# Darts for warmer temperatures



## Destroyer551 (Sep 7, 2013)

So I just got an exo terra 24x18x18 in and I'm currently contemplating what species I'd like to build the viv for. However one limiting factor is that my house is a constant 76-78 degrees, with the rare 80 degree day during the midst of summer. While I was originally hoping for a group of Epipedobates anthonyi I realized that might not be a good idea for a supposedly cooler-temperature loving frog after reading around about them. I'd like Tinctorius, but I'm also not sure how they'd do with the elevated temperatures. How would Tincs and the anthonyi fair with higher temperatures? Are there any dart frogs better suited to such conditions?

In preperation to combat the temps I made a vent and also purchased some jungle dawn type LEDs, and a mistking. I'm hoping that lots of misting might help to keep the temperatures down but without the tank setup yet I'm not sure.

I do know that with all the lights on, and a 77 degree room temperature, that the empty tank sits at 79 degrees approximately 14" up the glass side.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Leucomelas or pumilio


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## Destroyer551 (Sep 7, 2013)

frogparty said:


> Leucomelas or pumilio


Thanks!

As for pumilio, what are some of the better localities for beginners? How well do they do in groups or are they strictly pair only like imitators?


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## scoy (Jan 22, 2013)

On UEs description of retics it says there habitat gets rather warm.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

At my old house, my leuc viv in the living room would hit 90 degrees inside for a few days each year. Its well planted and they always got cool mist water, but the house was a log cabin and was very hard to keep cool with no A/C. The leucs always did fine, but eggs that were laid during the heat wave or tadpoles reared in those high temps consistently showed much higher levels of SLS than when the same group was breeding at the standard high 70s. 

Im not a pumilio guy, so not the best to get advice from as far as group dynamics. I d suggest a pair to start with in an average sized viv, and Id still advise you to not let the temps get over 80 if possible


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

If 80 is the max room temp, you shouldn't have problem with any species. Our thermostat is set at 78-80 during the day in summer, and the frogs have fared fine. Just be sure to keep the tanks ventilated and maybe keep a fan in the room to facilitate air circulation.


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## smoyer (Jul 9, 2007)

high 70s up to low 80s should be fine, your plan to ventilate and mist should mitigate potential chronic heat stress issues. Whats really hard on frogs (all animals) is rapid swings in temperature. Acute temperature changes will harm frogs much more than ones that are slow and allow time to acclimate. 

Most of my darts are kept in the same room as my Phelsuma and that average room temp is exactly what you are expecting 77 to 80. I run a small fan 24/7 and mist regularly. 

I have yet to have any issues... other than flying "flight-less fruit flies". Don't let those get to warm or they magically start to fly.


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## Destroyer551 (Sep 7, 2013)

smoyer said:


> high 70s up to low 80s should be fine, your plan to ventilate and mist should mitigate potential chronic heat stress issues. Whats really hard on frogs (all animals) is rapid swings in temperature. Acute temperature changes will harm frogs much more than ones that are slow and allow time to acclimate.
> 
> Most of my darts are kept in the same room as my Phelsuma and that average room temp is exactly what you are expecting 77 to 80. I run a small fan 24/7 and mist regularly.
> 
> I have yet to have any issues... other than flying "flight-less fruit flies". Don't let those get to warm or they magically start to fly.


Thanks for the input.

What kind of darts do you keep in said room, though?


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## smoyer (Jul 9, 2007)

Actually i keep tricolors, along with azureus, and several different imitators in the same room as the day geckos.

The only frogs i keep separate are my terribilis, and vittatus.


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## PumilioTurkey (Feb 25, 2010)

Pumilios can keep up with temporary high temperatures if your tank has a good structure and enough plants like bromeliads.

Especially bromeliads with water spots and dark, cool spots inside the tank can help the frogs if they decide to search for less warm hiding places!


I'd say Bastimentos or Cauchero/Darklands are good beginner morphs.

My Caucheros were used to temperatures up to 90 inside their tanks during the whole summer!

and they were laying eggs like crazy!


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

My frog room is full of Tincs and reaches a daytime high of 80F for 3 months out of the year. I get a nightly drop to 75F. I have water in every viv and they can soak, if desired. I highly recommend venting your tanks.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Of note is that CAS runs their rainforest dome exhibit in the mid 80's. Their are some happy dart frogs in enclosures inside of it that do not appear to have any cooling built in at all. Phyllobates vittatus, lugubris, O. pumilio, and D. auratus. The calls of lugubris ring through the entire exhibit.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

With ventilation and airflow I'd imagine such temps would be fine. Also, if temperatures are regularly at such highs the animals will be better acclimated to high temperatures. What would be very dangerous and where many losses may stem from are animals that are kept in the low-mid 70's all the time suddenly losing AC power and climbing to the 80's. 

As pumilioturkey said, large vivs that a thermal gradient can be established in would be ideal. I would consider running LED strips or fixtures in replacement for any flourescent bulbs during the summer...those could be run in the winter to keep things warmer. 

There are lots of threads on cooling vivs should it come to that, and IMO if a severe wave comes through and you lose power or similar the safest thing to do if you can is to remove frogs to sweaterboxes and store in a cooler rather than attempting to chill vivs in a whole room.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

I will put in another vote for pumilio. Seems temps in the high 80's-low 90's don't phase them with ventilation.


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

frogparty said:


> At my old house, my leuc viv in the living room would hit 90 degrees inside for a few days each year. Its well planted and they always got cool mist water, but the house was a log cabin and was very hard to keep cool with no A/C. The leucs always did fine, but eggs that were laid during the heat wave or tadpoles reared in those high temps consistently showed much higher levels of SLS than when the same group was breeding at the standard high 70s.
> 
> Im not a pumilio guy, so not the best to get advice from as far as group dynamics. I d suggest a pair to start with in an average sized viv, and Id still advise you to not let the temps get over 80 if possible


What is SLS? Spindly leg syndrome or something like that?


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## rigel10 (Jun 1, 2012)

Groundhog said:


> What is SLS? Spindly leg syndrome or something like that?


Yes, it is.


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