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Poison Frogs - Purchase

Sales at a frog meeting by hobbyist breeders

Poison frogs are not easy to obtain, which is a good thing. These animals are endangered and one should think at least twice before starting such a hobby. If you are serious about starting a vivarium with poison frogs and you have invested in a suitable space for these creatures, you will find your way in getting the frogs you desire.

Poison Frog or Herp meetings, gatherings, markets, fairs.

By far the best way to see a great amount of frogs is on frog meetings which are usually organised ones or twice a year in a lot of countries and regions around the world. The best way to find these meetings is via the web page of the local dendrobates society, club or group. During these meetings ( also organised by dendrobates netherlands ) local breeders, hobbyists and commercial breeders show their animals and sell them to people who are interested. Usually the competition is high and the prices are relatively low ( somewere around 20 - 25 EUR per frog ). There are however some pitfalls to take notice of :

Young frogs ( 4 - 6 months old ) are not full grown, however these frogs might have a growth disorder that is not visible at that age. During the captivity they will not grow further, or can show growth disorders. This is usually caused by lack of vitamins and calcium during the tadpole stage of the frog, which makes them incompetent to reach full size. Therefore it is usually better to spend a little bit more and buy the fully grown species to start with.

Do not buy all the frogs at one breeder, there is a large chance of inbreed when you do so which weakens the species. When there are sufficient offerings, buy the same frog at different breeders. This is still no guarantee but is better, also when there are only young frogs for sale.

Observe the frog carefully and try to make comparisons between breeders, look especially for very thin front legs, or thinner back legs. Healthy large growing frogs have healthy strong back legs ( also when they are young ). This is the first indication of a growth disorder ( a kind of spindly leg syndrome ).

Especially in the winter it is very valuable to get them home alive, below 20 degrees Celcius, poison frogs are getting less and less comfortable. A sudden drop in temperature can create shock for the frog, followed by death. It is not required to keep them extra warm if you travel by car, but it is a good idea to put the small boxes with the frogs in a isolated box ( a picknick cooler works very well ) to prevent thermal shock. IN the car you can adjust the heating to keep them at a comfortable temperature for you and the frogs.
Herp shops

A good relation with a herp shop owner will help in obtaining a good quality frog. Never buy these frogs in a rush, try to observe a number of frogs and make your choice. When they are larger one can try to see the difference between males and females, but for some species one can only notice the difference when they are calling and than it is a matter of statistics. It is not a good idea to just buy the last frog they have, since these animals like to be in small groups or pairs. Secondly the last frog is never the best frog. Make sure that the frogs are bread in captivity and are not imported frogs, these are usually weaker, can still be very poisoness. These animals should be left to the very experiences frog owners, but even then the use of imported animals is doubtfull to my opinion.

Internet

I personally have no experience with internet shops selling frogs and shipping them to you. These people have to be real professionals and you have to verify that. Shipping frogs is very difficult when it takes more than one day. If they have to pass customs at some port, do not consider this option, since the waiting time could be a few days which makes the chance of succes very low.

Therefore overnight shipping inside the country is a realistic option. The shipping company usually adds a hot pack to the isolated box which contains the box with the frog and a wet tissue paper. If the temperature outside will be below 10 degrees celius overnight, do not try this option during that period. Secondly you have to be sure that you are home when the frog arrives, to receive the animal. In Holland this method will work during the summer months May to September.

Cites

Importing poison frogs from the wild is regulated by strict rules as set by CITES ( Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ). All poison frogs are listed under appendix II of this convention. Which makes import possible but difficult (which is good). Locally bread animals can be sold or purchased but the seller and purchaser are required to keep track of this specific animal. Which means that the purchaser receives a cites ( or similar ) decleration with the species name on it, the sellers name and the purchasers name. Both people keep a copy so that the species can be tracked down to its origin. When this is imported without permission or registration there can be serious penalties by law. One should therefore have a certificate of each animal in possesion when you are audited.

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