Green and black poison dart frog

Covering the whole frog section, we are back with another fantastic frog species of dart frogs, which is “Green and Black poison dart frogs.” The scientific name of this frog’s species is “Dendrobates auratus.” These frogs are luminous and are brightly colored. Anyone can spot them easily; however, their bright colors provide them camouflage as well.

The frogs inhabit northern and Central America. They are native to these regions. Later, they were introduced to Hawaii. Plantations, openings of the forests, and damp areas near ponds and lakes are their significant habitats.

Green and black poison frogs live near the ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams. They are aquatic in some parts of their life, and they also need terrestrial space, mainly they live on the floors of the rainforests.

Like other frogs, their diet is also carnivorous, and they primarily feed on insects, spiders, and some other small invertebrates.

The bright color of the frogs warns their predators and tells them that they have poisonous secretary glands over their bodies, which can kill them. For quick identification, all bright colored species are toxic.

Scientists are now working on their poison for primary medicinal purposes.  They have come across that their venom can be used for medicinal purposes. Out of the frog toxins, one known as epibatidine can serve as a painkiller doing the same job as the morphine without casting any adverse effects. It has been observed that patients recover two hundred times faster when treated with the frog’s poison as compared to the usual painkillers.

Surprisingly, they may be toxic; however, green and black poison dart frogs serve as excellent parents. When the female is done with the eggs, she leaves them in an aquatic setup, and the male keeps them damp for almost two weeks. 

When the eggs hatch, they become tadpoles. The male frog carries two or three tadpoles on his back and transfers them to a new pond—the tadpoles process for almost six weeks before becoming adult frogs.

Green and black poison dart frog facts

The small, luminous amphibians may give you awe while you look at them, yet at the same time, their skin contains fatal poison. These amphibians literally glow out what they eat. The venom they secrete is due to the wild insects they eat in the wild. The bright color of the frogs warns the predators and also gives them a remarkable presence. Some of the jaw-dropping facts related to the black and green poison dart frogs are:

1. The appearance of the poison dart frogs varies greatly. Some are blue, black, while others are green. The skin texture of the poison frogs, like other amphibians, is sticky and slippery.
2. The male dart frogs have a tiny sac under their throats, which they blow up while making calls.
3. The dart frogs have toxin secreting glands on their bodies.
4. The mode of capturing prey is similar. The frogs have retractable, sticky disc-shaped tongues that they use to catch insects, spiders, beetles, caterpillars, flies, and many more.
5. Their bright colors act as a warning to their predators, particularly to those who are color blind.
6. Male poison dart frogs can grow up to about four centimeters or two inches. Male frogs are small and are also less bulky than the females.
7. Frogs primarily rely on insects for their food or small invertebrates. Their prime diet contains insects, including beetles, caterpillars, flies, mosquitoes. Green and black poison dart frog grab their prey through their tongues.
8.  The main reason behind the frog’s poison is their diet. The wild and poisonous ants are the main reason for their venom.
9. Dart frogs are diurnal, however, even in the day, they are still, and you can observe hardly any movement. They spend a lot of their time searching for food.
10. As the spring rain comes, these frogs’ breeding season goes on throughout the rainy season of the rainforests. Beginning from July, it lasts till September.

Green and black poison dart frog care

Commonly known as mint frogs or Costa Rica frogs are very famous among the U.S people. They are also called “Auratus,” which is a common practice in the U.S people for addressing this species.

As a pet, this species requires specific care. For a singular black and green poison, a ten-gallon tank is necessary for the frog. The good thing is these frogs do not climb as much when compared to the other varieties of the frogs. Therefore, you should prefer a horizontal aquarium. More than a terrestrial water tank, the green, and black poison dart frogs prefer a watery environment. Consequently, it will be better to set up a vivarium. 

Temperature:

The mint frog or the green and black poison dart frogs prefer a warm environment. They are capable of tolerating temperature ranging from sixty to eighty Fahrenheit. However, the temperature between seventy Fahrenheit is preferable. 

Humidity level:

Like other amphibians, green and black poison dart frogs also require the humidity level to be between seventy-two hundred percent. However, they can tolerate the humidity up to fifty percent but only for a short time period, if and only if they have access to the water.

As compared to other poison dart frogs species, the green and black poison dart frogs prefer extreme wet and humid environments. In your water tank, it will be better to provide a water source. Because in the wild, mint dart frogs are usually present near streams or damp marshy areas.

Green and black poison dart frog life cycle

The mating season of the green and black poison dart frogs begins from July in the rainy season and lasts till September. As the mating season approaches, the male dart frogs start to produce calls and get busy grabbing the attention of female dart frogs. 

If a female gets interested the breeding happens, the female lays almost six eggs in a cluster in the pool or water body. Eggs take time to mature into tadpoles. The process takes almost two wells. After the eggs hatch into tadpoles, the male parent is responsible for carrying them to the other home (pond), and he does this by attaching the tadpoles by his sticky saliva to his back belly.

After the tadpoles are being placed in their second home, they do not need more parental care and attention. After almost six or twelve weeks, tadpoles transform into the adult frogs. The whole process of converting the tadpoles into adult frogs is called “Metamorphosis.”

Green and black poison dart frog as pets

People who love exotic pets and are also keen to have unusual pets are inclined towards such frogs. The poison dart frogs are bright and are not typical, and green and black poison dart frogs also come up in the list. As pets, they are small-sized frogs and need almost ten-gallon tanks to live in.

Green and black poison dart frogs are luminous frogs that are poisonous, but their toxicity depends totally on their diet. When the diet is replaced with the specialized frog pellets and frozen caterpillars and foods, their toxicity drops to zero. 

However, if they are to be maintained in their natural setup, you should have to be vigilant and careful while handling this exotic frog because their skin is permeable, and the poison is fatal.

Green and black poison dart frog predators

Mint dart frogs or any other frog almost have the same predators. Their main predators involve snakes, birds, and other giant creatures. However, poison dart frogs are poisonous; therefore, they can turn on their predator game. The only predator who has been successful in eating them is a type of snake which has resistance to their venom.

Green and black poison dart frog adaptations

Mint poison dart frogs have several adaptations or specialties that help them to survive in the wild environment. 

1. Their skin has toxin glands that make their predators paralyze or numb when they attack it.
2. Green and black poison dart frogs have a very bright green color, which warns their color-sensitive predators not to wander about.
3. Green and black poison dart Frogs have an excellent vision, which aids them in capturing their prey.
4. These frogs have extended sticky disc-shaped tongues, which helps the victim to stick on their tongue firmly.

Green and black poison dart frog diet

Green and black poison dart frogs in the wild rely on insects like flies, mosquitoes, beetles, caterpillars, and other insects. They also eat spiders and some invertebrates. 

The diet is replaced by specialized frog pellets and frozen food in captivity, including crickets, grasshoppers, etc. Moreover, they lose their toxicity in captivity due to low phosphorus and a rigid diet.

Green and black poison dart frog reproduction

Between July and September, the male and female come out to find their mates, and then they breed if they are successful in finding a mate. 

The female lays eggs in clusters in a water body or a damp area. Usually, the female lays six eggs at a time. After the eggs develop into tadpoles, the male transfers them into their second home, which is another pond.

After this process, the tadpoles do not need any other motherly or parental care. They develop on their own following the proper phases of metamorphosis. The tadpoles take twelve weeks to become adult frogs.