Poison Frogs - Herps & Frogs


There are a number of people interested in keeping more than frogs in a vivarium. These combinations do not work all the time but some of them do and are tested and proven.

Several small reptiles can be kept together with poison frogs. In general : if they like the same food ( small insects ) and climate ( wet and hot ) and do not tend to be agressive, they are suitable. Then again you can be wrong, the green anole i had attempted to eat the freshly entered dendrobates imitators. Most reptiles require a dry spot and more sun than poison frogs do, therefore they need a resting pace in the top of the vivarium ( near the lamp ) were they can do their sun bath.

The known species that do match poison frogs are :

Anolis : Sagrei, suitable but likes it a little bit dryer
green anolis ( Anolis Carolinensis ), is suitable ( see my personal experience ) but has a relatively big mouth and could therefore eat the smaller species ( especially the young ones ) and they require a winter resting period. They originally come from florida were the seisons are more pronounced.

Gecko's : suitable are the Gonatodes family and the smaller versions of the Phelsuma family ( especially the Phelsuma Klemmeri )

Personally, I kept 2 green anoles together with the frogs in my vivarium. I did not expect too much of the anole at start, however since it is in the vivarium since the start I started to appreciate the little animal more and more. What is fun about the anolis :

They are agile and move very quickly ( like most reptiles )
They change colour from bright green to dull brown and back.
They have this Raptor like jurassic park look ( At a good miniature scale ).
The males have a bright red flap at their throat, which they flag to warn enemies ( like myself when i am near the vivarium or working on the computer ) but also to impress and then dominate female species.
They live mosthly in the top of the vivarium, eating all fruit flies that have managed to pass the poison frogs at the bottom, however found another and even faster challenge with a bigger appetite.

Care and conditions	Required space is big, one can only keep one anolis or a pair but not more since they are very territorial. Even males and females fight but this fighting gets less over time ( they accept each other ). This fighting can be extreme, causing one specimen to become stressed and not capable of reaching the food ( the other won't let him/her move ). They are best kept in pairs ( buy at ones ) or alone. The temperature should be moderate, around 22 to 28 degrees ( under the lamp ) Celcius during the day. During the night the temperature can drop up to 18 - 20 degrees Celsius. Humidity should be moderate, but high 70%, therefore they like the top of the vivarium were the humidity is less felt under the lamps.
personal experience	As mentioned above i originally had one male from the start in the vivarium, which does great for a long period now, it has grown big and looks in perfect shape. he likes to jump from the top all the way down ( 1 meter ! ) and can be extremely quick. They can stick to the glass. He pays no attention whatsoever to the larger poison frogs. Since they live in the top of the vivarium and the frogs mosthly like the lower part they do not compete for space. This negligence of poison frogs is completely different from the sudden behavior change when another green anole specimen is introduced. This is always a fight, although females are tolerated after a while. Males together will fight until one will die, even in a big vivarium like mine. They can eat enormous amounts of food, but do not mind a period without food ( resting period ). Look at the film to see the first encounter, the difference in colour ( brown/ green ), the flagging of the male and more. In April 2002 i stopped keeping the anoles with the frogs, since the large male attempted to eat one of the freshly introduced dendrobates imitator. The frog survived although it was well in the mouth of the anole, and also the anole survided since it wa a captive bread poison frog ( see picture down which my wife made since i was at work and she could not prevent it from happening ). Since i like frogs more than reptiles, i brought both anoles back to the shop and kept the frogs.....
Foto's
Film	Green anole film, 850 KB, 31/3/02 Start Anolis Carolinensis ( green anole ) film
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