Frog poison dart frog bright. Poison frogs of South America: poison dart frogs and phyllomedusa. Acquisition and price of a tree climber
The tiny dart frog seems so defenseless at first glance. But this impression is very misleading. In fact, dart frogs are very dangerous. They are one of the most poisonous animals in the world. At least that's what the Guinness Book of Records says. Its poison is enough to kill 10 adults.
Dart frogs live exclusively in the jungles of Central America and South Africa.
These frogs grow in length no more than 15-25 mm. They have a very bright color (from pale yellow to blood red speckled), which indicates that they are very dangerous and it is better not to approach them. The paws are most often painted black. Because of this colorful coloring, they are also called "dye frogs".
These frogs are no bigger than a dime 
Bright red color 
Black color with red polka dots Dart frogs are diurnal. They are constantly on the move and busy hunting.
They feed on small insects (beetles, ants, mites), some of which can be very poisonous.
baby It is known that poison frogs do not produce poison on their own. They get it along with food, for example, mites of the suborder Oribatida. But the most interesting thing is that without such a "dangerous feeding" the frogs lose their toxicity after a while.
Their venom is 20 times more toxic than that of other poisonous frogs. Being carriers of such a toxic poison, the frogs themselves remain alive and well. How they do it, scientists still do not know.
The poison is secreted by the skin glands. In its composition, it contains about a hundred different toxic substances, one of which is batrachotoxin. It causes cardiac arrhythmias leading to cardiac arrest.
From batrachotoxin, scientists were able to isolate a derivative substance - epibatidine, which is used as an anesthetic, like morphine. In addition, unlike the latter, epibatidine is not addictive.
Cautionary coloring warns of the danger of all living beings. But people have learned to use this poison for their own purposes. The Indians of Central America lubricate the tips of hunting and combat arrows (including blow darts) with it. Even a slight scratch with such a poisoned tip can result in death.
Hunters collect poison with fire. They hold the frog over the fire and, when it begins to secrete poison, they apply it to the tips of the arrows. Therefore, dart frogs received another name "arrow" or "poison dart frogs".
mating games During the mating season, males call females with the help of croaking, which is more like a trill. When they find each other, the female begins to gently stroke the male with her paws on the back. Then she lays on the leaves of trees from 2 to 16 black eggs. The male leaves her alone for this time. And when the eggs are ready, he fertilizes them.
The eggs are in a gelatinous shell, which swells after fertilization and creates comfortable conditions for development for the embryos.
Fertilized Pumilio dart frog eggs Unlike their parents, tadpoles are not poisonous, so they often become prey to various animals, in particular, land crabs. In some species of poison dart frogs, the male protects and cares for the masonry throughout the entire period of maturation.
Dart frog tadpole Tadpoles hatch on the 8th day. After that, the female on her back carries the tadpoles one by one into flower buds on the tops of trees, in which rainwater accumulates. Such a pool is a kind of children's room, where children begin to grow. Unfertilized eggs serve as food for them.
The female carries a tadpole on her back Dart frogs have become popular with exotic animal lovers. They keep them in special terrariums and successfully breed them.
Frogs at home are not so rare. However, in recent decades, a new fashion has appeared among wildlife lovers - the keeping of exotic amphibians, representatives of the frog family of the Drevolaz.
The extensive family of poison dart frogs includes about 160 species of small amphibians. In principle, in appearance they are not much different from the green or brown frogs that are familiar to our understanding, living in central Russia. However, the need to separate these amphibians into a separate family is caused by a number of serious reasons.
The bright varied color of these animals - black, blue, yellow, with multi-colored stripes and spots - is a distinctive feature of the family. Some specimens, especially blue, look fantastic! This is what attracts numerous collectors of exotic animals.
In the wild, they are very poisonous, and the Indians of South America have long used the poison prepared from them for hunting purposes, lubricating them with arrowheads and darts.
The toxicity of poison dart frogs has been proven to depend on daily diet. Under natural conditions, these amphibians eat ants, ticks and termites, whose poison gradually accumulates in the body.
