Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have four new D. leucomela froglets (my first darts). I received them in the mail a couple days ago and I want to be sure they are getting the proper amount of FF's per frog. How many flys should I be observing each frog eat? The froglets are about 3/4's of in inch long (20mm)and appear to be eating well. They are housed in a 5.5 gal. terrarium with Repti-Bark for substrate untill they are big enough for the 100 gal viv. I'm using "bark" because I haven't had any luck finding un-bleached paper towels. I've put a flat piece of slate with a chunk of bananna on it to keep the FF's in one area but only a couple stay there, the rest are either hiding of have been eaten so I can't be sure if all flys have been consumed. Once I find un-bleached paper towels, it'll make it easier to see what has been eaten.

Thanks,
Gus

As a general guideline, I would say 15 hydei or 30 melanogaster per frog per day for a froglet 3 months old. However, I don't count them out . . . I just put in an amount that looks right into my duster and feed them to the froglets. If there are lots left over from the day before, I might go lighter. If it's looking a little sparse, I'll make sure to watch them eat at least 5 hydei each.

I tend to overfeed, because I believe the amount and variety of food offered to the froglets at this stage of the game makes a huge difference in allowing them to reach their genetic potential for size, coloration, and future breeding success. Between flies and springtails, there is always a source of food in with my froglets.

I hope that answered your question.
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Homer W. Faucett III, esq.
Purveyor of All Trivialities

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Whole Foods carries unbleached paper towels. You could also try an organic health food type of store, or a more upscale market.