Variable Poison Frog — Fact Sheet

Ranitomeya variabilis · Variable Poison Frog

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• Start with a compatible pair in a densely planted 45 × 45 × 60 cm enclosure, with more room for any larger group.
• Quarantine new arrivals separately and arrange amphibian-veterinary screening.
• Keep species and locality lines separate.

🪨 Enclosure furniture

• Provide branching cork, fine climbing routes, dense plants, leaf litter and about 5–8 cm of drained soil.
• Fit removable small nursery cups among cover if breeding is intended.
• Screen every cable opening and door gap against frogs and fruit flies.

💡 Lighting

• Use a gentle 12-hour daylight cycle and darkness at night.
• Provide shaded routes through foliage and ensure plant lights do not warm the roof excessively.
• Any optional low-level UVB needs measured exposure and a supplementation plan; small frogs must be able to move completely out of it.

🌡️ Temperature

• A conservative starting range for commonly kept cooler locality lines is 22–25 °C by day and 19–22 °C at night.
• Confirm the line’s origin with the breeder; some lowland populations experience warmer conditions.
• Measure at occupied leaf and branch positions, not just outside the glass.
• Avoid strong basking lamps, direct sun and sudden cooling.

💧 Humidity & water

• Allow humidity to cycle from about 75–85% during part of the day toward 90–100% after evening misting and overnight.
• Maintain gentle airflow, moist retreats and drainage rather than permanently wet, stagnant surfaces.
• Use dechlorinated amphibian-safe water.
• Small water-holding bromeliads or nursery cups need easy access and regular inspection; they are not a reason to flood the floor.

🪳 Diet

Staple foods — follow the feeding schedule:

• Offer small flightless Drosophila melanogaster as the main cultured prey, with springtails and suitable tiny aphids for variety.
• Feed small portions daily and confirm each frog eats; a background springtail population is not a complete diet.
• Do not combine high-dose products or use wild ants and other unidentified insects.
• Keep several staggered fly cultures.
• Choose prey no wider than the space between the eyes; offer smaller items if swallowing looks difficult.

In moderation:

• Offer measured small meals; check that every frog feeds without becoming overweight.

Avoid:

• Pesticide-contaminated food, spoiled leftovers and unverified wild-collected foods.

Supplements:

• Use a fresh amphibian calcium-vitamin programme that supplies appropriate A and D3 according to its label.

🩺 Health — warning signs

• Weight loss can be concealed by a frog’s small size; check body condition and feeding behaviour frequently.
• Red skin, weakness, persistent hiding or bloating need an amphibian veterinarian.
• Transfer by clean container; necessary contact requires new powder-free gloves rinsed with suitable water.
• Captive-bred frogs on conventional diets generally lack wild dietary alkaloids, but never assume unknown-origin animals are toxin-free or allow secretions near the mouth or eyes.