Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have both auratus and leucomelas and was wondering if there was any other type of reptile or amphibian I could keep with them.I have heard day geckos work well.

thanks

I don't have any experience with mixing other genera with darts, but it is sometimes done in very large habitats with species from the same wild habitat that require nearly identical conditions. While you are researching this, I would recommend getting some personal experience with darts of your choice first. While another type of animal might not intimidate or interfere with one species or morph of a dart frog, another might not tolerate it. I think it is very important to be totally familiar with both animals before mixing them together in the same tank.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)

Day geckos get pretty big, maybe big enough to eat a dart or at least try. I've heard of house geckos being mixed though. They stay small.

Some of the suggestions given by Lotters, et al in POISON FROGS, Biology, Species and Captive Husbandry, for mixing dart frogs with other anureans or reptiles is small nocturnal geckos (Lepidodactylus lugubris) which will consume at night the feeder animals left over from feeding the darts during the day, or diurnal dwarf geckos such as Sphaerodactylus and Gonatodes. They also suggest the small rain forest dwelling species of anoles, or Afro-tropical dwarf chameleons of the genera Brookesia and Rhampholeon. Also listed are tree frogs of the Dendropsophus leucophyllatus group, smaller species of Phyllomedusa, or dwarf toads (Dendrophryniscus minutes.) Mixing shouldn't be attempted in any but a very large, well planted vivarium. Keep in mind that we are essentially attempting to crowd a rain forest environment of many meters and diversity into a miniaturized space measured in centimeters. The fact that it can, and has been done successfully at all, is rather amazing to me.

Keep posting and let us know more about your plans.

In any event, these suggestions might give you some options to look into for the future, when you can provide and plan the space for doing this.
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Patty
Pahsimeroi, Idaho

Dendrobates: auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, tinctorius azureus, leucomelas. Phyllobates: vittatus, terribilis, lugubris. Epipedobates: anthonyi tricolor pasaje. Ranitomeya fantastica, imitator, reticulata. Adelphobates castaneoticus, galactonotus. Oophagia pumilio Bastimentos. (updated systematic nomenclature)