Josh's Frogs
Dendrobates auratus 'Panamanian Green and Bronze'
Dendrobates auratus 'Panamanian Green and Bronze' is a great beginner dart frog. Auratus do great in pairs or groups, and are very passive and easy tempered. Auratus can be a bit shy, but a well planted vivarium will quickly make them more bold.
Trade Name(s)
Dendrobates auratus 'Panamanian Green and Bronze' is commonly just known as auratus in the hobby. Auratus are also known as the green and black poison dart frog.
Family & Scientific Name
Dendrobatidae; Dendrobates auratus
Range & OriginPanama. Like most auratus,
Dendrobates auratus 'Panamanian Green and Bronze' was not imported with any specific locale data, so the morph's exact lineage data is unknown. This variety of
Dendrobates auratus was introduced into the hobby in the early 2000s.
Adult SizeAdult female
Dendrobates auratus typically measure about 1.5-2"" long, with males being slightly smaller.
Dendrobates auratus 'Panamanian Green and Bronze' is one of the larger forms of auratus.
Life SpanCaptive life span of
Dendrobates auratus is estimated to be 10-20 years, with individual instances of auratus living over 20 years reported. A close friend has had his auratus for over 27 years, and they were wild collected adults when he acquired them.
EnclosureGenerally,
poison dart frogs are kept in
naturalistic vivaria with
live plants and little to no ventilation.
Dendrobates auratus hails from humid tropical rainforests, so replicating that habitat in captivity is ideal.
Live plants should be used, and actually help to keep the environment clean. Provide 10 gallons or more of space per frog when adult.
SubstrateWith
naturalistic vivaria, substrate typically consists of a 2” base layer of
hydroton, followed by
substrate barrier, then a well-draining substrate such as
ABG mix in a 2” layer. On top of this,
long fiber sphagnum is placed in a thin layer, followed by a hearty coating of
leaf litter. The substrate can be seeded with various species of microfauna, including
springtails and
isopods, which are cultured and sold specifically for such applications.
TemperatureFor the most part,
Dendrobates auratus needs to be kept above 60F and below 80F, with an ideal temperature in the mid to low70sF. Although they can tolerate brief cold spells,
poison dart frogs are very sensitive to heat.
Social Structure
Dendrobates auratus 'Panamanian Green and Bronze'
does fine in groups, pairs, or singly when young. Unlike many other poison dart frogs, auratus tend to do well in groups their entire life. Once auratus hit sexual maturity (10-12 months), females may eat each other's eggs.
DietLike most
Poison Dart Frogs, auratus prefer smaller foods less than 1/8” long.
Flightless Fruit Flies are an ideal staple food, as they are easy and inexpensive to culture, and available from several online stores, including . Other common prey items include
pinhead crickets, bean beetles,
springtails,
isopods, aphids,
rice flour beetles, lesser wax moth larvae, and
phoenix worms. It is important to dust each prey item with a
vitamin/mineral supplement.
CleaningIf housed in a
naturalistic vivarium, cleaning is kept to a minimum. As long as water does not saturate the
ABG substrate (it will smell like rotten eggs if it does), the substrate needs to be replaced only every 3-5 years. New
leaf litter should be added every 6 months or so, as the old
leaf litter breaks down. Plants will need to be trimmed to keep them from outgrowing the vivarium, and the front glass can be wiped down with a paper towel to remove any algae or debris that collects there. All of the inside surfaces of the vivarium (ie plant leaves, wood, glass) should be sprayed down with a hand mister once to twice a month.
Handling
Poison Dart Frogs should not be handled except when they are being moved to or from a vivarium. They are harmless and non toxic in captivity, but household chemicals and oils on your skin can easily harm them.
Conclusion
Dendrobates auratus 'Panamanian Green and Bronze' is a great beginner frog. Auratus are easy to keep, readily breed, and are widely available as captive bred animals.