But if you change the diet, then the toxic properties of the body are reduced to a minimum.
Depending on the species, exotic frogs are very small in size: from 1.5 to 7 cm. Representatives of such a species as Dendrobates tinctorius (Eng. Giant Orange) or "orange giant" can grow up to 8 cm in length, but this is the maximum.
For ease of movement along tree trunks, frogs use strong toes that are devoid of membranes common to frogs. In addition, there are tiny suction cups on the fingers, allowing animals to hold firmly even on wood that is slippery from the rain.
Females can be distinguished from males within a species by overall size, as females are always larger and slightly fatter. 
life in nature
All members of the family live in a relatively small area of the continent of South America. Some varieties are also found in the countries of Central America. Large populations inhabit tropical forests in the north and west of Brazil, in Guiana, Guyana, Suriname. For example, the blue dart frog is found only in Suriname.
By the way, due to the huge commercial demand, the Surinamese population was not so long ago on the verge of complete destruction. The protective measures of the local authorities played a positive role, and the number of blue tree frogs quickly increased to normal in the natural ecological balance.
Individuals of the species Dendrobates azureus ("blue dart frog" or "azure") live mainly along the banks of small rivers and streams, among stones, grass and trees. Their main food, as already mentioned, are ants, insect larvae, termites, poison mites and caterpillars.
Azareuses - as they are often called by collectors - usually live in large groups of 40-60 individuals. At the same time, some species, for example, Dendrobates tinctorius azureus (“spotted blue poison dart frog”), cannot stand a large number of fellow tribesmen, vigilantly guard their territory and live exclusively in pairs, each of which is most often “tied” to one tree trunk.
Unlike galloping green Russian frogs, these amphibians move in small dashes, jerks. Active behavior is observed during the daytime; Amphibians rest at night.
These animals are practically not afraid of anyone. And all thanks to its poisonousness. Skin secretions contain a potent toxin, which, when released into the bloodstream, causes arrhythmia and even cardiac arrest in animals and humans.
It should be noted that the capture of these amphibians is prohibited not only for reasons of species conservation, but also for safety reasons. Even a light touch on the skin of the bright inhabitants of the jungle and savannah can cause a severe headache.
Fortunately, the terrarium specimens of these South American exotic amphibians are practically safe: bred in special nurseries, they are accustomed to non-toxic food. 
Tree frogs at home
House dimensions. Frogs are kept in relatively small horizontal terrariums. For example, for a pair of spotted dendrobates, an area measuring 50x50 cm with a wall height of 30 cm may be sufficient.
Priming- small with minimal calcium content - the terrarium should be damp, but not wet. To do this, it is enough to spray with ordinary water once a day. Only before this procedure, the water must be defended for a day.
Microclimate. The required maintenance temperature ranges from +22 to +28 °C. At night, you can lower the temperature to +18 °C. Therefore, in a warm apartment, you can even do without a separate terrarium heater.
Flora. In the "house" for exotic frogs, there must be low plants with large leaves: tradescantia, various types of bromeliads. A piece of a tree trunk or a thick one is absolutely necessary for the normal existence of poison dart frogs.
Water should be permanent. It is advised to keep it in a coke nut shell or a small plastic container, constantly refresh it, and prevent contamination.
Blue and spotted "South Americans" quickly get used to their terrarium, go for a walk immediately after spraying, enjoying the humid warm air.
Fans of dendrobates claim that their wards are not devoid of intelligence: sometimes they slyly glance through the glass at people, completely without fear of them.
These frogs do not know how to croak, they only purr softly, making rattling sounds, and therefore there is no need to worry about the noise in the apartment or house. 
Feeding
Problems can arise with the catering of poison dart frogs. In special nurseries, they are given their favorite delicacy - fruit flies. However, at home, these small insects can scatter around living quarters, which is not very pleasant. That is why frogs are often fed with caterpillar larvae, springtails (springtails). However, if it is possible to give Drosophila, then you can’t think of a better food.
reproduction
In captivity, it is possible every 10–12 days, and these amphibians become sexually mature at the age of 1 year.
