| Species | Amphibian |
|---|---|
| Origin | Suriname |
| Size Category | Tiny |
| Scientific Name | Dendrobates tinctorius azureus |
| Category | Frog |
| Original Purpose | Display/Companion |
| Husbandry Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Social Needs | Medium |
| Weight Range | 0.003–0.008 kg |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 10–15 years |
| Juvenile Stage Ends | 12 months |
| Senior Age Threshold | 10 years |
| Exercise Needs | Moderate - diurnal; active foragers; need floor space with climbing |
|---|---|
| Grooming | None - maintain vivarium bioactive ecosystem |
| Annual Exam Focus | Weight, skin condition, fecal parasites, calcium stores (posture) |
| Routine Care | Maintain 72-80°F; 80-100% humidity; feed fruit flies daily; mist 2-3x daily; 12h photoperiod |
| Condition | Onset Stage | Risk | Hereditary | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium Deficiency/MBD | juvenile | high | No | N/A |
| Dehydration | adult | high | No | N/A |
| Spindly Leg Syndrome (captive-bred) | juvenile | medium | Yes | N/A |
| Chytridiomycosis | adult | medium | No | Recommended |
| Internal Parasites | adult | medium | No | Recommended |
| Risk Level | Low |
|---|---|
| Ideal BCS | 3/9 |
| Visual Cues | Lean athletic build; clearly defined limbs; no bloating |
| Daily Activity | 30 minutes |
| Caloric Notes | Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster/hydei) daily; 20-40 flies per frog per feeding |
| Litter Size | 2–12 |
|---|---|
| Dystocia Risk | Low |
| CHIC Required Tests | N/A |
| Recommended DNA Tests | Lineage tracking for genetic diversity |
| Neonatal Weight | 0.05–0.1 g |
|---|---|
| Growth Notes | Tadpole stage 60-90 days; froglet to adult 6-12 months; long-lived species |
| Vaccine/Health Schedule | No vaccines; quarantine 30+ days; fecal testing recommended |
| Temperature | 22-27°C (72-80°F); avoid exceeding 28°C |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 80-100%; bioactive vivarium with misting system; drainage layer essential |
| UVB Requirement | Low UVB (2.0) beneficial; 12h photoperiod; diurnal species needs light cycle |
| Diet | Fruit flies (primary), springtails, isopods; dust with calcium+D3 every feeding; vitamin supplement 2x weekly |
| Common Issues | MBD from poor supplementation, dehydration, spindly leg in offspring, chytrid, parasites |
| Anxiety Proneness | Low |
|---|---|
| Top Triggers | Excessive vibrations, sudden environmental changes, overcrowding, low humidity |
| Separation Anxiety Risk | None |
| Calming Interventions | Dense planted vivarium, consistent misting, stable temperatures, visual barriers between males |
| Enrichment Needs | Bioactive vivarium with live plants, leaf litter, varied microfauna, film canisters for breeding |
| Cognitive Dysfunction Risk | Low |
| Sociability Score | 5/10 |
| Locomotion | Walking, hopping, climbing low vegetation, foraging on ground |
|---|---|
| Social | Can be kept in pairs/groups (species-dependent); males territorial; parental care of tadpoles |
| Comfort | Foraging actively, calling (males), resting on leaves, bold coloration displayed |
| Stress/Displacement | Hiding excessively, color fading, weight loss, aggression between males |
| Breed-Specific | Non-toxic in captivity; bold diurnal display; complex breeding behavior; parental care; bioactive vivarium species |
| Types | Buzzing advertisement calls (males), aggression calls, distress chirps |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | 2,000-6,000 Hz |
| Tendency | Medium |
| Primary Modality | Vocal (males primary), visual (bold aposematic coloration), tactile (wrestling between males) |
| Tail/Body Signals | No tail; bold blue/black coloration serves as aposematic warning (non-functional in captivity) |
| Top Problems | Male territorial aggression, egg eating by females, tadpole aggression |
|---|---|
| Medical Etiology | Weak limbs from MBD; lethargy from dehydration; spindly leg in juveniles |
| Fear/Anxiety Etiology | Hiding under leaf litter; rarely flee (bold species due to aposematic coloration) |
| Frustration Etiology | Territorial calling escalation; physical wrestling between males in small spaces |
| Learned Behavior | Associates misting with feeding time; bold toward keepers; breeding behavior triggered by rain simulation |
| Cognitive Dysfunction | Minimal; instinct-driven parental care behavior is complex but not learned |
| AI-Trainable Signals | Calling frequency/intensity, color vibrancy, foraging activity level, territorial posturing |
|---|---|
| Context-Dependent Vocalizations | Increased calling may be breeding readiness OR territorial stress - presence of rival differentiates |
| Interspecies Communication | Bold and visible; not handleable (skin toxins minimal but sensitive skin); best observed in naturalistic vivarium |