# Frogs & Toads > Dart Frogs (Dendrobatidae) >  My new Azureus :)  Need some help with setup and care

## ukfan1976

Yesterday, I purchased my first Azureus!  He's so tiny!  I got the entire set up from a guy selling his vivarium set up (with the frog) who could not keep it any more.  Included with the set up was a fully set up vivarium (12"x12"x16") with soil (complete with a colony of isopods), substrate, rock features, back wall formation, little pool bowl, plants, light, active fruit fly culture, and Repti-Fogger.  I'll attach pics below.

So to be honest I'm a complete noob and stumbled up on this deal and jumped on it.  I had been considering getting a dart frog for a little while and had done a little bit of research, but I must say now that I have him I have a TON of questions!  Hopefully y'all can help me out.  

First, I kinda don't like the terrarium he's in.  I'm considering buying one of the Exo Terra or Zoo Med terrariums with the front doors and the bottom that will hold water.  How difficult would it be to transplant the soil, substrate, rocks, etc into a new terrarium and would it totally stress out the little guy? 

Second, if I change to a new terrarium, would I be able to keep the current soil (with the established isopod colony)?  They seem to be thriving.

Third - Can anyone tell me what type of plants I have?  Sorry to be such a noob but I'm really interested in doing this right and researching what I've got so far.  

Fourth - If I get a new terrarium, would creating a waterfall or a small pool (not the bowl kind) be a bad idea?  I know dart frogs aren't aquatic, but if I ensure he can get in and out of the water easily so he doesn't drown would this be OK?  

Also - is the repti fogger necessary?  I like it, but how often should it be used, etc. and how much ventilation does the little guy need?   

Sorry for all the questions but I would value your feedback! I've attached several pics.

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## Brett

> Yesterday, I purchased my first Azureus!  He's so tiny!  I got the entire set up from a guy selling his vivarium set up (with the frog) who could not keep it any more.  Included with the set up was a fully set up vivarium (12"x12"x16") with soil (complete with a colony of isopods), substrate, rock features, back wall formation, little pool bowl, plants, light, active fruit fly culture, and Repti-Fogger.  I'll attach pics below.
> 
> So to be honest I'm a complete noob and stumbled up on this deal and jumped on it.  I had been considering getting a dart frog for a little while and had done a little bit of research, but I must say now that I have him I have a TON of questions!  Hopefully y'all can help me out.  
> 
> First, I kinda don't like the terrarium he's in.  I'm considering buying one of the Exo Terra or Zoo Med terrariums with the front doors and the bottom that will hold water.  How difficult would it be to transplant the soil, substrate, rocks, etc into a new terrarium and would it totally stress out the little guy? 
> 
> Second, if I change to a new terrarium, would I be able to keep the current soil (with the established isopod colony)?  They seem to be thriving.
> 
> Third - Can anyone tell me what type of plants I have?  Sorry to be such a noob but I'm really interested in doing this right and researching what I've got so far.  
> ...


-If I were you, I'd go for a 20-gallon long tank and maybe give the little guy a friend of the opposite sex when it grows up. It wouldn't be terribly difficult to transplant stuff into a new viv. When I had my dart frogs, I took it apart, rearranged things and put it back together for them, which I guess is a little similar.

-If you were to do a new viv, which again I'd recommend doing, you could put in new soil and a couple scoops of the soil from your current viv. This helps establish a new culture of isopods and stuff.

-I don't know squat about plants, but I do know you seem to have mostly bromeliads.

-You can make a little water feature if you go with a big enough viv, but I kinda think water features tend to be a bit more trouble than they're worth.

-I feel like you might as well keep the ReptiFogger. It humidifies the viv and, let's face it, the fog looks awesome. Darts need really high humidity, but what I've been told is that evaporative cooling is good for them. In order to do that, you'll probably want just a tiny bit of ventilation.

This is my two cents and I hope it helps!

