There is no shortage of information on keeping poison dart frogs and setting up your own vivarium available online. Here are some of the resources that I found helpful.
Vivarium information
Vivariums are a catch-all term used to describe the system used to keep plants and animals in an artificial habitat that looks natural. If you’re mostly interested in frogs, there are certainly easier ways to keep them. If you’re interested in plants, you don’t gain much by keeping them in a box with frogs. But if you like both, and want a “living work of art,” then a vivarium might be for you. The links below provide some helpful resources for getting started.
| Link | Description |
| Vivariums Made Easy – the complete DIY Guide | This guide provides a great introduction to the basic concepts involved in keeping vivariums. It’s intended to be a primer and summarizes the topics you’ll need to learn more about, like lighting, microfauna (insects, mostly), and the elements in the display like logs, rocks and backing. The title references a DIY guide, and it has one, but there are better sources for “how to” information. |
| Vivarium checklist | The New England Herpetological Society is an excellent resource for keeping reptiles at home. The “Vivarium checklist” link provides a detailed set of how-to instructions, interactive tools, and other resources for building your vivarium. While it’s an excellent resource, you may wish that the authors had taken a course in web content authoring. But if you can suffer through the questionable design choices, there’s a wealth of information from trusted community experts here. |
| Exo Terra: How to set up a bioactive terrarium | Exo-terra is a vendor providing habitats and supplies for reptiles and amphibians. This page will certainly promote their products, but it’s also a thoughtful, well-designed guide for setting up a vivarium at home. |
Poison dart frogs
Keeping poison dart frogs at home isn’t as intimidating as it may look at first, but it requires careful planning. The resources below will help get you started.
| Link | Description |
| So you think you want dart frogs? | This blog post is from a reputable vendor for reptiles and amphibians, “Josh’s frogs“. The blog post introduces you to key concepts in dart frog care. This is less of a how-to guide than a primer, and a good resource for setting expectations. |
| Basic care: Poison Dart Frogs | This care sheet from the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital provides basic information on the care requirements for poison dart frogs. It’s a good list of basic care instructions from someone who isn’t clearly affiliated with a store. You’ll also find information about common health problems. |
| Dendrobatids: 101 | The Minnesota Zoo has an excellent exhibit featuring Poison Dart Frogs. While this isn’t directly related to keeping them as pets, this page provides some interesting insights on poison dart frogs in nature. |