Females lay a small amount of eggs (3-5 eggs) in various shelters. Parts of a coconut shell or even a Petri dish can serve as such shelters.
Caviar care. Many frog owners advise moving future offspring to a separate small terrarium with normal temperature parameters. The eggs are watered several times a day with settled water from a pipette.
offspring care. After about 3 weeks, tiny tadpoles appear, which are placed in a small plastic container with clean water. You can feed them with the usual aquarium food for small fish fry.
Surprisingly, this life cycle of future poison dart frogs continues for a long time. Metamorphosis (that is, the transformation of a tadpole into a frog) occurs only after 2–3 months! Tiny Azareuses can immediately be given Drosophila. Both tadpoles and small amphibians that have appeared in captivity are not poisonous.
It is believed that the maintenance of representatives of the Dendrobates family is quite simple, but observing the behavior of these animals is an interesting activity. But most importantly: bright blue color or colorful spots of poison dart frogs always attract the attention of any person.
Pedigree of poison dart frogs, common species and their characteristics, advice on content and menu for domestic frogs, purchase and price.
In addition to their extraordinary appearance, which immediately catches the eye and remains in memory, these small amphibians are also notable for the fact that they do not require increased attention from you, a large amount of living space and do not show capriciousness during feeding at all. In addition, they are quite quiet, which is also their considerable advantage.
But before you bring this extraordinary living specimen into your home, it is better to get to know him better.
Origin and home ranges of poison dart frogs
Looking at these amazing frogs, one involuntarily gets the impression that these unique creatures came to us from a distant “somewhere”. And if their previous place of residence is not another planet in the solar system, then the fact that the frog has just left the page of a book with vivid illustrations is for sure. But people involved in science do not think so at all, in the process of studying such bright frogs, they classified these representatives of the animal kingdom into the amphibian class, the tailless order and the poison dart frog family. The discovery of these small multicolored "peepholes" dates back to around 1865.
If we talk about the native lands of poison dart frogs, then they differ depending on one or another type of frog. And in the most diverse corners of our globe, over 170 species of these peculiar amphibians live.
Types of poison dart frogs and their characteristic features
sacred dart frog
Dendrobates leucomelas is a very original amphibian that can be found in various places in distant Venezuela, sometimes they travel in the direction of Brazil. As for the area in which they prefer to settle, it can be dry hot plains, practically devoid of vegetation and tropical forests, where it rains almost all year round, they do not bypass mountain locations, these cranks feel absolutely comfortable at a height 800–1000 m above sea level.
In their native territories, these cute creatures spend most of their time on the surface of the earth. In the daytime, when it is especially hot, the frogs try to hide in more shady, humid places. If these little "animals" live in drier places, then they escape from the intense heat on the banks of various reservoirs. They can also get along in the depths of rocky debris, old fallen trees and their rhizomes. Such amphibians do not really like to be alone, therefore, they most often unite in the average size of the group.
By their nature, poison dart frogs are very poisonous creatures, but their specific glands produce their own secret, only when the frogs are in any danger, if there is none for a long time, then this natural “weapon” tends to lose its abilities, this happens, if the amphibian moves to a safe home environment.
In search of food, these small amphibians usually go out in the afternoon, and sometimes after dusk. Ants, termites, flies and other small insects are preferred as food.
As for the external appearance of this representative of the world fauna, we can say that this is a very small tailless one, the length of its miniature body usually does not exceed 40 mm. Male and female individuals do not differ in size from each other; it is possible to notice sexual differences when considering the limbs of poison dart frogs. In the male half, discs at the fingertips are more developed.
