Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking for some info about the brown mantella. All I can seem to find is genaric. Even in the book "Mantellas" by Marc Staniszewski does not give much. I bought 6 of them 2 weeks ago. One started calling an hour after I got them in their tanks! How long will he call for before I can expect eggs? How can you sex these guys? Any info at all would be much appritiated.
-The Green Man

Have fossils and 3 ft. tall piece of drift wood for Dart frogs/mantellas/day geckos.

Hey Green Man

I haven't kept betsileo but plan to in the future. Most of the information I know about them is based on the generic information you've already read. A few others on the forum and I breed the goldens though so hopefully we can help out.

Male frogs will call, females will not. Females generally are larger and have a round shape to their body compared to males which are usually streamlined in shape. It can be difficult to tell what sex of frogs you have if they are not calling or if you just have females or males. Male frogs will call often. Sometimes its to defend a territory. Other times its to attract a female. Sometimes its both.

Getting a female to produce eggs can be difficult in some species from what I hear. My goldens start to breed after I put them through a seasonal change. During the winter I cool their terrarium, lower the humidity and feed less. In late winter/early spring I warm the terrarium back up, spray the cage heavily 3 times a day and feed in large amounts often. I usually find a clutch of eggs 2-4 weeks after I have increased the temperature in the terrarium. Gravid female mantellas will look bloated and sometimes it even looks like they have accidentally swollowed a big sack of miniature marbles because of the eggs that are inside of them.

Providing a good spot for a female to lay her eggs is essential. All but one of the clutches that my female has laid have been in dark, moist areas away from the feeding area. Males will often create burrows or holes under moist clumps of moss where the female will lay her eggs. Males will fight over the best egg laying sites and eventually one will come out on top and make the small hole. I've heard that some people have used empty film canisters with damp moss or paper towel inside for artificial burrows. Often the first few clutches of eggs that are layed don't get fertalized by the males.

I never thought that betsilio were interesting until I saw one in real life about a year ago. They are really beautiful frogs, some even have a red rust color on their back. Not enough people pay attention to these mantellas, I wish you the best of luck with the breeding,

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Devin
devin@amphibiancare.com
www.amphibiancare.com
3.2 Dendrobates tinctorius 'Dwarf French Guiana'
1.1 Dendrobates tinctorius 'Powder Blue'
5.1 Mantella aurantiaca
2.1 Mantella crocea
1.0 Ceratophrys cranwelli
1.0 Bufo americanus
0.0.1 Salamandra salamandra
1.0 Ambystoma tigrinum
0.1 Chamaeleo calyptratus
0.1 Phelsuma dubia
1.1 Uroplatus ebenaui
0.0.1 Chrysemys scripta
0.0.1 Chrysemys picta belli
1.0 Terrapene carolina triunguis

I have 3 of them but I have only had them for about 3 months. Like you mentioned, other than Marc's site I haven't seen much on them. Common info is that they are a lowland species and housing should be similiar to a dart frog's set up. Mine are anything but shy and they seem to prefer hanging out towards the top of the vivarium either on the highest leaves or at the very top of a branch. Unlike yours I haven't heard mine calling but I do keep the tanks very wet and humid which might make them less likely to call Here is another link on Mantella's/
Link