Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I recently lost a trio of leaf chameleons (story on KS Cham forum) and still have my big, beautiful 30gal-Hi vivarium set up along with a supply of hydei ff and ph crix (for those unfamiliar with the leafs they are tiny, mine were 1"-1/5" at 7 months).

I have long been intrigued by the dart frogs and after reading an article in Fauna magazine on them I began thinking of getting some again. Now with my brevi's gone they’d be my first choice.

I have been reading some of the posts and it seems that a false bottom setup seems important. So I am guessing I would have to dismantle and recreate my viv? The way I have mine set up is small river stone, charcoal, more river stone, sterile soil with repti-bark on top and numerous plants (see pic below) I went to a couple sites and found Devin’s http://www.amphibiancare.com/frogs/falsebottom.html to be great help!!

Of course I have a zillion other questions to be answered before I actually purchase any so a selection of online sites and care sheets are of course helpful, I would also like to know of a best “book” on the different species. When I was researching my chams I ended up buying 5 books and reference only one.

I am going to the New England Herp show here in NH next month and am thinking of buying there…is this a good idea? I always have my concerns about purchasing at shows. Anyone live in New England with any local recommendations? I would only purchase captive bred and would rather buy local than stressing the poor things with shipping (I know it is done all the time -but….)

Well, this should get me started...thanks!

lele

Sorry to hear you lost the chams. It's always hard losing animals. Your tank actually looks pretty good though. I wouldn't see any problem with putting darts in it, but the problem might be putting them in a tank that has had another species already in it. There could be cross contaminants that would kill the darts. Were the chams WC or CB? If this is not an issue, then the only thing you might have to do is siphon off any stagnat water in the bottom and put a glas top on the tank.
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Ken
Peace of the Tropics
www.PeaceOfTheTropics.com

Bastimentos pumilios
Blue jean pumilios
BriBri pumilios
Intermedius
Lamasi
Imitators
Ventrimaculatus
Fantasticus
Aurataenias
Vittatus
Tricolors
Auratus
Red trivitattus
Green trivitattus

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the condolences. They were cb and we are pretty sure that it was not parasites that killed them. It may have been nutritional - hard to know. Couldn't have necropsy done b/c my car died last night on the way tot vet to get my last one into formulin and now just too many hours have passed). I had thought about the possible contamination issue. None of them have resided in the big tank for almost two weeks and when the first got ill I removed her back July 15th (they all died in just over a week). Other than keeping the plants alive I have let all the substrate dry out. B/c it is so deep 5-7" - and did a lot for drainage with the stones the substrate never really got all that wet and there is no standing water. What I would maybe do is take out all the plants (they are still in their own pots in order to keep the sub dry) and let it completely dry out. Oh yeah, I have screen between the stones and soil to keep it all from shifting around which helps, too.

I probably wouldn’t be getting the frogs for a little while. I have an all screen top as well as a plexi that covers about ¾ that I can use with the screen. I also have another piece of plexi cut so I can completely cover the top.

So the false bottom is OK not to have?

lele

>>-----
>>Ken
>>Peace of the Tropics
>>www.PeaceOfTheTropics.com
>>
>>Bastimentos pumilios
>>Blue jean pumilios
>>BriBri pumilios
>>Intermedius
>>Lamasi
>>Imitators
>>Ventrimaculatus
>>Fantasticus
>>Aurataenias
>>Vittatus
>>Tricolors
>>Auratus
>>Red trivitattus
>>Green trivitattus

n/p
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azureus06 I keep: Eublepharis macularius, Phelsuma M. Grandis, Phelsuma Laticauda, Stenodactylus Petrii, Rhacodactylus Ciliatus, Anolis sp., Agalychnis Callidryas, Hyla Cinerea, Mantella Aurantiaca, Mantella madagascariensis, Dendrobates Azureus azureus06

You can do it without the false bottom but you have to watch how much water collects in the bottom. If it collects to much and makes the soil really watery theres good chance the frogs will die.

aj
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Click Here to see my vivarium and steps on how to make a basic vivarium UPDATED 7.18.03 Now complete! All that is needed are some New River Tincs!

kungfu28181: My god. You are insane. -Mon Jun 30 21:41:05

>>You can do it without the false bottom but you have to watch how much water collects in the bottom. If it collects to much and makes the soil really watery theres good chance the frogs will die.
>>
>>aj
>>-----
>> Click Here to see my vivarium and steps on how to make a basic vivarium UPDATED 7.18.03 Now complete! All that is needed are some New River Tincs!
>>
>>kungfu28181: My god. You are insane. -Mon Jun 30 21:41:05

I have a tank where there is gravel at the bottom. I almost always have an inch of water in the bottom, the soil is very moist at the bottom my frogs are healthy. Yes, there can be bacteria build up in that water but I turkey baster it out every 6 months or so, and when I get the tank drier to try to simulate seasons most of the water evaporates. If water sits there with the light on, it will evaporate as it would in nature and that water will be replenished by the water added for the plants and the humidity. I think the death part is an exageration, because of cycles in your terrarium, but I do believe you should should be cautious.
Mark
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my tanks and frogs
.7 Green and Black Costa Rican D. Auratus
.4 D. Azureus

why would soggy soil kill the frogs?
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Brian Ferriera JR
Plympton, Ma

P. Terribilis (orange)
P.Bicolor (orange)
D. azureus
D. ventrimaculatus
D. tinctorius (Oyapok )
D. Fantasticus
D. leucomelas

Your plants are more likely to die if it gets soggy. Soggy soil should not have much of an impact on your frogs health.

i purchased my two azureus from the last New England expo in January and they're doing great. i wouldn't think that buying DF from a show would be a problem just as long as you buy them from a reputable place.
also was it determined what you chem past from?
hope this helps
Adam