The most remarkable feature of these toads is, perhaps, the color of their body, it is simply impossible not to notice it, and later it cannot be confused with anyone, it is so beautiful and contrasting. The main color of the color is jet black, while the skin of the sacred frog is slightly matte, on this basic background you can easily notice an amazing ornament, which is formed by a large number of the most diverse shapes - stripes, circles, lines and spots. These elements of the pattern are painted in yellow, orange, and sometimes slightly greenish hues. In some individuals, the pattern on the body is more modest and less conspicuous. It consists of a one-color mesh pattern, which is represented by perforated stripes drawn in the transverse direction. The projection of the abdominal cavity is always painted in one tone, in this case, deep black.
tricolor poison dart frog
Epipedobates anthonyi - these representatives of the genus of tailless frogs are distinguished by very tiny body parameters. The length of their small body does not exceed 20–25 mm. In this species, sexual dimorphism is also expressed in size - male individuals are usually much smaller than female poison dart frogs.
The color of their skin is also very remarkable. The main tone of the color is bright red. The area of the spinal column is represented by a relatively wide band of yellow color. On the lateral surfaces of the body, rows of small white blotches are immediately striking, which from afar resemble a single, relatively wide strip, which is located longitudinally. The paws are also covered with a large number of small spots.
These spotted toads honor such South American states as Ecuador and Peru as their homeland. They are very fond of occupying locations for permanent residence high above sea level, sometimes this height exceeds 1500 m. Most often, these colorful frogs are found in tropical and subtropical forests. At the same time, each individual individual chooses the humidity of the air for his life, some prefer wooded areas with a very high humidity coefficient, while others, on the contrary, give dry air. They can also be seen near water bodies, swamps and even agricultural plots.
The tricolor poison dart frog does not really tolerate the scorching sun, for this reason it goes in search of food either early in the morning or waits for the second half of the day. The basis of his diet is made up of a variety of insects, the main thing is that they are small.
Spotted dart frog
Dendrobates tinctorius Cobalt - this inhabitant of the southern part of Suriname prefers to choose tropical forests for his residence, it is desirable that there are coastal zones with large abundant vegetation nearby. It also inhabits Brazil and Guyana.
This native of the family of tree frogs received a very unusual, colorful color of his skin as a gift from mother nature. If you contemplate the rather small body of this handsome man, it is not possible to single out any basic tone of color. All parts of his body are individual. The head is painted in yellowish shades, there are stripes on the dorsal part of the body, presented in the same color as the head. The limbs of this frog have a noble blue color, and the lateral parts of the body are blue, and some individuals have a beautiful turquoise hue.
This bright amphibian is active throughout the daylight hours, it is not afraid of either high ambient temperatures or the direct rays of the heated sun, so if the animal is hungry, it will not wait for the sun to turn a little, the toad boldly goes hunting at lunchtime.
As their dwelling, the rhizomes of large trees usually act. The daily menu of these amphibians is quite diverse, they can eat both small insects and plant foods, they really like various types of algae.
Amazonian poison dart frog
Dendrobates ventrimaculatus - looking at the name of this living creature, it is not difficult to guess about the places of its natural habitat. Indeed, this frog lives near the northern part of the Amazon and its tributaries, namely in Brazil, Ecuador, Suriname, Guyana, Colombia and even French Guinea.
This rather mobile and active frog is rarely seen "walking" on the ground, usually it spends most of its time high in the trees, between dense foliage. But occasionally they still go hunting on the edges of forests and on the banks of small streams. The basis of the diet of the Amazonian toad is small insects.
Dye dart frog
Dendrobates auratus - if we talk about this representative of the large kingdom of frogs, then we can say that these are amphibians larger than average. Their body grows in length in the range from 3.5 to 5.5 cm. Sexual dimorphism in this species is also noticeable in appearance, females are not only larger than males, but also the shape of their body and muzzle is rounded. The male sex, in turn, is a little slimmer and with a slightly pointed muzzle. In addition, in male poison dart frogs, discs slightly enlarged in volume can be observed on the fingertips.
The appearance of these poison dart frogs can change depending on the environmental conditions where one or another social group of frogs lives. The most common are amphibians, painted in black and green shades, sometimes you can see golden-black toads, bluish-black, brown or green with a rich metallic sheen. A stricter version of the color, presented in black and white colors, is found near the western part of Costa Rica.