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## ukfan1976

> -If I were you, I'd go for a 20-gallon long tank and maybe give the little guy a friend of the opposite sex when it grows up. It wouldn't be terribly difficult to transplant stuff into a new viv. When I had my dart frogs, I took it apart, rearranged things and put it back together for them, which I guess is a little similar.
> 
> -If you were to do a new viv, which again I'd recommend doing, you could put in new soil and a couple scoops of the soil from your current viv. This helps establish a new culture of isopods and stuff.
> 
> -I don't know squat about plants, but I do know you seem to have mostly bromeliads.
> 
> -You can make a little water feature if you go with a big enough viv, but I kinda think water features tend to be a bit more trouble than they're worth.
> 
> -I feel like you might as well keep the ReptiFogger. It humidifies the viv and, let's face it, the fog looks awesome. Darts need really high humidity, but what I've been told is that evaporative cooling is good for them. In order to do that, you'll probably want just a tiny bit of ventilation.
> ...


Yes very helpful!  I was super scared I'd ruin the little ecosystem already going if I took everything apart.  The guy I bought this off of has only had it since December so seems like it doesn't take long to get everything established.  

Also, I'm trying to avoid using another tank, I really like the looks of the Exo Terra and the Zoo Med naturalist terrariums.  The current one I have looks kind of junky and they guy basically broke a corner off the glass plates on the hood and cut a hole in the screen on top to feed the Repti Fogger into the enclosure.  And the light source just lays on top and isn't secured at all.  I am planning on having the little guy on display in my living room so I'd like something that looks nice, which is why i'd like to go with the before mentioned enclosures.  Plus I like the doors opening on the front for easy access.  Have you had any experience with the ExoTerra or ZooMed terrariums?

Thanks again for the reply man I really appreciate it!

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## Brett

> Yes very helpful!  I was super scared I'd ruin the little ecosystem already going if I took everything apart.  The guy I bought this off of has only had it since December so seems like it doesn't take long to get everything established.  
> 
> Also, I'm trying to avoid using another tank, I really like the looks of the Exo Terra and the Zoo Med naturalist terrariums.  The current one I have looks kind of junky and they guy basically broke a corner off the glass plates on the hood and cut a hole in the screen on top to feed the Repti Fogger into the enclosure.  And the light source just lays on top and isn't secured at all.  I am planning on having the little guy on display in my living room so I'd like something that looks nice, which is why i'd like to go with the before mentioned enclosures.  Plus I like the doors opening on the front for easy access.  Have you had any experience with the ExoTerra or ZooMed terrariums?
> 
> Thanks again for the reply man I really appreciate it!


I personally haven't had any experience with ExoTerra or ZooMed terrariums, but what I do know is that you need to do some modifications for a dart frog setup. I wanna say you need to put a fitted glass lid on the ExoTerra/ZooMed ones to keep in humidity, and I think you have to seal the little ventilation holes towards the bottom to keep fruit flies and stuff from escaping.

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## ukfan1976

> I personally haven't had any experience with ExoTerra or ZooMed terrariums, but what I do know is that you need to do some modifications for a dart frog setup. I wanna say you need to put a fitted glass lid on the ExoTerra/ZooMed ones to keep in humidity, and I think you have to seal the little ventilation holes towards the bottom to keep fruit flies and stuff from escaping.


hmm good to know!  thanks for the heads up!

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## Paul

Brett is right, You would need to modify the Exo Terras to make them escape proof for fruit flies. It isn't hard to do if that is the tank you are wanting. To replace the screen top just take the top of the new tank to a local glass company and tell them you want 1/8" thick glass cut to fit the top. I had a top cut for a 29G Long and a 40b tank at the same time and spent less than $20 on the glass total for both tanks. Dart frogs need near 100% humidity so no need to have any openings on the top. The air exchange that will happen when you open the doors to mist the plants or feed him is plenty. 

