A little damp, very welcome.
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
Dendrobates tinctorius
Also called Dyeing poison frog, Cobalt poison frog, Tinc, Blue poison dart frog (azureus form)
From The eastern Guiana Shield of South America: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and northern Brazil, in rainforest up to about 600 m, often around tree-fall gaps.12
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Small, sturdy dart frog with smooth, glossy skin
One of the larger dart frogs, with a compact body, smooth shiny skin and broad toe discs. Males are smaller and slimmer with heart-shaped toe pads, while females are rounder with a more arched back and circular toe pads.12
Personality what they are like
A bold, busy little frog that is out and about in daylight, hopping in short leaps and exploring. Adults of the same sex can be quite territorial with each other, using calls, chasing and wrestling.23
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Diurnal and lively; spends most time on the ground but will climb a few metres, so it appreciates both floor space and some height.21
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Dart frogs do best in a planted vivarium kept at 80-100 percent humidity, around 22-27 C by day and no colder than about 16-18 C at night.3
Home where they are happiest
Planted rainforest vivarium with moss, leaf litter, hiding spots and small water pools, reflecting the damp, shaded forest floor near streams where it lives.32
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Insectivore. Wild frogs eat mostly ants and mites; captive frogs are raised on small insects such as fruit flies and crickets.134
Company who they like around
Territorial, especially between frogs of the same sex, so group size and space need some thought. Pairs share parental care, with the male carrying tadpoles to water.23
The story where it all began
Georges Cuvier described the frog in 1797. Its name means 'dyeing' and comes from accounts of Indigenous people using frog secretions to change the colour of parrot feathers.1
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its wild toxins come entirely from the ants and mites it eats, so frogs raised in captivity on ordinary insects are harmless.1
- 2
The name 'tinctorius' refers to stories of it being used to dye parrot feathers.1
- 3
Each frog's spot pattern is unique, a bit like a fingerprint.2
- 4
Fathers carry newly hatched tadpoles on their backs to small pools of water.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Georges Cuvier in 1797; the blue 'azureus' form is now treated as part of this species1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Dyeing Poison Dart Frog. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- MistingKeep the humidity upevery day
- Fresh waterDechlorinated waterevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- FeedingHow often depends on species and agevaries
- Spot cleanevery 2 days
- Full cleanevery month
- Vet check-upFind a vet who sees exotic petsevery year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.
- Dyeing poison dart frog - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for range, status, size, colour forms, diet, history
- Dendrobates tinctorius - Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan; account covers the blue azureus form) animaldiversity.orgused for size, weight, lifespan, behaviour, reproduction
- Poison dart frog - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for captive humidity and temperature, captive toxicity, territoriality
- Dendrobates auratus - Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.orgused for captive diet context
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.