These amphibians with color variability can be found in the wild in the territories of Central and South America, namely in countries such as Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Brazil, Bolivia and many others. Coloring frogs inhabit wooded areas with high humidity. As their own dwelling, these aesthetes are rarely content with the ruins of trees; they prefer hollows already equipped and inhabited by other animals.
This amphibian is very active during the day, she likes a light shade, where it is very warm, but the sun gets there a little less, but she does not like to rest. Looking at these living creatures, one gets the impression that they also know that movement is life. The diet of this type of frog consists exclusively of their flies.
blue dart frog
Dendrobates azureus - these tailless frogs grow no more than 5 cm in length. The basic tone of their color is blue-blue, on the lateral parts of the body and in the projection of the abdomen, it brightens a little. On the skin of the back, you can see a neat pattern, which is formed by many black blotches and medium-sized spots.
The blue dart frog is a native of South America, in its homeland it lives in places where there are large rocky mounds, as well as in coastal locations of small streams and large forest rivers. If all other species of poison dart frogs live in small social groups, then these bluish frogs create entire populations, the number of which sometimes exceeds 100 individuals.
yellow-striped dart frog
Dendrobates truncates This amphibian honors a very small territory near the border of Brazil and French Guiana as its homeland. It is there that he lives comfortably in tropical forests of medium humidity. These striped toads spend most of their free time on the ground. They live in small colonies, in which there are approximately 40–50 individuals. As a dwelling, rocky outcrops are used, which are densely wrapped in shrubs. Favorite locations of yellow-striped frogs are coastal slopes near water bodies.
The appearance of this amphibian is also no less original and colorful. The parameters of the body are average, their body length ranges from 35 to 70 mm, the female sex is usually much larger than the male specimen. On the main coal-black background, long longitudinal stripes are neatly drawn, painted in bright yellow shades.
Before you start such a not very familiar pet, first take care of his personal home, because some of your cohabitants may not really like the fact that a frog “walks” around the house, besides it is poisonous. Horizontal terrariums are ideal as a house for such a comrade, while poison dart frogs do not require a very large personal living space.
In this very compact dwelling, it is necessary to cover the floor surface with some kind of substrate; small pebbles would be the best solution. The soil in the frog's dwelling should always be moist, but in no case wet, this can be achieved by spraying daily in the terrarium.
Despite the fact that your friend is used to living in a rather hot climate, in your apartment it is enough for him, the daytime air temperature is in the range of 24-29 degrees, and the night temperature is about 18-20. For this reason, if your house is warm, then you can do without specialized heating devices.
In the personal apartment of your home poison dart frog, you need to have various branches and snags on which your kind of pet will climb, so he will have fun and keep his miniature multi-colored body in good shape.
The presence of vegetation in the terrarium is also mandatory; low plants with relatively large leaves, such as tradescantia or a wide variety of bromeliad varieties, are well suited as a personal frog forest.
Your friend cannot do without clean water, it will be good to make a drinking bowl and a separate small artificial reservoir in the terrarium, in which it is desirable to place pieces of bark or small pebbles, this measure will help your friend easily get out of such a personal pool.
It's also good to make a few small hiding places for your pet so that he can rest in silence and away from prying eyes.
Feeding these colorful exotics at home is not difficult. It is best to purchase food products in the market or in a pet store. Drosophila flies are excellent food for poison dart flies. But sometimes there are some problems with them, since these nimble insects can easily get away from the frog and start living in different parts of your house, which is not very pleasant, so cricket dust, the smallest wood lice, springtails and caterpillar larvae.
It is very important to periodically add vitamin supplements and calcium to the feed, as frogs are susceptible to a number of pathological conditions, which are most often caused by a decrease in the concentration of calcium in their fragile organisms.
These pets will not bring you any inconvenience associated with noise, since they do not know how to make signals such as “croaking” at all, only a quiet rattle can be heard from them.
Acquisition and price of a tree climber
If you are on fire with the idea of buying such an exotic friend, then browsing the pages of various online stores, you can see a wide variety of types of toads, it all depends on your preferences, your favorite range of colors, and, of course, on your financial condition. The price for one individual of a poisonous frog ranges from 1,400 to 25,000 rubles.