One other thing you will want to start doing is setting up a new Fruit Fly culture each week. This will ensure you always have enough food for your Dart. The springtails will breed a lot and will also be eaten by your frog as a snack. You can put most of them in the new tank and put some in a breed container so you can ensure you always have Springtails to add back into the viv if you notice their numbers are declining.

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## Carlos

The two larger plants are Bromeliads.  The smaller spiky one looks like a Tilandsia, another epiphyte in the Bromeliaceae family.  The other flat meaty leaves on right and left front side look like Christmas Cactus plants.  If so; don't think a tropical cactus will flourish in the typical high humidity and dampness of a Dart frog vivarium.

When comparing same size enclosures, the main difference between ExoTerra and Zoo Med are the front access.  ExoTerra give you 2 doors that meet in middle and Zoo Med gives you one larger door.  Myself prefer the dual doors; but that is personal choice.  In regards to size; would recommend get an 18x18x18 for terrestrial species and 18x18x24 for those that like to climb a little.  In that size enclosure you would be able to create a false bottom/drainage layer, back or even side walls and still having ample space to keep a trio or group of a desired frog species.  The only mod you will need will be to use either plastic or glass panes to cover the ventilation screens in order to maintain high humidity levels.

You can transfer all the plants and soil to the new set-up and add new material (ABG soil, etc.) as required.  Your frog will be slightly stressed by the move; but it should recover in couple days.  Recommend leave frog alone in current set-up while you build new one.  You can remove part of the present substrate to new enclosure to seed soil janitors.  Then when all done; move and replant plants and transfer remaining soil before moving frog.  Good luck  :Smile:  !

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Heatheranne

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## Heather

Hello, Jeremy.
 Welcome to the forum.

First, lets get you educated to dart frogs  :Smile: . Azureus are great starter frogs. 

Here is some info about Azureus. 

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/dendrobate...-for-sale.html

And an article about dart frogs.

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/bl...frogs-as-pets/

I keep all of my dart frog temps in the low to mid 70's. too high of temps can kill them. Get an accurate thermometer for in the tank. There are many options. Check in the amphibian/reptile section of any pet store. Be sure the edges are smooth and safe since these guys can climb.

Humidity is best around 80%. Too low of humidity can cause dehydration, too high can cause respiratory infections. Dart frogs can tolerate temporary humidity highs of up to 100%, but should not remain at a constant 100%. The fogger is great for this. You'll definitely need a good hygrometer to keep measure. It is good to have a small ventilation strip or screened hole. Some vivarium builders add a circulation fan with a safety netting or mesh over them. 

Here is an article on building vivariums.

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/catalog/bl...-construction/

I, myself, am not fond of the hydroball bottoms. I prefer having a hole drilled in the bottom of my tanks with an access drainage port to remove excess water from the soil. This makes maintaining the tank much easier. I make eggcrate false bottoms for mine. 

Moving the soil is easy. Just save it. 

You can either keep the frog in its current set up or keep him in a quarantine tank. I always quarantine any new frogs until I know how healthy they are, if they're eating and pooping, and to monitor their behaviors. I do this for at least 30 days. I use a glass tank, safe lid, paper towels as flooring, a properly cleansed and prepared pothos or other vine, a very shallow water dish (not necessary if humidity is proper), a thermometer, hygrometer, and for darts perhaps a bit of leaf litter. 

While the frog(s) are in quarantine, you can build the vivarium. This also gives you time for building their future home and letting it cycle. 

Fruit flies... You'll also need to learn how to make fruit fly cultures, unless you're lucky enough to have a store available that has cultures to buy year round. My Petco sells them, so I sometimes get a bit lazy in making my own, but I always keep supplies on hand. You never know when a delivery truck might get held up in the winter weather. It's best to always have more cultures on hand than you think you need. 

Springtails... Same goes here, have extra available. "Seeding" the soil is great. It helps keep your vivarium soil clean and provides an extra source of food for your frog(s). Isopods do the same. I keep and extra culture of springtails on the side also. You never know when you might need more. 

