; introduced to Hawaii

Care guide

Overview

Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) — One of the most beginner-friendly dart frogs. Bold, diurnal, and willing to be seen — unlike many darts that hide. The critical husbandry parameter is temperature: sustained exposure above 80°F is fatal. A planted bioactive vivarium with a misting system, ABG mix substrate, leaf litter, and live springtail + isopod populations is the standard setup. Captive-bred animals are non-toxic — the alkaloid toxicity is diet-derived and absent in hobby-fed frogs. Vitamin A supplementation is non-negotiable: short tongue syndrome from A deficiency is the most common preventable death.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
68–75 °F
Warm side
72–78 °F
Nighttime
64–72 °F
Humidity (ambient)
80–100%
Shed-cycle boost
90–100%

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Arboreal
Bioactive setup
Suitable
Minimum size by life stage
  • HatchlingPlastic deli cup with moss + leaf litter
  • Juvenile10 gallon vertical / 12"L x 12"W x 18"H
  • Adult18"L x 18"W x 24"H vivarium, 10+ gal per frog in groups

Housing

Substrate

Depth
2–4 in
Safe options
ABG mixcoco fiber + leaf litterlive moss
Avoid
sandgraveldry coco

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Strict carnivore
Prey size by life stage
  • HatchlingSpringtails, melanogaster fruit flies
  • JuvenileHydei fruit flies, springtails
  • AdultHydei fruit flies, pinhead crickets, isopods, springtails
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • HatchlingDaily
  • JuvenileEvery 1-2 days
  • AdultEvery 2-3 days
Supplementation

Dust ALL feeders with high-quality vitamin A + calcium + D3 supplement. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of short tongue syndrome and early death in captive darts. Repashy Calcium Plus or Repashy SuperVite + Calcium Plus LoD are the standard hobby choices. Rotate supplements per a documented schedule — under-supplementation is common.

Care

Water & behavior

Water

Standing water is unnecessary and can be a drowning hazard for smaller frogs. A bioactive vivarium with daily misting provides all moisture they need.

Soaking behavior

Not strong soakers — they prefer wet leaf litter and moss.

Defensive displays
pattern advertisement (aposematism)

Legal & ecology

Conservation

CITES
Appendix II
IUCN Red List
LC · Least Concern
Wild populations

Captive-bred animals are NON-TOXIC. Wild dart frogs derive their alkaloid toxins from arthropod prey in their native range; captive-bred specimens raised on hobby feeders never develop the toxic alkaloid profile. Buy captive-bred only — wild-caught dendrobatids should be avoided for welfare + legal reasons (CITES II).

Genetics

Morphs

Morph market
Active
Complexity
Moderate

Citations

Sources

Every husbandry parameter on this page is backed by the references below. Click through to read the originals.

  1. Green and Black Dart Frog Care Sheet (Dendrobates auratus)

    Josh's Frogs

    breeder

    Care sheet from the largest US captive-bred dendrobatid supplier.

    Published: 2023-01-01

  2. Caresheet: Dendrobates auratus

    Dendroboard

    breeder community

    Long-running peer-reviewed dart-frog keeper community caresheet.

    Published: 2008-01-01

  3. Green and Black Dart Frog Care

    AmphibianCare.com

    breeder community

    Amphibian-keeping reference for Dendrobates auratus.

    Published: 2021-01-01

Green and Black Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) care sheet — Herpetoverse