Encyclopaedia
AmphibianTerrestrialIntermediate
©AI Generated·Proprietary
Patricia Poison Frog
Dendrobates tinctorius "Patricia"
The 'Patricia' morph of Dendrobates tinctorius is a beautiful, large poison dart frog from Suriname, recognized by its bright yellow back and cobalt-blue legs.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Dendrobatidae
Genus:Dendrobates
Species:Dendrobates tinctorius "Patricia"
Share
Check out Patricia Poison Frog on Atlarium
Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
80 - 100 %
Day temperature
22 - 26 °C
Night temperature
19 - 21 °C
UVB
None
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: This color morph of Dendrobates tinctorius is native to the primary tropical rainforests of southern Suriname, near the Brazilian border. It lives on the forest floor among damp leaf litter, moss-covered rocks, and tree buttresses, where high humidity and moderate temperatures are maintained by the dense forest canopy.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Dendrobatidae. The 'Patricia' is a naturally occurring geographic morph within the Dendrobates tinctorius species. Its genetics dictate the specific arrangement of yellow, black, and blue pigmentation, which is consistently inherited in wild and captive lines.
Behavior and Habits: Diurnal and primarily terrestrial, though it will climb low tree trunks or plants in search of food. Males call with a very soft buzz to attract females. Females are surprisingly aggressive and will fight each other over territory or access to a preferred male during breeding cycles.
Morphology: One of the larger species of poison dart frogs, with adult females reaching 5-6 cm in length; males are slightly smaller. It features smooth, glossy skin. The head and upper back are bright yellow to yellow-orange, contrasted by dark flanks and distinctive cobalt-blue legs speckled with small black dots.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A bio-active terrarium of at least 45x45x45 cm is recommended for a pair. The setup must include a drainage layer of clay balls (hydroton), barrier mesh, and a soil mix of peat, coco fiber, and sphagnum moss. Cover the floor with leaf litter (oak or sea grape leaves) and provide cork bark caves.
Lighting and Heating: Provide low-heat LED lights to sustain live terrarium plants and a low-intensity (2.0) UVB bulb. Temperatures should be kept between 22°C and 26°C during the day, dropping to 20°C at night. Temperatures above 28°C can cause heat stress and quick death.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity levels between 80% and 95%. Mist the enclosure 1-2 times daily using reverse osmosis water. Provide a very shallow water dish (no deeper than 5 mm) to avoid drowning risks, as poison dart frogs are poor swimmers and lack webbed feet.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly insectivorous. Their diet must consist of live micro-insects, primarily flightless fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila hydei), springtails, and pinhead crickets. Dust flies with a high-quality calcium and multivitamin supplement containing Vitamin A at every feeding.
Compatibility: Best housed as a male-female pair. Due to intense intrasexual aggression, keeping multiple females together is highly discouraged as they will fight, leading to severe chronic stress or death of the submissive frog. Do not cohabitate with other species.
Health and Common Diseases: Prone to fungal skin infections if the enclosure lacks proper drainage. Chytrid fungus (Bd) is a major hazard for all amphibians. Calcium and vitamin deficiencies can lead to metabolic issues, causing muscle twitching or spindly leg syndrome in developing froglets.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
This color morph of Dendrobates tinctorius is native to the primary tropical rainforests of southern Suriname, near the Brazilian border. It lives on the forest floor among damp leaf litter, moss-covered rocks, and tree buttresses, where high humidity and moderate temperatures are maintained by the dense forest canopy.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsAmazon, Orinoco, and Guianas
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 5 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 5 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 5 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.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
