Reptile & Amphibian Forums

im in the process of building a vivarium and have not yet decided what to put in it.i have a lot of experience keeping reptiles and amphibians but never darts and never a vivarium.im not sure yet if i want to keep redeyes or phylomedusa tree frogs,or maybe go the dart frog route.one thing i know i do want is a vocal,rainforest sounding terrarium.how do your darts sound?when do they sound?are pairs needed for them to call or will a single male still call?do they only call at certain times or all the time?do redeyes and phylomedusa tree frogs call as well?as much?at all? these are the questions id like answered to hhelp me make my decision.could you maybe describe the sound?is it loud?pleasing?annoying? thanks

If you are looking for dart frogs and a nice call, I don't think anything beats the leucs. Mine call all day long and their call is loud (not like a bull frog, but you can hear it rooms away). You can even download their call off of...well, now I can't think of the website...maybe someone else can help.
-----
Josh Willard
www.joshsfrogs.com

Out of all of my dart frogs, the only ones I've heard call are the leucs (of course), the pumilios (I have to be close, but they tend to call when I'm misting them,) and the imitators. With the imitators, my head has to be practically in the tank to hear them. I've never heard the fantasticus nor the reticulatus, although they are laying fertile eggs. I've never heard either of the Phylobates sp., the auratus, galacs or casts, although I know I have both sexes of the Phylobates. I believe that all of the others may be females.
-----
Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

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

I forgot to mention below in answering your other post that I've never heard my mated pair of D. auratus call, either. Most dart calls are fairly soft--like a little buzz or chirupping. Although my hearing isn't what it used to be, except for the leucs and maybe the pumilios, they don't make a lot of noise. My frog room decidedly doesn't sound like a tropical forest.

Patrick tells me however, that when the Phyllobates vittatus mature, they have a very nice call. Mine are still young, adjusting to their tank, so perhaps I've just never heard it yet.

For other frog calls, you might visit:
Link

-----
Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

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

I screwed up posting the link. It's http://www.talkto.thefrog.org
talk to the frog

-----
Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

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

After a quick google search:

here is a page with a .mov of a few leucs and their great calls

http://www.poison-frogs.nl/e020303.html

Leucs definitely have the best call of any darts and they definteily have that "rainforest" sound to them. Leucs are awesome darts.

I was trying to decide between Red eyes and some leucomelas dart fromgs myself.

It basically came down to diurnal vs. nocturnal. At first I thought it woudl be really cool to have a black light come on at night for teh red eye tank (like a 30gal hex my GF currently has 2 whites in) so you could see them when they are awake and active..i thought this would be cool to watch as I was up late playing poker or partying or hanging out or wahtever.

But then thining of the calls at night waking me up and my girlfriend's whites really are quite boring during the day. They just cling to the class and sleep. They do wake up if you get them out to handle them (always wet and wash hands first), but whites are really good frogs at being handled.

After watching some videos of darts tho, I just like how quick they move and just their general movements. Red eyes are cool also. I love how tree frogs just climb around and use their sticky fingers...but overall leucs was my final decision in my next frogs to aquire.
-----
1.0 Baby Sunburst Veiled Chameleon -- Dexter

I personally prefer Hyperolius, Agalychnis, Phyllomedusa, and small Hylids. All of the above are nocturnal and loud, but the mix of soft burrs and rattles (Agalychnis,Phyllomedusa) soft bells (Phyllomedusa, Hyla) the loud quacks (Hyperolius) and the "bird songs" chirps and "cricket sounds" (Hyperolius,Hyla,Dendrobatidae,Mantella). Hyperolius and some of my Hylids are a bit to loud to try and sleep in the same room though.

Diurnal singing my choice would be leucs, P. lugubris and mantella species. mantellas kinda sound like crickes but are much more adorable. My Hyperolius call day and night in the breeding season. The rest of the above call at dusk and dawn.

I also like to keep bugs and they also have a song to sing crickets(of different kinds), waterboatmen (they rattle) and cicadas. Cicadas dont just have bird songs but they also scream which makes you appreciate the frogs more than before. Some beetles also make noise, Scarabs make reapeted clicking and highpitch rattleing. Bugs complement frogs very well.

The forest are full of frog, bug, monkey, and bird noise. One species in the house wont have the same effect (Although just as satisfying)so the more you have the closer you'll be to that effect.

Ive been keeping frogs since I was 9 and will do so for the rest of my days simply because of their calls and behavior. I just started the whole vivarium theme about 8 months ago and WOW the frogs are so much happier. I did that with my bugs as well and even they have become more active. Emulate nature and youll be rewarded.

So if your looking for sound this is my two cents. Frogs Bugs running water= KickAss

Im kind of looking for the same thing. I've had luecs, and I KNOW they call, and it's very pleasant I think. But since I've had them before I was thinking of maybe an Azures pair. Know one said anything about them, so, any input on the azures calls?? thanks, shawn

D. Azureus do call but its such a soft quite buzz that you have to put your ear close to the tank in order to hear them. They are awesome and a pleasure to keep. If your looking for songs there are more frogs out there just as beutiful (if not more so) than D. azureus. Not taking shots at the azureus, I have them, love them and the few company I allow to view my frogs still go "WOW" at their vivarium and "HOLY CRAP" at the Blue-frogs.

I have some Hyperolius in the same tank (mixing should be done carefully) and they are loud-enthusiastic callers.