Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wondering if certain local (ohio) trees are safe to use in a dart frogs enclosure? I know how to treat it for parasites and other little nasties, but i know certain trees can release toxins, acids, etc, especially in humid conditions.

Most all plants are safe to use with dart frogs. They don't eat plants. But not all plants will grow under tropical conditions. Trees of any sort really grow too big to use in a vivarium, and Ohio trees are not tropical, which a dart frog vivarium is. You can rarely grow a plant from a temperate zone that has seasonal requirements of cold spells and rest under tropical conditions. I would certainly not think "trees," but more miniature versions of plant life.

We are squashing down many square meters and kilometers of rain forest space into relatively small cubes, measured in mere feet or even inches, when we raise our dart frogs. We create a pretenderlike Oz that works to sustain these animals in far less space than they came from. Usually what we have to work with will not sustain a tree.

I hope I've understood your question.
-----
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)

I meant more along the lines of using the wood and making my own "driftwood". And thanks for all your help Slaytonp!

I misunderstood and probably sounded patronizing. I apologize for this.

Avoid most conifers such as pine, as they not only deteriorate rapidly, but contain turpenoids that can be harmful to both the frogs and plants. Avoid cedar, as well. Although this lasts a long time, it too, contains some toxins that might be harmful to your frogs. Hard, deciduous tree woods are generally better, with the exception of Bald Cypress, either "knees" or driftwood. This is one of the best of all vivarium woods. In your area, you may find Osage orange, which is a lovely, very hard wood that lasts a long time in a humid environment. Although I don't know many people who use it, (except for the leaf litter,) the various oaks are safe an should last. You can also collect driftwood along lakes or streams. Even if you don't know the origins, it has more than likely had any toxins leached. Test it for hardness, however. You can scrape it with a knife to see if it is soft wood that is rotting, or if it has a hard core. You will want to dry out anything you collect after scrubbing it in hot water, or perhaps even bake it for 15 to 20 minutes in a warm oven, i.e. 180 degrees. This is mostly to avoid introducing the Chytrid fungus, which has been infecting frogs all over the world, but is relatively easily killed by mild baking.

I use some Western woods such as Mountain mahogany, Manzanita and even old sandblasted roots of Mountain Hemlock. (The latter were collected years ago from uprooted trees in the Sierras, and probably not available now.)

Although not apparently used much, most of the fruit woods such as apple, pear, peach, almond an even cherry might work, especially if you can find old uprooted trees and use the roots. Most of the problems with just using fallen or cut off branches of deciduous trees is not with possible toxicity as much as it is with rapid deterioration in a humid environment.

I hope this helps a little.
-----
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)

That helped a ton, thank you very much!!! Hopefully I'll get some progress done on it soon and then have some pics! Its really nice to find one so passionate and knowledgeable. Cheers Slaytonp.