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Green and Black Poison Dart Frog 'Bronzewood'
Dendrobates auratus "Bronzewood"
A selectively bred tropical poison dart frog morph with warm bronze coloration and metallic green-blue markings. Perfect for planted terrariums.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Dendrobatidae
Genus:Dendrobates
Species:Dendrobates auratus "Bronzewood"
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
70 - 100 %
Day temperature
22 - 26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 20 °C
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Dendrobates auratus is native to Central and northwestern South America, ranging from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama to northwestern Colombia. It inhabits the leaf litter, tree roots, and epiphytic vegetation (like bromeliads) of tropical lowland rainforests. The "Bronzewood" morph is a unique captive-bred variety.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Dendrobatidae, genus Dendrobates. In the wild, this species displays high genetic and chromatic variation across isolated populations. The "Bronzewood" morph has been selectively bred for its deep, warm bronze metallic base combined with contrasting green or blue stripes or blotches.
Behavior and Habits: Diurnal and highly active. It spends most of its time on the forest floor foraging for micro-insects, but is also an excellent climber, scaling trees and bromeliads to deposit eggs or seek shelter. Males are territorial and engage in upright wrestling matches during the breeding season.
Morphology: Compact body ranging from 3 to 4.5 cm (1.2-1.8 inches) in length, with females being slightly larger and rounder than males. Skin is smooth and secretes toxic alkaloids in the wild (toxicity is lost in captivity due to a diet devoid of specific wild prey). Toes end in expanded adhesive pads for climbing.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a bioactive, humid tropical terrarium (planted vivarium) of at least 50x50x50 cm (20x20x20 inches) for a pair or small group. Provide a drainage layer, substrate covered in oak or Catappa leaf litter, smooth rocks, driftwood, and dense tropical plants, especially bromeliads (crucial for tadpoles).
Lighting and Heating: Requires LED lighting for live plant growth and a low-output UVB source (2.0 or 5.0) active for 12 hours daily to aid D3 synthesis. Keep the temperature between 24°C and 26°C (75°F - 79°F) during the day, with a night drop to 20-21°C (68°F - 70°F). Avoid temperatures above 28°C (82°F) as they can be fatal.
Humidity and Hydration: Humidity must be kept high, between 80% and 95%. This is achieved by misting 2-3 times daily with reverse osmosis water (to avoid mineral deposits on leaves and glass) or using automatic misting systems. Do not use deep water dishes (drowning risk); small puddles in bromeliad leaf axils are sufficient.
Feeding and Supplementation: Feeds exclusively on live micro-insects. Staple foods are fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and D. hydei), springtails, aphids, and pinhead crickets. Feed daily. Prey must be dusted with calcium and D3 at every meal, and with a multivitamin (including Vitamin A) once a week.
Compatibility: Can be kept in pairs or small groups if space is sufficient. Avoid keeping multiple males in small enclosures to prevent territorial stress. Never house with other Dendrobatidae species to prevent hybridization and food competition, nor with other reptiles or amphibians.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly sensitive to dehydration and overheating stress. Key health issues include fungal skin infections (chytridiomycosis) and intestinal parasites. Spindly leg syndrome (SLS) can affect tadpoles if parental nutrition is poor or water quality is low.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Dendrobates auratus is native to Central and northwestern South America, ranging from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama to northwestern Colombia. It inhabits the leaf litter, tree roots, and epiphytic vegetation (like bromeliads) of tropical lowland rainforests. The "Bronzewood" morph is a unique captive-bred variety.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsExtra-Amazon South AmericaCentral America and CaribbeanNorth America
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 4.2 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 4.2 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 4.2 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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