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Care sheet

Dyeing Poison Frog

Dendrobates tinctorius

Also known as: Tinc

Dendrobatidae · Anura

IntermediateCITES IIIUCN LC
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Temperament
Hands-off
Adult length
1.5–2 in
Lifespan (captivity)
10–15 yrs
Native range
Northeastern South America — the Guianas and northern Brazil (rainforest floor)

Care guide

Overview

Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) — a bold, diurnal dart frog and one of the best beginner species. Kept in a humid bioactive vivarium on a fruit-fly/springtail diet with dusting. Captive-bred animals are harmless.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
68–74 °F
Warm side
74–80 °F
Nighttime
65–72 °F
Humidity (ambient)
80–100%

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Terrestrial
Bioactive setup
Suitable
Minimum size by life stage
  • HatchlingNot specified
  • JuvenileNot specified
  • Adult18x18x18 in bioactive vivarium for 1-3 frogs; drainage layer + springtails

Housing

Substrate

Safe options
ABG mixcoco fiberleaf littersphagnum moss
Avoid
gravelcedarpinedry substrate

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Insectivore
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • JuvenileDaily
  • AdultEvery 1-2 days (flightless fruit flies, springtails)
Supplementation

Dust every feeding with a dart-frog calcium+vitamin supplement (vitamin A important); captive frogs are non-toxic.

Care

Water & behavior

Water

No bowl needed — mist to keep humidity 80-100%; a small shallow water feature is optional.

Legal & ecology

Conservation

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

CITES Appendix II (all Dendrobatidae). Captive-bred frogs are NOT toxic (toxicity is diet-derived). A superb beginner dart frog: bold and diurnal.

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. Dendrobates tinctorius — AmphibiaWeb

    AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley

    academic

    Guiana Shield range, diurnal biology, diet-derived toxicity.

    Published: 2020-01-01

  2. Dendrobates tinctorius — IUCN Red List (LC)

    IUCN

    government

    Least Concern; CITES Appendix II.

    Published: 2019-01-01

  3. Dyeing Poison Frog Care

    Josh's Frogs

    breeder community

    Bioactive vivarium, humidity, fruit-fly diet, supplementation, non-toxic in captivity.

    Published: 2021-01-01

Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) care sheet — Herpetoverse