# ranitomeya vantrimaculata good first frog?



## monty89 (Sep 2, 2012)

I really like that they are climbers and are hardy so I've read is this a good choice if so anyone own them and have any pointers


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## dylanserbin (Apr 11, 2009)

Yeah!

They are a fantastic first frog. They look nice and are extremely easy to care for/breed. They practically do it themselves.


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## morg (Jul 28, 2012)

They were my first,also. I have a 1.1 pair. Arboreal? Let me put it this way... The ONLY time mine are on substrate is when one of their huge acrobatic jumps misses the landing. Mostly active at sun-up for me.


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## Phyllobates azureus (Aug 18, 2010)

monty89 said:


> I really like that they are climbers and are hardy so I've read is this a good choice if so anyone own them and have any pointers


If it is for your first Ranitomeya species, then ventrimaculata is a great frog to start with. 

However, I would not reccommend starting the dart frog hobby with R. ventrimaculata. Like other Ranitomeya species, they require more advanced care than some other dendrobatids, and their breeding is fairly advanced. Some darts that are reccommended for beginners are Dendrobates auratus, tinctorius, and leucomelas and Phyllobates terribilis and vittatus. Once you've kept those for a while you can move on to Ranitomeya species.


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## morg (Jul 28, 2012)

Agree...
It shouldn't be your first dart, but it should be your first thumbnail species.


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## monty89 (Sep 2, 2012)

Thanks everyone all the advice is making this hobby become very interesting the more I learn the more I'm on here going through forums left and right. I really like the frogs who climb and are multi colored are there any other beginner species with these traits anyone ? I know azeuras are recommended but I just can't buy them every pet store near me has them I just wanted somethin that I myself hasn't seen in person before.


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## Daleo (Jan 31, 2012)

Leucomelas will use vertical space. I would recommend making some ledges for them though. They can't spiderman climb like thumbnails.


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## Phyllobates azureus (Aug 18, 2010)

IME, Phyllobates vittatus climbs quite a bit, as does Dendrobates leucomelas.


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## morg (Jul 28, 2012)

Even some auratus, little timid so they climb when startled.


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## whitethumb (Feb 5, 2011)

id say buy the frogs you want. just know that ranitomeya might be not be seen as much as some of the bolder species. also if you make a mistake or something, the larger species are a bit more forgiving as where the smaller species might end up being a costly mistake. good attention to detail and some good husbandry skills and you should be fine. just some things to consider but at the end of the day, id say buy the frogs you want. i've spent money on frogs i really didn't want, just because if they died or something my loss wouldn't be too big. i should have bought the frogs i really wanted instead. good vibes your way


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## crested (May 15, 2011)

I started in the dart frog hobby early this year. Have been breeding crested geckos for awhile (realize they are not at all similar). But setup a large 100gallon planted tank for my darts to start with. 

I started with ventrimaculata, borja ridge to be exact. 

I've found them easy to care for, prolific breeders and definitely use the vertical space well. 

That being said, I certainly don't see them as much as I had anticipated, even with the research I did. 

Cheers


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## SnakePaparazzi (Jul 20, 2008)

My Iquitos Amazonicas are pretty bold (meaning they aren't skittish... They have certain areas of their enclosure that they tend to stick to). The male in my trio is very audible and calls all the time.

I'd say if you are responsible, they are just as easy as any "beginner" species of PDFs. As for breeding, my trio is more prolific than any other frog in my collection.

-Christian


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## monty89 (Sep 2, 2012)

Thanks again I wish I could put pics on here from my phone to show my progress but always says file size to big like to see what you guys think about my first build


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## monty89 (Sep 2, 2012)

Pics of my tank set up almost finished any comments concerns or advice and the holes on the right side is actually a tunnel I made


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## monty89 (Sep 2, 2012)

Pictures by monty8989 - Photobucket


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## Dale D (Apr 22, 2012)

I'd say that is a pretty nice job for a first attempt.


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## monty89 (Sep 2, 2012)

I still need to add a few more various plants,vines, and a few small pieces of driftwood, and leaf litter then I'm done finally lol this hobby gets expensive quick . Unfortunately I'm already addicted. I put a Venus fly trap in the back wall will that be ok in there ?


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## Dendroguy (Dec 4, 2010)

monty89 said:


> I still need to add a few more various plants,vines, and a few small pieces of driftwood, and leaf litter then I'm done finally lol this hobby gets expensive quick . Unfortunately I'm already addicted. I put a Venus fly trap in the back wall will that be ok in there ?


You have no idea what an expinsive hobby is, try getting into reefing and then come back . As for the venus flytrap, that is a HUGE no if your planning thumbs. A vent could get in there very easily, take it out ASAP. Other than that your tank looks great!

D


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## monty89 (Sep 2, 2012)

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go with the highland bronze auratus will they be ok with the Venus fly trap it just looks awesome stuck into the wall


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## Gocubs (Apr 23, 2012)

If not, my first 2 pairs of frogs were thumbs. If you set up/care for them properly, they will be fine. As far as temps go, my tanks range from 67-85 degrees on a daily basis with no issuse. I know when I started I was stressed about maintaining temp. Some advice would be to add a fan and don't let it reach 90. These are tropical animals.


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## Frog Tropics (Jul 18, 2012)

In my experience, most terrestrial species will climb somewhat/utilize some vertical space, provided spacious enough (artificial) cliff croppings and a way to get from one to another, so I would recommend choosing the frog that you like the best and building the tank around it. It will probably do some climbing for you even if it is not technically an arboreal species.

That said, vents do offer the additional bonus of being one of the few darts with an audible call. Most people enjoy it quite a bit, though it can get grating at times when breeding is in full force


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

monty89 said:


> I'm pretty sure I'm gonna go with the highland bronze auratus will they be ok with the Venus fly trap it just looks awesome stuck into the wall


I would not grow a Venus fly trap in a vivarium with dart frogs, for two reasons. First, there is always the potential for a frog to be trapped. Not highly likely, but the possibility is there, and personally, I'd avoid it. Secondly, Venus fly traps require a dormancy period to survive long term, which they won't get in a dart frog vivarium... There are several posts and threads about this subject with more information, try using the search feature. 
Good luck


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