Yellow-bellied poison frog (Ameerega hahneli)

Short answers

Yellow-bellied poison frog: How big does the enclosure need to be?

50×50×50 cm for a pair or a small group — a forest-floor dweller: floor space with a thick leaf-litter layer matters more than height; breeding additionally requires a spot with moving water.

Yellow-bellied poison frog: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–26 °C, basking spot No basking spot — direct heat is harmful, at night 18–21 °C.

Yellow-bellied poison frog: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Weak UVB recommended (UVB 2.0), no strong lamp.

Yellow-bellied poison frog: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 5–10 years.

Yellow-bellied poison frog: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–26 °C

Night temperature

18–21 °C

Basking spot

No basking spot — direct heat is harmful

Humidity

80–95 %, mist daily

UVB

Weak UVB recommended (UVB 2.0), no strong lamp

Enclosure

Minimum size

50×50×50 cm for a pair or a small group — a forest-floor dweller: floor space with a thick leaf-litter layer matters more than height; breeding additionally requires a spot with moving water

Substrate

Forest-floor substrate with a drainage layer, moss, leaf litter, bromeliads and film canisters as spawning sites

Feeding

Food

Springtails, fruit flies and aphids, dusted regularly with calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

adults daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

1.7–2.2 cm (males 1.7–1.9 cm, females 1.9–2.2 cm)

Life expectancy

5–10 years

Origin

Amazon basin — Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname; forest floor in tropical rainforest

Protection status

CITES II — proof of origin required

Brumation

No winter rest, at most a short dry spell to trigger breeding

Cohabitation

Pair or small group. Unlike most poison frogs, this species also tolerates being kept in larger numbers: keepers report three males with one female without aggression. The males call to each other and thereby stake out their territories without fighting. What's needed is a floor area on which each male can find its own calling perch, plus dense leaf litter and several hiding spots. Freshly morphed juveniles are raised separately, because otherwise they lose out in the competition for tiny feeder insects.

Notes

A leaf-litter ground dweller, less fond of climbing than Ranitomeya.

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Related species

• Bassler's poison frog (Ameerega bassleri) – Intermediate
• Painted poison frog (Ameerega picta) – Intermediate
• Ruby poison frog (Ameerega parvula) – Intermediate
• Yellow-striped poison frog (Ameerega flavopicta) – Intermediate
• Three-striped poison frog (Ameerega trivittata) – Intermediate
• Pepper's poison frog (Ameerega pepperi) – Intermediate
• Silverstone's poison frog (Ameerega silverstonei) – Intermediate
• Anthony's poison frog (Hyloxalus nexipus) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Yellow-bellied poison frog (Ameerega hahneli) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (50×50×50 cm for a pair or a small group — a forest-floor dweller: floor space with a thick leaf-litter layer matters more than height; breeding additionally requires a spot with moving water), substrate (Forest-floor substrate with a drainage layer, moss, leaf litter, bromeliads and film canisters as spawning sites), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.