Supplements... You'll need to get a Calcium with vitamin D 3 amphibian/reptile supplement and a multivitamin phib/reptile supplement also. There are many brands. My favorites are Repashy calcium plus and Repcal calcium/D3. This is a must for healthy frogs. For my small darts I do a light fruit fly Repashy dusting 3x/wk and Repcal 2x/wk. for my adult darts I only do Repashy 2x/wk. I rotate the days. You will hear variations in vitamin schedules from different people. At minimal you should use calcium/vita D3 2x/wk and MVI once/wk. I have had great results with my schedule (as above) and have learned from some of the best breeders. 

A quick note... Frogs without vitamin and calcium with vitamin D3 supplementation in captivity can develop deficiencies. You may hear about Metabolic Bone Disease. This is caused by lack of calcium and can be fatal if untreated. Prevention is best. Calcium cannot be properly absorbed without vitamin D3. If you have any questions, let me know. I can elaborate further. 

Size of tank... A general rule of thumb for frog tank size is 10 gallons per adult frog. Some frogs are social and some are aggressive. Depending in your species you can house more than one. Azureus like to be in pairs. Of course, male/female pairs are best, though sometimes you do not know the sex when you get them if they are young. A pair would appreciate a 20 gallon or larger.

Types of tanks... Any types of tanks will do if you set them up properly. Aquariums, front-sliding doors, etc. I prefer the Exo Terra's. I like the 2 front doors for easy access. I have a glass cutter cut glass to replace the top screen. I have them sand the edges. I rinse them down good to remove any possible glass debris and then dry them and silicone them in. My current tank is going to have a hole cut into the glass top and I will be siliconing a mesh vent to allow a bit of air circulation. You can also do this for your fogger. Be sure to place screening over your fogger tube so the frog(s) do not climb up and into the tube. 

Plants... Tropical plants can be used in vivariums. Choose plants that can tolerate high humidity. Air plants such as bromeliads do well if placed in the backgrounds. They will rot if placed in the wet soil. There are lots of plant choices. 

A few options (but there are many more) ...

Bromeliads
Tillansia
Java moss
Baby tears 
Dracena
Peperomia
Some orchids
Ferns
Begonias
Selaginella
Fittonia
Pilea
Anthurium
Syngonium
Ficus 
Anubias
Pothos
Calathea
Philodendrons
Aglaonema
Spathiphyllum
Tradescantia

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## Heather

Hope this helps  :Smile: .

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## ukfan1976

> Hope this helps .


This is awesome Heather!!  Such great info i'm really glad i found this  forum!  BIG thanks to Carlos and Paul too!  You guys rock!!  

I  went ahead and purchased a 24x18x18 terrarium.  Probably overkill but go  big or go home right??  One of the guys at Pet Kingdom here in San  Diego was a HUGE help.  Even suggested I get a few more Azureus'  :Smile:   I'm  now taking on a big project and going to create a "Creek" that flows  through the middle of the terrarium.  He showed me some of his designs  (I cant take credit for the creek as he had built an unbelieveable  looking one!)  I"ll share my pics once its done.  I'm a nite shifter and  off tonite so this is my project.  Hopefully all goes well.  I just  started rinsing out my larger gravel substrate and accidentally dumped a  huge amount down my garbage disposal lol.  luckily some unfortunate  souls online had done the same with aquarium gravel and suggested I use a  shop vac and vacuum them out.  worked like a charm after i freaked out  for a few til i found the solution haha.  Ill post pics of the progress   :Wink: 

Again thanks to all who have given me some suggestions!

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## Heather

You're welcome  :Smile:

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## Paul

You are very welcome! Glad I could provide some assistance  :Smile:

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## ukfan1976

> You are very welcome! Glad I could provide some assistance


Here's the finished product! (In case u didn't see my new post)

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## Heather

Looks great! You could even add a few more plants for them  :Wink: .

Great video!

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## Heather

This set-up would work great with some aquatic plants. Deranged chipmunk is your man when it comes to these types of plants  :Smile: .

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