Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am not new to Frogs but I am new to Mantellas and Dart frogs. I have had GTF's for years and more recently a cuban for about 6 months and 2 Baby RETF's (not so much baby any more! growing fast!) for the last 2 months.

I was thinking to go with M.Crocea and I was wondering if anyone had any tips to keeping these guys as to their behavior and preferences for their habitat.

I have read both the articles I found on the site but I was wondering if anyone had any more specific info or personal experience with them.

I am fully prepared to QT each frog...

Also, I have access to one, but obviously I'd like to get a couple more, are there any dealers in Canada or better yet in BC?

I'm all ears

Malli

It's a bit slow here, it seems. I'm sorry you haven't gotten an answer yet. I have no personal experience Mantellas, but if you don't already have Mark Staniszewski's book MANTELLA, it has a lot of good information. I think there are quite a few mantella folk on dendroboard with more personal experience.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

4 D. auratus blue
5 D. galactonotus pumpkin orange splash back
7 D. imitator
6 D. leucomelas
4 D. pumilio Bastimentos
4 D. fantasticus
6 P. terribilis mint and organe
4 D. reticulatus
4 D. castaneoticus
2 D. azureus
4 P vittatus
2 P. lugubris

Hi,

I don't keep M. Crocea, but I do keep mantellas (M. aurantiaca)
so I can tell you what I have learned and know about them. They are very, very active little guys. They are always busily hopping around and climbing the glass all day long. The temp range you need to keep them at is lower than that of dart frogs or tropical treefrogs.....below 78 F. I try to keep mine around 70 F. They seem to do very well at this temp. My frogs are very social and tend to all hang out together. I have never seen any disputing between them, and I have read that they are more communal type frogs than darts are, so I would recommend getting more than one. In my opinion, mantellas are really excellent frogs to keep, they are beautiful, active all day, not shy, and you can keep a bunch of them together without problems in a nice viv. (I keep 5 in a 30 gal, heavily planted.)
Unfortunately, I don't know anywhere in Canada, or anywhere to get them except online. Sometimes they are listed in the classifieds on kingsnake, and maybe dendroboard.
Hope it helps.....
Steph

Thanks to both of you for the replies!

Since I read M.aurantiaca are very closely related to the crocea I totally appreciate your info, its almost as good as direct experience, IMO. M.aurantiaca are beautiful frogs.

I think I pretty much have to find somewhere in Canada because of customs etc at the border??

I got the one I mentioned getting, so now the hunt will be on for at least 2 more. It is so tiny, and I thought the RETFs were small! I'll be looking into some wingless fruit fly cultures (and how to grow more, possibly, though... ew)for him soon. My room temp. is about 70 F so I'm good there I think...

I'll look into that board your mentioned...

Malli

Hey if your looking for mantellas in Canada, Mark Pepper from www.understoryenterprises.com sells several cb species. If this is your first mantellas then id recomend going cb.

Thanks!

I'd like to get some soon... they don't have any listed. I emailed them to double check and make sure there won't be any coming up for sale sometime soon.

The one I have already is most likely wild, though I'd imagine those are more expensive? He was $50 retail in the store and because I used to work for the management I got him for much less...

I have another source for some wild ones with Below Water out of Quebec...

I'm just a little desperate to get them soon, is that silly?

Malli

Is the one you got a froglet?

They are so tiny. If I'm not mistaken, I think I also recall that M. crocea is the smallest frog in the genus mantella....

I would say you should definately get a fly culture and maybe springtail culture going. You can use flies from your culture to start a new culture and keep it going indefinately, which is much more cost effective than constantly buying new cultures.

Anyway, good luck with your little guy!
steph

I think its a froglet??

He has been at the store about 4-6 weeks and came in able to eat the smaller size 2 week crickets. I read they get about 25 mm ? I would say he is about 1/2-3/4 that size... and I suppose a froglet is anything not full grown, so yes, a froglet

Malli

so at this point I can only find one source in Canada with these frogs, they are the WC ones.
If I do get these guys, whats a good sized group?? 3? 4? 5? Do evens or odds matter?

Malli

Are you planning on trying to breed them?
What size space are you planning for them when they are full grown?
If you are planning on trying to breed, your odds of getting a pair are better with more froglets..... If not it doesn't matter. I have read that having more males than females, either a 2 to 1 or 3 to 1 ratio is the best way to have successful breeding. I don't know this from personal experience, however. (Mine haven't bred yet.)
I would say follow the 5 gallons per frog rule as a minimum space requirement, but I have heard of people keeping 4 mantellas in a 10 gallon and having them breed successfully. I wouldn't personally do that, but it might work out.
I'm glad someone else here has mantellas. They are by far my favorite frogs.

Steph

well I was hoping to have a smaller space for them, so with your advice less is better. I hadn't planned on breeding them.

Any opinions on the wild ones I have acess too?

thanks!

Malli

All my frogs have always been CBB, so I have exactly zero experience with any WC frogs.

I guess the biggest concern with WC animals is parasites. I know some places treat them when they are brought over, but not all of them. So, if you can find out if the ones you want have been treated or not, that would be a good idea.

Other than that, I just don't know.

Steph