, French Guiana , Guyana , Guyana and Suriname . They mainly occupy the lower tiers of rainforests.
Natural populations and conservation measures
Due to the growing commercial demand for keeping these bright and attractive animals as pets, as well as due to the natural limitation of the distribution of certain morphological forms in their natural habitat, natural populations of frogs may decline and even disappear, thereby violating the ecological natural balance. Strict government measures to ban and regulate trapping - the removal of animals from countries - can help in the conservation of the species. Such measures were taken in Suriname and the endangered population of lat. Dendrobates has been restored. Restrictions on the export of animals have been introduced in many regions where these animals live, however, there is a private poaching of frogs for export and sale both through the zoo trading network of economically successful countries, and through individual small private business representative offices and firms. Some wild animals are sold under the guise of a domestic population or in the form of babies obtained from a wild form of an animal caught during the mating season. At present, due to the successful keeping and breeding of spotted poison dart frogs at home and in specialized farms, the threat of extinction of animals in natural conditions has been reduced.
Deforestation due to the development of industrial and agricultural production also affects the decline in populations of poison dart frogs.
Description of the species
Body shape is normal. The size of an adult is about 5 - 6 cm, but occasionally there are representatives of some variational forms, the size of which reaches 8 cm. There are no membranes between the toes. The tips of the fingers of the front paws are equipped with small suction cups. The colors are vibrant and varied. In general, females are larger than males.
Subspecies and variations
Behavioral Features
Frogs are diurnal terrestrial near streams and small bodies of water or puddles, and very rarely climb above a fallen tree or small stump. Only the "Orange" or "Black and Yellow Giant" (lat. Dendrobates tinctorius Giant Orange ) are located on trunks in the crown of trees - at a height of one and a half to fifteen meters.
Frogs move in short dashes with frequent jerks and "bows"; jump rarely and over very short distances. Crawling vertically, they press against the surface with the belly and hips of the inner part of the hind legs - thereby holding on to weight.
Male Dendrobates tinctorius alanis at the Zurich Zoo
Food
reproduction
Like all poison dart frogs and leaf climbers, they breed on the ground and then carry the tadpoles on their own backs to a nearby body of water or to bromeliad leaves filled with rainwater. Eggs are laid in damp places directly on the ground or a leaf of a plant and taken care of until the tadpoles hatch.
Spawning is seasonal; as a rule, in the amount of 15 to 30 eggs. One of the parents (usually a male) is constantly near the masonry, periodically wetting it with water and mixing it with its hind legs. The females may eat the clutch. The hatched tadpoles are attached to the back of the parent and travel with him to a suitable body of water. In this position, they can remain for up to seven days, feeding on the remnants of the yolk. The development of tadpoles lasts 14-18 days, after which the young frogs switch to a terrestrial way of life.
Frogs are an increased focus for pet lovers in terrariums due to their diversity and attractiveness. Bright coloration, diurnal activity, interesting breeding behavior make you forget about their toxicity - you just need to prevent the frogs from escaping and communicate with them in rubber gloves. Young individuals and the new "home generation" are not so dangerous to human life.
For keeping frogs, a terrarium is used, which ensures the preservation of humidity and heat, as well as good ventilation. The volume of the terrarium is determined not by the requirements of the animals, but by the size of the plants that must be in it. It is desirable to provide for the possibility of adjusting the air flow and ventilation. The air temperature fluctuates around 27°C during the day and 21°C at night.
Plants for the terrarium can be both ground and epiphytic: tradescantia, selaginella, various bromeliads with smooth non-thorny leaves. Epiphytes are placed in a position convenient and accessible to frogs. The accumulating water in the axils of the leaves of bromeliads serves the animals not only as a “bath”, but also as a “maternity room”.
When breeding frogs in terrarium conditions, a Petri dish is used, which is covered with coconut shell, and then the eggs in the cup are removed to a separate wet place (plastic vessel) for further artificial incubation. Before pecking, caviar in a cup is moistened with droplets of freshly settled water from
Arrow frogs and leaf climbers (Dendrobatidae and Phyllobates trinitatis).
The most dangerous animals on the planet: Frogs and leaf climbers / "poisonous arrow"
Habitat: forests of South and Central America.
Danger!
Very poisonous, the skin is riddled with glands that secrete microscopic proportions of poison, which are enough to kill a full-grown jaguar. Vaccines against dart frog venom have not been invented.
The most dangerous and poisonous animals among amphibians are tree frogs. They live in the tropical forests of South America. Such a frog is called a "poison arrow".
They are not called that for nothing. The fact is that they are so poisonous that they kill with the same speed and reliability as an arrow that hit a vital human organ. Frogs have very poisonous skin. Its secretions are also poisonous.
The tribes of those places where frogs are found have known about the poisonousness of the animal for hundreds of years, and use the poison for their own purposes. Aborigines smear the tips of arrows (another reason for the name of the frog species) with animal poison. And such an arrow kills as reliably as the frog itself.
Just touch the frog and you are a corpse. Well, the color of the frog, such a beautiful coloring, is just a warning of danger.
It is impossible not to notice the frogs and leaf climbers in nature, as these are the most brightly colored reptiles on our earth. They live in the forests of South and Central America. Representatives of the poison dart frog family live along the banks of rivers and streams, in the rainforests of mountains and lowlands. Some spend most of their lives in trees. There are also those who live in open dry spaces, content with the moisture of shaded areas of soil under stunted plants. Unlike other amphibians, poison dart frogs are only active during the day and sleep at night.
As you know, dangerous poisonous animals have a bright skin, thereby ensuring safety from predators and warning strangers. Dart frogs and leaf frogs are very brightly colored.
These frogs are very poisonous. They have the deadliest poison. Especially dangerous is the Terrible Leaf Climber (Phyllobates terribilis) from Venezuela. This inhabitant of humid forests reaches a length of 25 mm and is colored in gray-olive or brownish tones with dark spots. The abdomen of females is golden yellow. This leaf climber is active during the day and preys on small insects, spiders and worms.
About 130 species are included in the DREVOLAZ family (Dendrobatidae), but among them there is not a single non-poisonous frog. In poison dart frogs, the skin is pierced by glands that secrete microscopic proportions of poison, which are quite enough to kill a jaguar. This poison consists of about a hundred different substances. This is one of the strongest poisons of non-protein nature. It is so dangerous that scientists have to wear thick gloves to handle it, as the poison can penetrate through any cut or even scratch. The poison has a terrible nerve-paralytic effect. As a result, cardiac arrhythmia occurs, leading to cardiac arrest. In order for the poison to work, it is enough for it to enter the bloodstream through the mucous membrane or cracks in the skin. That is why no one dares to touch these frogs, except for the Indians, who smear hunting arrows with frog poison.
Vaccines against dart frog venom have not been invented. It is hardly possible to stay alive after this poison enters the body. Each frog produces enough of the toxin that one dose can kill at least 10 people.
In fact, dart frogs are a rare exception in nature. Basically, the poison of living creatures that defend themselves from predators is rather weak - most often it comes down to "chemical defense" (like a ladybug or a forest bug). Another thing is with animals that hunt large prey. They wait a long time and then rush to the victim. They often have only one chance to take their prey, so the poison must be very strong and act instantly.
Dart frogs do not prey on large animals. Their main food is small insects, spiders and worms. Why they need such a strong poison is still unknown. Another interesting fact associated with these reptiles is that the poison dart frogs themselves are not sensitive to their poison. The origin of their toxin is also unclear. Cases are known when poison dart frogs grown in captivity lost their toxicity. Apparently, they need some special diet to maintain the toxin in the body.
So, in the end, we repeat once again: the frogs of the dart frogs and leaf climbers are extremely dangerous for humans. But by themselves, these frogs do not throw themselves at people, so there is no chance of being poisoned by their poison, unless, of course, you yourself touch their skin. Therefore, the most important way to protect yourself is very simple - do not touch these frogs!
